A matter of cold in tolerance?

Everyday living
1

Hi all,

Having always succumbed to heat intolerance in the past, last winter I noticed that I could no longer tolerate the cold either. As this winter approaches I’ve already noticed it setting in again and the weather hasn’t been that cold as of yet.

At home no matter how warm I keep the house, I find that unless I’m constantly moving around (nigh on impossible) I just can’t get any heat up, whilst out of doors if I wear layers and layers of clothing I manage to keep warm but if I don’t, I can barely walk due to stiffness and numbness, and it also affects my hands. Thankfully it doesn’t increase neuropathic pain as such, though I guess that numbness is classed as neuropathy.

I know how unpredictable MS can be so this is a new one on me, and it’s ever since I passed the hot menopausal stage(coincidence or what? ) Just wondering just how many others can’t suffer the cold and does it affect you the same way as it affects me- or worse, even?

I’d also be interested to see if the scales are even as to the numbers of those who can’t suffer heat and humidity and those who find the cold weather worse.

Thanks

Eiona :slight_smile: x

2

Eiona We can’t win can we I too suffer numbness & stiffness in my legs when it’s cold almost to the point that I can’t feel my legs, same goes for humid conditions. Not helped by the fact that I suffered a relapse so bad that I never fully recovered from it. Oh the joys I’m asking Santa for new legs this year I wonder if he will be able to accomodate me! Lol x

3

its extremes that i cant cope with,and worst of all for me is humidity, i cant function at all in high humidity.

jaki xx

4

Thanks both

It’s the extremes with me, so I’ve begun to notice- if I get a chance to acclimatise, I’m not too bad.

What prompted me to ask was that the weather forecast for my area yesteday was sunny all day but within an hour of getting where I needed to go, it had to changed to cloudy, breezy and very cold, especially whilst sat in a draughty bus station to catch the bus home (I don’t drive).

I haven’t had a bath in years (lol!) because the heat and humidity wipes me out afterwards, but of late I’ve taken to having one because it eases the legs, then the effect of that is as usual, total wipe out anf blurred vision.

I feel a tome coming on …'My life as a contradiction ’ lol!

Anyone else in a similar situation?

Eiona :slight_smile: x

5

hi eiona

i am rarely aware of the heat. the cold-i need to take extra care because the first i know about is visually. fingers go white,particularly one of them. apparently now i have chillblains in foot,pulses are ok. have just got heated slippers in post,not tried them yet,and i have a variety of cosy socks and gloves. do they make any difference? am not sure! this is something that i need to be more aware of so thanks for bringing to attention.

the fire has been for weeks,the house isnt cold (so the kids tell me!) but i struggle daily with extremities. fine motor-forget it! if i can lift owt with my left fist then i have a chance!

will be watching for your replies

ellie x

6

Dear Eiona,bin a while. To answer your post I’m afraid that talking about myself may throw up(no change there then) things which may help you and others.

I’ve got three dehumidifiers in my flat and keeping the humility below 35% is best for me.I have three hair dryers placed cunningly around the flat for warming th’extremities… My big problem is chronic and dreadful neuropathetic pain in my feet,mainly the soles. The circulation below the knees is rubbish,but THEY won’t investigate it,'cos “You’ve got MS”.

I haven’t worn socks for five years,'cos of the pain they cause.When I go out on my buggy my feet get cold quickly and hurt like a pair of [very deleted words] I’ve come up with the idea of putting a 12 volt lead acid battery on the deck of the buggy and having a 12 volt hair dryer to warm my feet when I’ve stopped for ‘coffee and coffin’. The hair dryer runs from a car fag lighter and is mainly for de-frosting.The battery fits and I’m waiting for the dryer from Amazon.Hopefully the battery will have enough juice to give me 10 minutes of heat.I used to be an Eskimo,but now the cold is a crippler,but I ain’t staying in.

I haven’t had the Womanopause (us blokes have nothing) yet and I wonder if that’ll warm me bits.

Regards, Wb

7

hi eiona

i’ve got a faulty thermostat. always either too hot or too cold, every now and then i feel just right but its only for a few minutes.

menopause added to it and no wobblyboy not in a good way.

i always wear layers and wherever i go i’m always stripping off a layer or putting one back on.

went to a concert with my hubby on tuesday. it filled up quickly and i started to melt. hubby told me to take my jumper off but i wasnt wearing my usual layers and i wasnt going to sit in my bra!

carole x

8

I have just come from a post on the newbie site,where Kizzy is also back with us.

We have dodgy thermostats and feel the change is not the reason, but we are roasting and I have so far found the only use for it is other people warming their hands on me…stop it wobbly I know what you are thinking!!!

It appears ms wins in straight sets on the temperature control front.

Pip

9

New legs? What about some of those kangaroo bouncy legs, like the ones the paralymians use? I`m up for that!

luv Pollx

10

Hi, I`m more rubbish in the heat than the cold. Just a degree or two up and it zaps our energy levels no end!

luv Pollx

11

Thanks all for your replies…so far…

I was logged onto the internet via my smartphone earlier reading these and knocking back the Americanos like there’s no tomorrow in a cafe I frequent- guaranteed place of warmth, though it’s not that cold today (to me anyway).

Wb -

Interesting what you say about wearing socks giving you more pain, well that’s how I read it - and I’ll pass on being wired up to a hair dryer :wink: whilst walking, though I do know what it feels like to be cold and wet in a wheelchair, based on past flare ups.

The reason I was interested in that is because I know of at least two friends with MS who feel the cold, yet anything touching their skin sets off that horrible soreness-type neuropathy.

As for me, last winter I bought myself an all weather full length coat from M&Expensive thinking it would do the trick, but no, because it’s so heavy and cumbersome that not only did I look like the michelin man but felt weighed down, unable to move my arms around and as many know I love my photography and that was a ‘nocando’ wearing that.

Carole-

Layers sounds like a good option because of the above mentioned coat. Cooincidentally a good friend of mine visited the States last August and knowing full well how we both feel the cold in winter, as a pressie brought me back a very lightweight weatherproof jacket with a fleecy lining. I’m currently wearing it to death.

Going back to me downing my Americanos late morning/early lunchtime-I was drooling over the glasses of red wine that were being served by that time . Not only drooling but almosy jumping into one to get warm :wink: but know that’s not the answer to keeping warm (though it does have its merits at times…) because it’s taking the heat away from the core of the body.

So, does anyone else have other coping strategies? From what I father so far, we’re talking layers of clothing, lots of warm drinks and I’m guessing myself the type of food that provides inner warmth e.g. porridge (Ych! - apologies to the Scots )

I suppose I could ditch the husband and find me a millionaire to whisk me to warmer climes over winter, but I’ve been stuck to him (husband) for over 35 yrs and don’t want to unstick myself :slight_smile:

Thanks again and any other coping strategies are more than welcome

Eiona x

12

Know just what you mean, however having just had a new log burner (only source off heating apart from a couple of electic convectors for the moment) I’d have to say it provides a better ‘type’ of heating than our previous gas central hating, in fact I’ve not been so warm since I previously had solid fuel central heating and a fire, it is toasty warm and if it gets too warm just reduce the air - love it, so glad we chose to get rid of the oil fired central heating that was in here. I think solid fuel either coal or logs just gives a better heat…Even my feet are warm!

Alison x

13

Hi Eiona, yes I seem to have lost any tolerance to cold as well as heat now :0(, it has sort of crept up I feel over the last few years , any icy wind is a total no no now, and of course the immobility doesn’t help none in trying to get warm , it affects all over really , like you my hands are terribly cold , then there’s the head,legs, not to mention the arms,body etc,etc

I had been feeling rather pleased for a while having trained my monster G.S puppy to lead from my scooter , but that is taking a back seat now as the cold sets in ,

only this morning I put my new and latest cunning plan into force , because of eye trouble (O.N. and glaucoma) I’ve bought some flying type goggles :0) , great for keeping the wind and cold out of the eyes , but despite a wooly hat , and ten other layers of clothing I was defeated :0(,

the only thing I’ve achieved (once again) is to look a total idiot whilst outside , just imagine “the crazy frog” on a mobility scooter !!

John

14

Thanks Alison - good to hear someone’s found a solution :slight_smile: x

15

Hi John,

Long time, no speak …

I’m familiar with that look though not in the same sense- with me it’s the two pairs of specs on top of my head because despite a dry eye syndrome the cold causes my eyes to water immeasureably. I wouldn’t think you’d be the type to wear mascara, not these days anyway :wink: but unless I wear the waterproof kind then it’s the Panda look for me :wink:

Despite all this horrid stuff going on , I hope you’re coping OK there:-)

16

I suppose you end up losing the specs too ? :0), my eyes just get dry with a hint of grit thanks to the eye drops , I think mascara with flying goggles might be a fashion infringement ? LOL , not to mention the dog may not recognise me at all ! , it’s bad enough for the poor thing as it is :0)

but yes , despite the horrid stuff we seem to be hanging on in there thanks

17

Hi Eiona. Know just how you feel. My carers are horrified at how “cold” I have my bath-water. 35 degrees is HOT for me but they say it’s too cold. Any warmer and I’m wiped out for the day (more than usual). Conversely, I can’t stand the cold, but seem to be “cold” and bundled up in sweaters when everybody else is wearing T-shirts. I wear in summer what other people wear in winter and have the central heating at 21 degrees which still isn’t warm enough without a gas fire on as well. As for humidity, can’t cope with that at all. Feet are permanently frozen even if the rest of me warms up a bit. Am really only warm in bed with a hot water bottle! Hmm. Good idea. Night all.

Belinda.x

18

oh and i get so hot during the night that i have to come downstairs and play on my laptop until i start to feel cold.

what with my naughty bladder waking me up and then the heat, i’m lucky to get 3 hours sleep!

but ms people are so good at adapting and finding ways round all this Cr*p

carole x

19

John - yep, just call me the Anne Robinson of the MS World lol!- and the phrase or sentence most often in use to my OH is , “Where’s my specs?”

Keep on keeping on, just like the rest of us eh?

Belinda and Carole - thanks again. Next it’ll be how to keep your head (literally) above water given how much flooding and rain we’re getting here in Wales :wink:

Cheers all!

20

Hi Eiona

I have just made a post about spasticity and how I feel that my whole body is becoming tight and painful. This seems to have happened since the colder weather and as I already have problems with the heat.

My MS email friend calls it Wendy weather, that perfect temperature around 70-75 degrees.

My mum had R/arthritis and she found that although she hated the cold winters the very hot humid summers would not help her pain either.

Wendy x