Does HEAT bother anyone?

[amexdm]

Hi folks:

Been off the site for a while as I am back to work and it takes every ounce of my energy to get thru 25 hrs a week. My question is: Does anyone else get bothered by extreme heat? My office has been so hot lately and it makes me so weak and sick. I have a fan and it helps some but not when Im up and around. It has been so hot lately, it feels like about 78 degrees and my head absolutely tightens and I feel so weak. Does anyone else get this? I am worried also because I love to golf and it gets hot here in the summer and I cant imagine going out for 5 hours in the hot sun and playing golf. And so much for any beach time. Work says it set at 71 degrees but if its 71 then Im James Bond. I know its not gonna change cause already brought it up but it's not helping in my recovery.

Thoughts anyone?

David

[Lin-lin]

Yes, heat affects me lots after my SAH.

It's become a bit of a joke in the family because it has been noted how I am prone to flushes. (I am 36, so I am confident that it is not 'my age' which is the cause!)

It is not uncommon for me to be standing outside on my patio in my dressing gown trying to cool down. And sometimes when I arrive at work I am perspiring lots, (very attractive!!) I sometimes wonder whether anxiety has something to do with it because I can sometimes get 'het up.'

It's very uncomfortable and I have no memory of being like this prior to the SAH.

I am sure that some of us here had this discussion a few months back and I think a few said that they feel the same.

As to solutions, I haven't really got any. I suppose it's easier in my country where the temperature is cool, because I only have to open a door or window to allow cold air in, which reduces the discomfort. Not so easy in a hot climate - but there are some members here from hotter climes who may be able to help.

Lynne

[SarahLou]

Hello David,

I was wondering how you were getting on.

Good to see you back on here.

Yes, I too struggle with the heat. It can feel like my head is going to explode, I get dizzy, light headed, feel sick etc. I can't even cope with having baths anymore, I stick with cool showers. But boy what I wouldn't give for a long relaxing soak in a deep bubble bath, I miss that. I also have the flip side of when it's cold, if I don't wear a hat the whole of the left side of my head feels like it's being stabbed with lots of little knives.

But hey ho, I'm still here, kicking. It often feels like it's one step forward and two back but I know I've come far compared with this time last year.

Take care and keep smiling,

SarahLou Xx

[donnamarie]

Hi i also find that the heat does affect me if im anywhere and it gets to hot my head and and quite often im also sick. i do find heat outside in the fresh air ok so hopefully it wont put you of your golf

take care donna

[Sandi K]

Hi David, I haven't experienced more than a few days of 'hot' since my SAH and I'm the opposite of Lynne, my hot flushes stopped when my head exploded. When I get back from Mexico at the end of November I'll be able to comment better.

Would an ice pack or a bucket of ice in front of the fan help? It sounds so uncomfortable.

Sandi K.

[Liz D]

Hi David

I can't cope if our office gets too hot. I work in what was old stables and the whole of the front of the building is now glass. Between the sun shinning through and the heat from the computers it can get pretty stuffy. I start to look like a tomato! I get very light headed and can't think straight, I think there is not enough oxygen getting to my brain. But my colleagues are very good when I say that I have to open the door and let some air in, even on quite cold days I have to open it for a bit. Living in Scotland it always seem such a pity to close the blinds on the sun but needs must, haha!

I'm fine outside in the sun and heat. But just as in cold weather I have to wear a hat. I get very bad headaches if the sun beats down on my head and can feel quite sick but don't get that light headedness. I'm sure you'll still be able to enjoy your golf, just wear a hat, sunglasses and make sure you have plenty of water so you don't get dehydrated.

[Gill C]

I struggle with heat & especially humid heat, I've found I can't cope with a sauna any more as it makes my head feel tight. We have also avoided going abroad for summer hols this year as I don't think I cop with Turkey in August as the temps get to 40 degrees & over, I am now looking at Portugal or similar in the hope that it will be sunny & warmer than the uk but not stiflingly hot. i get very sweaty & flustered in indoor shopping centres in the summer & end up with my hair dripping wet on my forehead & neck, very unpleasent

[Skippy]

Hey there

Yes I find the heat bothers me a lot more since my SAH. My neuro specialist told me that it may sometimes be that the brain trauma actually upsets or damages the body's natural thermometer meaning that you can't regulate your body temperature as effectly as you would have done per brain hem - I find that this also causes me to perspire more and have struggled to find an anti-perspirant that can cope. The heat can also make me feel flustered and faint and the tightening on te back of the head is sometimes disturbing.

