Does weather effect symptoms?

[cheerchicken05]

Hey~ i was wondering if im crazy or if you guys have this too. Yesterday the weather was really bad and my knees were hurting so i know the pressure was doing wierd things!! anywho not about the knees. my chest wasnt hurting, but it was really tight all day. like it felt like someone had a hold of it and wouldnt let it move. i kept wanting to like stretch out it just felt tight. but today was nicer and i didnt really have that. does anyone else get this?

Also just as a note...my doc changed my meds from atenolol to Vepramil and my chest pains have gone down soo much!!! going to my chem class (stairs, right after lunch..just not good) my chest has hurt every day since the beginning of the year. after i started vepramil, i still get out of breath BUT IT DIDNT HURT!!! i ran in my classroom and otld my friend about it cuz i was SIKED and he hugged me and it was just great. *happy moment* ok thats all love you guys!

[Laoshur]

Re: Does weather effect symptoms?

I have not noticed a problem with bad weather, but I have always had trouble with breathing and with chest pain in hot weather. I think that it is very likely that the weather affects HCM - or at least our perception of it, since the weather affects many areas of our lives.

Unfortunately, I am going to get a great chance to check this out here as it is already in the high 80's here and the students have told us that it will soon be 40-45 C - we're talking 105-110 F range! We do have AC in our apartment, but teach in classrooms without it and do nearly all our traveling around on foot, by bike, or by un-airconditioned public transportation. I am truly thankful that we have the AC here at home!!!!!

Rhoda

[Reenie]

Re: Does weather effect symptoms?

Rhoda, do you need me to send you some deoderant? Just kidding. I know what you mean, the heat is a drag. I'm glad at least you can be comfortable at home. Do you teach year round?

Reenie

[Laoshur]

Re: Does weather effect symptoms?

Reenie,

Thanks! I need the deodorant!!! We aren't sure why everyone here does not smell terrible, but deodorant is not sold here as far as we can tell. (Some people do clearly demonstrate the lack, but fortunately, our students do not.) I have a friend coming from the US in a couple of weeks and she will bring me some spares.

No, we do not teach year-round here, but the semesters run from late August until mid January and from mid February until mid July. We are cutting out a little early on July 3 to catch the fireworks back home.
We'll be done with finals by then so will be free to go.

Last year we missed the worst of the heat because the university closed due to SARS along with everything else just about a week later than this. Although the crisis was over by late June, we did not need to come back then because we had finished our classes over the internet. But August and September 2002 was a taste of how bad it can be. I would walk out of the apartment and to the street (perhaps a half block in US blocks or less) and my hair would be soaking wet and I would need a shower. Fortunately, we teach graduate level courses, which did not start until a couple of weeks after the undergrads. By then the heat was just a problem, but not entirely impossible. So, from now until July 3 could be a real test of how much heat I can tolerate. So, think of me when you put on that deodorant and hope it holds out!!!

Rhoda

[Burton Borrok]

Re: Does weather effect symptoms?

I’ve noticed that nasty weather doesn’t do me any favors, but I ascribe at least most of that to the arthritis. That’s one of the reasons I’m out here in the desert in the worst drought on record.

Rhoda,
At home we broke into the nineties about three to four weeks ago – but that was a spell of above normal temperatures. In the summer we get into the one twenties, but everything is air conditioned, except the walk across the street to the mailbox. I do that slowly and carefully. When the car is parked outside for any time at all, getting in is an adventure. The temperature goes well over 150 and even the plastic covered steering wheel can burn you. I have leather seats and you get scorched right through your cloths. We use towels and cushions.

Thankfully you will be coming home at the beginning of July, so hopefully you won’t be subjected to too much frying weather. (That’s not a slight on the oriental ‘L’.)
Burt

[Abbygirl2]

Re: Does weather effect symptoms?

I don't know if this is an hcm thing or not, but I am very sensitive to the heat. I can't even take hot baths. I can tolerate it outside for only a short while before I start feeling weak, my body feels heavy etc. Fortunately we have four distinct seasons so the heat only lasts a couple months, and seldom goes over 100. I spend most of summer indoors. Come to think of it I spend most of winter indoors too. Thanks goodness for spring and fall, or I'd never get outside.

Pam

[Reenie]

Re: Does weather effect symptoms?

Rhoda, I mentioned before that I lived in Japan for a while. I don't think I mentioned that the last time we went there we arrived in the middle of August, in the middle of a record-breaking heat wave. This was Northern Japan where they don't air condition the homes. If we wanted any a/c we had to go to the grocery store or the mall. UGH. It was 95+ for 3 weeks and the humidity was horrid. Deodorant and baby powder along with showers were our best friends! Seriously, though. If you ever need supplies you can't get there, let me know. I'd be happy to help.

Reenie

[Reenie]

Re: Does weather effect symptoms?

I don't know if this is an hcm thing or not, but I am very sensitive to the heat. I can't even take hot baths. I can tolerate it outside for only a short while before I start feeling weak, my body feels heavy etc. Fortunately we have four distinct seasons so the heat only lasts a couple months, and seldom goes over 100. I spend most of summer indoors. Come to think of it I spend most of winter indoors too. Thanks goodness for spring and fall, or I'd never get outside.

Pam

Pam, my theory is that heat makes the blood vessels dilate in order to disperse heat more efficiently. I think that's part of why you might have a hard time in the heat, whether a hot bath or hot air. The dilation of the blood vessels might make your blood pressure drop and make you feel cruddy. Hope this helps.

Reenie

[Lisa Salberg]

Re: Does weather effect symptoms?

Weather is a factor that many have difficulty with - it seems to be extremes in both directions - cold and hot.
I am going to ask one of the docs to write something up as to why this occures and what we can do wo help balance it out.

Lisa

[Laoshur]

Re: Does weather effect symptoms?

Reenie,

Thanks so much for the offer! I really appreciate it. We are afraid to trust the mail between here and there, so we usually just bring stuff ourselves or do without or get someone to hand carry things in. When we came here we mailed several hundred pounds worth of textbooks in our fields to ourselves. They took nearly 7 months to get here, or at least to find out that they were here. Our neighbors, who have been here for 5 years say they get less than 50% of the mail from home, and when we tried to send postcards from here to the US, only two people out of 10 or 12 got them.

However, we have always had a lot of company in the US, so now some of them just come here! So, so far we have always had a steady stream of visitors to bring meds and goodies. From now until midJune we will have at least 3 or 4 sets of company staying with us.

Thanks again!
Rhoda