Weather

[BrendaMarie]

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?

 

[Southernlady57]

I am the same way. Cold makes the pain worse, but high temperatures drain all the energy out of me. Just walking to the car is unbearable some days.

 

[Janet L]

Identical, cold makes the pain bad but humid weather drains my energy. Although, I remember that prior to my symptoms the humid weather was a little sapping too, so I'm not sure if much of that has changed.

 

[BrendaMarie]

I'm glad to know I'm not alone here. I know people with things like MS and arthritis have really hard times with the weather but I didn't know if it was true too of those who have fibro. Since I have arthritis, possibly pre-MS and fibro sometimes it's hard to know what's affecting me how.

 

[SuzUP]

Weather changes really trigger my flare-ups.

 

[1sweed]

Weather where it is not only cold out, but the wind is bitter cold strong and the temp's are below zero, are my worest days. My back and muscles in my arms and legs will ache like a toothache. Constant non-ending pain. Usually, those days I do not get much done. It hurts to stand for long and sit up for any length of time.

But today, even though the streets have a layer of ice on them and we have a bit of snow, I was able to walk up to my mother's house. The hard part was walking through places were there was a foot of snow on the sidewalk, on the way up the hill to her house. I was breathing heavy by the time I got to her house, and my legs were tired. Coming back home was easier as I walked on the street going down hill.

I don't know how it is for you, but I do good as long as I can keep moving. Just pushing myself to get somewhere's. But if a friend stops me to visit along the way I can not stand it to stand in one place for long or my legs become very weak and heavy, and I have to sit down. Do any of you have that problem?

 

[GlumshanksGirl]

Storms completely incapacitate me. Whenever there are storms or the weather is heavy I faint, grow dizzy, and feel as if my entire insides have been beaten with a blunt object. Headaches usually follow as well. Most of the day and night during storms I am out cold from the fainting.

The cold makes my joints and bones scream in pain. I'm already weak against the cold, being cold-natured myself. Adding the severe pain to the mix is just adding icing to the cake of torture. :/

I like the heat. I find that it is the most tolerable. I don't find much suffering with being overheated, or if there are symptoms of fatigue, they greatly outweigh the dizziness, black outs, and pain that the colder and stormy weather brings.

Unfortunately for me as well, the Lyrica I use to control my symptoms can't stand up to Mother Nature. I am suffering without fail when the weather goes wild. I've been thinking of moving to a place that is warm and dry. It is a guaranteed benefit for me. I just don't have the funds to make the move.

 

[Janet L]

Glumshank, we get some good ones here in Texas and I find the same thing, especially just before the storm. I think it's when the pressure increases or drops (barometer).

Lyrica, is it a set schedule or can you take extra when things are bad?

 

[Yatte]

My sister also suffers with fibro, she is complaining about the weather a lot. When it gets cold her pain intensifies, whet it gets to hot she is like a deflated balloon, or a withered flower, no energy at all. The worse for her is she gets terrible migraines every time a storm is brewing. We had quite a number of bad storms this year, so she had it bad as well.

 

[Libragirl67]

I agree cold weather is the worst. There are times when I can move and as long as I am in forward motion I am o.k. But the minute I sit, sometimes not even for very long. I have a hard time walking again. I feel like my bones are going to break. I know they litteraly won't break but thats just the sensation. But for me, as far as the summer time I love it. I mean I am still in pain but not as bad. And my over all mood is so much better and I fel uplifted when I feel the sun on me. This is probably more psychological, but it works for me.

 

[SulaBlue]

I LOVE the cold. Now, I'll temper (haha!) that with the fact that I'm in San Antonio and it rarely dips below about 40 other than maybe 2 weeks somewhere between late December and early February. It's currently 74F right now! I do notice that I'm being affected by cold more though. My husband's been looking at me odd because this winter I actually willingly turned on the heater, bought some long pants and put on socks. Normally I'm barefoot and in shorts in the house even when it's 68 and the heater's coming on - and I LOVE IT.

The heat though... I pretty much refuse to go outside June-August when it's 110F. Even just walking to the car saps me as someone else mentioned.

 

[twiztc]

Me I like settled weather. I don't mind cold as long as it's dry for a long time. As soon as we get the uppy downy damp weather so does my body go all uppy downy.
In the summer I used to be able to handle hot and humid but now it near on kills me. Anything over about 26C especially humid and I'm sapped of energy and in lots of pain.
Right now it's teetering either side of freezing with some snow and slushy stuff and I'm not doing good. I too get weird heads in stormy weather and I feel low pessure in my ears. We are all just more in tune to the element like cavemen we're.

 

[scamper]

I'm in the UK and we are having a cold spell and I've been in a flare for the past 2 weeks. I feel awful. I can't do anything. The bed is my friend. I was feeling a wee bit better yesterday and had a 20 minute tidy up and that's put me back on my back in bed I hope it warms up soon xxx

 

[mariposa]

No question about cold making it worse and bringing on even more pain than usual. Cold and dampness which can happen at any time during the year. There's another factor I've noticed with my family member and friends... if they are migraine sufferers, in addition to cold and dampness, an atmospheric low pressure system can set off the migraines, just adding even more pain on top of the Fibro. :-(

Has anyone noticed that other atmospheric changes... well especially low pressure systems... (in addition to cold and damp) make your pain worse even when a migraine isn't involved?

 

[SulaBlue]

I get migraines that can last up to 3 days, sometimes, when the weather changes abruptly. We rarely get cold & damp here in San Antonio except in winter, instead we get horrible droughts followed by rain that brings the slumbering molds out, and then it's just hot and muggy. It's kind of like opening the door and walking out into someone's armpit. I know the heat at the height of summer just saps my energy. From about June through early September I try not to go out after 10am until sunset.