[amexdm]

Hi there-

Thanks to everyone for their replies. The work thing has gotten a little better but even the healthy people at work are complaining about the office being tooo hot. Sandi that was brilliant about the Ice I may try it. The heat just makes my neck tight and headaches bad and cant think. Im very encouraged to hear that the outside heat may not bother as much because we do get hot humid summers. It has gotten a little better so I am coping now. Thanks.

David

[Jod-Dee]

I discovered a neck tie that has these crystals in them. You soak it in water and they swell up and slowly release the water onto your neck, cooling you down. If it weren't for these neckties I wouldn't be able to handle the heat firefighting in the summer, they are a lifesaver!!! So needless to say, they work well for golfing too

http://www.practicaldesign.ca/ties.php

here's a link to what I am talking about, you can usually buy them in sports stores too

[KelBel]

What a great idea Jod-dee! I love it, I have sent a link to my sis as she is suffering hot flashes at the mo...and I think I will get myself one too for when I go on hols to keep me cool

Kel x

[donna79]

Hi David,

yes i do suffer in heat x x x one of my main factors that sets off panic attacks x x i have 2 fans at home x x and even these cold months i have them on if to warm x x

in shopping centres is worse i avoid them at all costs x x x people rushing around, head spinning, and red hot x x

I run for air con hehe x x

love

donna

[mshawx_head]

What an interesting thread...

I've been getting what I suppose should be described as hot flushes since SAH. Having come back from the Kalahari, I know that I can cope with extreme heat - provided I am outside. My problem seems to be when I am inside. I wake up several times a night feeling overly warm. I look at my hubby and he'll usually curled up in the duvet soundly sleeping while I'm baking. Throughout the day, I find that as soon as I start to get warm, I go from comfortable to baking hot in a very short period of time. I'm forever taking jumpers on and off. Very annoying.

Its only been this way since SAH. It could be hormonal (yeah, I'm that sort of age ) but strange that its only started since SAH, so will be interested in anyone else who thinks their internal thermostat went wonky the day their head blew up.

Try and keep smiling all. At least we are still here to tell the tale !

Mags

xx

[KelBel]

Hi Mags

Damage to the hypothalamus came to mind, which I have now googled...and I must have read something in the past as the hypothalamus, located in the middle of the brain, does control body temperature as well as a number of other functions for the body! It apparently also controls hunger, thirst, fatigue, sleep, and circadian cycles (body clock).

I do believe I have read that SAH can cause damage to this area of the brain (although I need to do some more investigation now), which would make sense that we suffer from undue fatigue and difficulty sleeping...

The more I read about it on Wikipedia the more intrigued I am... there is an area of the hypothalamus that controls food intake and 'stimulation of this area causes increased food intake' - well that explains it then. I think mine was massively over-stimulated!

I wonder if there is a way the dr's/neuroconsultants can determine if the hypothalamus has been damaged?

Kel x

[goldfish.girl]

That's very interesting Kel, I have asked EXACTLY which bits of my brain took a hit (it's important to me to have a physical reason for how things are). It seems like people don't want to go into the finer details - surely with all these angios & MRI scans there must be exact details available??? I saw a tv program years ago where it was mentioned that 'dead' brain tissue showed up as white areas on some kind of scan, so I don't understand why it's so hard to get details?

Has anyone been given more info on where the damage has spread to via scans? I appreciate it must be hard for doctors to be exact on this, my little boys scan showed a massive white area before his brain op but this was a cyst and not 'dead' brain tissue - what a complicated area the brain is :confused:

Michelle xx

[Gill C]

GG I did ask my neuro nurse & was told the damage was localised to the area of my scar which isn't helpful as the scar ran from my forehead to my ear. Having learnt at Headway which bits of the brain do what I think mine is mainly frontal lobe damage hence why my memory seems to be unaffected.

Kel I too was having problems with being too hot or too cold & mentioned it at my review, they did bloods & said it was all fine so I guess if they hypothalmus was damaged that would show up in bloods?

[Super Mario]

I am a bit different, whereas I can stand heat, the hotter the better, I am always feeling cold. Even on hot days I find myself having to wear woollies, no matter what the temperature is. It has to be exceedingly hot for me to shed them.

Folk can't understand why I am often covered in goose bumps whilst they are too hot.

Reading about the hypothalamus, it also controls the sense of taste. Mine went after the SAH but has slowly returned. To me this indicates there was some damage to the hypothalamus, some of which has repaired itself as my taste has returned.

But is there a connection?

Non medical person that I am it seems logical to me that damage to the hypothalamus (proven by the taste problem) is the reason my body thermostat doesn't work properly.

Looking at the position of the hypothalamus within the brain it is very close to where I had the aneurysm that burst.

Is there a connection?