Sunshine & Heat - effects on MS ?

Everyday living
1

Evening everyone,

I am looking for advise and other peoples experiences on heat/ warm climate effects on their MS.

I have just recently returned from holiday from North Africe. The temperature was around 34 at the hottest point each day. The weird thing is that weeks before I went I think I was having a relaspe, lots of weird undiscribale symptoms along with burning sensation in legs and sciatica and urinary frequency/urgency.

Within 24 hours of arriving on holiday my symptoms all dissapeared. It was definately not just because it was a “feel happy” time. I walked for miles, which is not something I can do back home.

Now I am back home my symptoms have started to reappear. This happens each time I go to sunnier climates but everyone keeps telling me that heat is a bad thing for MS.

Very confused!

2

You know best how you feel!

Just because it says in some textbook you’re supposed to feel worse in heat doesn’t make it true. If you don’t, then you don’t. I don’t either - so far. Trust your own judgement, and don’t let anyone try to tell you how you feel is wrong.

We all react to this illness in different ways. It’s not possible to generalise that everyone is worse in heat. I know I’m much worse in cold, and this direst, coldest Spring for years has done nothing for me. I’m sure I’d pick up if I went somewhere warmer and sunnier, too - but especially drier.

Funny, when I saw a traditional Chinese acupuncturist (he wasn’t Chinese, but did follow traditional, not modern, acupuncture theories), he said ancient Chinese medicine does not recognize MS as a diagnosis (because it wasn’t understood and labelled until relatively modern times).

Instead, it treats all ailments as due to some kind of imbalance between the elements. In my case, it was an excess of damp.

I know this sounds mad, but he wasn’t denying the modern, Western diagnosis, but just choosing to look at things in an alternative way.

Although I have mixed views about acupuncture generally (I gave up in the end, because I couldn’t persuade myself it was helping), I DO find myself able to relate to the “damp” verdict. Someone suffering from an excess of damp will feel worse in cool, damp places, and in damp weather. I can confirm I particularly dislike damp, mist, and drizzle. I always feel worse in that kind of weather. And I don’t just mean psychologically, because it’s miserable. I find all my pains play up, and the cramps and spasticity worsen. I’ve felt a bit better the last couple of days - drier and sunnier.

I bet if I kept a diary relating symptoms to weather, I’d often see this pattern.

Tina

x

3

Hi Helv

I know there are some people with MS who do better in sunny weather. I wonder if the difference is to do with the humidity. WHen it’s hot & humid I feel rubbish. But if it’s just relatively warm with low humidity, it doesn’t affect me anything like as much.

As Tina said, you know best how you feel. So maybe it’s worth experimenting somehow & go to places that are warm but with low humidity.

Dan

4

Hi Helv :slight_smile: I also do better in warm sunny weather. I feel better when it is warm. I wondered wether it was because I was a chef for the last 20 odd years, and working in a hot enviroment is just something my body has acclimatised itself to, as when I am cold, I almost seize up. So I am embracing this warmth because it never lasts long enough for me. Even humidity has little effect on me x

5

[quote=he_funk]

Hi Helv

I know there are some people with MS who do better in sunny weather. I wonder if the difference is to do with the humidity. WHen it’s hot & humid I feel rubbish. But if it’s just relatively warm with low humidity, it doesn’t affect me anything like as much.

As Tina said, you know best how you feel. So maybe it’s worth experimenting somehow & go to places that are warm but with low humidity.

Dan

Same here - can cope with the heat but high humidity absoloutely kna***** me. I’m at my best on a cold bright wionters day!

6

I struggle in the horrid muggy heat we get here but positively thrive in the dry heat you tend to get abroad.

7

Me too! Dry heat for me, have had a lovely afternoon on a lounger today and stiffness in legs is much improved this evening. Although I have found my symptoms flare up in a hot car or if the classroom at work is too warm. Air con all the way!

8

I feel better is sunny times … even just the sun out but it’s humidity that makes me feel worse . .that muggy feeling. Lets hope the weather were getting today becomes more common x

9

Hello,

If my body temperature goes up then I suffer Uhtoff’s syndrome. Basically no messages go to my legs and I’m effectivcely parlysed from the waist down. This occurs if I have an infection and tempertire goes up for example a UTI or if I sit in the sun to boost my Vitamin D levels.

Muggy weather definitely makes my symptoms worse + I seem to loose all my energy. Dry warm weather suits me best of all.

Everyone is happier when the sun comes out, me included. I just have to watch my body temperature. Does anyone else get Uhtoff’s syndrome? First symptoms in 1979, I was diagnosed in 1995, SPMS started in 2000 but Uhtoffs syndrome only started a couple of years ago, first time I was very scared, now I’ve learnt to be careful.

Patrick

10

Hi Patrick Yes I suffer from Uhthoffs too. Any rise in temperature affects me quite badly. Eating hot food, having a warm bath or shower, any exertion etc. I cannot sit in the sun anymore and am confined to indoors with an air con unit or fan blowing directly on to me. So, I’m afraid, I am longing for autumn and winter to return.

11

I am the complete opposite heat floors me, thankfully the temp. here is still cool but last year at 35 degrees it was to hot and I just wanted to sleep…preferablly in the fridge lol.

12

Even though it’s cooler today than yesterday, I couldn’t understand why I’m struggling more than yesterday. Just checked my weather app - yesterday,the humidity was 44%, today it’s 78%!! No wonder!