Weather

[NannieJoy]

Wow, I can relate to so many of you. Weather definitely affects my fibro along w/pain. I also get migraines and have had one since yesterday, it's not as bad today. I think part of its because of the weather and I am have bad pain shooting from my shoulder into my neck and head. My ortho doctor thinks I might have torn the rotor cuff in my left shoulder, will find out results from MRI on the 25th.

 

[SulaBlue]

OMG, what in the world?! Last week or so we had a day that topped out at 90F. Tonight I had to debate if I needed to bring my plants in because it's supposed to dip below 40F. It's playing havoc with my newfound cold sensitivity!

 

[mariposa]

Sorry to hear that's giving you such trouble with the cold sensitivity, SulaBlue. :-( It's been like that in the northeast, too. We had some very nice days and then suddenly we're getting freeze warnings again. I know that sets off a lot of pain issues for people whether they are dealing with Fibro or other forms of chronic pain. :-(

 

[twiztc]

Tell me about it. We went from 20 plus degrees c Thursday to friggin freezing and snowing today with wind and my poor body is protesting greatly. Not helped by my mood plummeting by the more wintry finally conditions, makes it hard to keep perky.

 

[BrianWolfe]

I have an English friend with fibromyalgia who has moved permanently to Southern Spain to avoid the cold and damp English weather. She now lives in Malaga and told me that the warm weather and sunshine have helped her immensely. She also says the bodily aches and migraine she used to feel has reached a more manageable level. Needless to say, she won't be going back to England for a long time!

 

[MercyL]

How much does the weather effect your fibro? I know I can't stand the cold because it makes my pain worse. At the same time though, if it gets too hot, then I get sick too. So, how's the weather effect you?

Remember when old folk talked about their arthritis warning of weather changes? I thought that was just their way of explaining grumpiness and not rooted in reality.

Boy, was I wrong!

I can hardly move, when it is cold but, more than that, changes in the barometric pressure really mess with my pain.

I used to work full time, with Special Needs students and moved to substitute status to allow my staying home during the winter months. Summertime is a little trickier, though, especially when we have afternoon thunderstorms.

I keep my break through medications handy, and occupy my time with crochet, if my hands can stand it and I can concentrate long enough to make the effort worthwhile. I had a laptop, so that I could work online on bad days, but it died and I can't afford a new machine.

Predicting how I might feel is easier since I discovered online weather networks. Free services that send weather alerts to your email address.

 

[TheMagician007]

I'm not sure I notice a significant difference in muscle-related pain, depending on the weather (maybe slightly more problems with cold?). I do notice a crazy difference in my arthritis pain. Back in the day, when I was having a joint that was bothered by OA (the ankle I messed up, for example), cold weather and times when the barometric pressure dropped would be quite bothersome. With RA, it's the complete opposite. I'm already a heat-intolerant person, but this is ridiculous. When it started getting hot last year, I literally swelled up. Hands, feet, legs, etc. I feel like my skin is going to split and I'm going to pop. I'm really dreading the summer, and electric is expensive enough, especially using the air non-stop to avoid exploding.

 

[twiztc]

Weather. Hmm. Friggin snowing here yet again. I don't pigging believe it!
Makes it hard to do what you need to do

 

[dziomek]

I find the weather plays a big part in how I feel. During the winter I hurt, but during the summer before a storm I REALLY HURT. I think it has a lot to do with the barometric pressure. I also find when it is very hot out the pain is worse.
In November 2011 I blacked out and have had a headache ever since. There have been many tests done to figure out a cause, but nothing is conclusive. It happened again in January 2012 and since no one was home with me, the neurologist diagnosed me as having a seizure. She said it sounded very much like a seizure by what I described, and put me on medication. I have not blacked out again, but the headaches haven't stopped either. I can relate to the chronic pain, and as I said before, the weather plays a big part in how my head feels.
A number of years ago my chiropractor diagnosed me with Fibro, but I didn't want to admit it. I am thinking as I get older he was probably right, but no one really understood it. There are more resources available now, and support groups such as this one are great. Maybe I just have to admit there is an underlying issue and ask the neurologist more questions during my next visit.

 

[JjDax]

I sure wish the people who put out the research study that claims that weather "doesn't effect those with Fibro" would read this board..::::takes a breath:::
It makes me wonder sometimes how they determine Things like this. What if the fibromites in their study don't normally have worse symptoms during extreme weather? Fibro like so many other illnesses is not, "one-size-fits-all"...it effects each patient differently...::::sighs:::

Steps off soap box

Anyway as for me cold mixed with moisture in the air exacerbates my Fibro to no end. And heat for me is like one poster said about their sister, I wilt. So yeah it definantly effects me.

Jj

 

[DaMeepster]

I love the rain but I HATE what it does to my joints... between the rain and cold.. nothing locks them up tighter then those two.. and if its too hot.. I pass out and seizure.. damned if I do and damned if I dont.. I am also VERY sunsensitive.. I have gotten sunburnt sitting at my kitchen table behind lace curtains playing cards.. even standing at the door talking to someone will have me starting to go pink.. so no real place for me to move to..lol as long as i have my trusty fan.. I am sorta able to sleep at nite if its blowing on my face.. cant go into saunas if the air is too warm I cant breath.. I only sleep when the pain lets me..lol

 

[mariposa]

I sure wish the people who put out the research study that claims that weather "doesn't effect those with Fibro" would read this board..::::takes a breath:::
It makes me wonder sometimes how they determine Things like this.

We can only hope that someday some*one* will "get it" and start putting all of these factors together. To have some top gun sitting there saying "nah, this wouldn't be affected by the weather" and then have it published as fact for all the other medical people to adopt and also get wrong... it's just maddening!

Med school isn't anywhere on the same level as talking to the *patients*... that tells you what the symptoms are and not what the books say they're supposed to be. :sad: