Monday 13 April 2015

HOT AND COLD

Bonjour

Well at last we have reached Spring and here today in France it feels like we have skipped Spring and gone straight into Summer! I have difficulties in adjusting to temperature changes and the seasons, especially if sudden and dramatic. Do you?



Sudden changes in temperature are known to bring on a relapse of ME in some cases. I once had a major relapse when there was a sudden and huge change in the weather. In a matter of days it turned from Winter into Summer. My body just couldn't adjust that quickly and I suffered badly for many months afterwards. 


Loss of thermostatic stability is one of the symptoms of M.E. as outlined in both the Canadian Consensus Criteria and the more recent International Consensus Criteria 

'Loss of thermostatic stability - subnormal body temperature and marked diurnal fluctuation, sweating episodes, recurrent feelings of feverishness and cold extremities; intolerance of extremes of heat and cold'  
 
When I first became ill I felt cold all the time, even in the middle of Summer, and often had cold fingers or toes. At the time I had no idea what was going on. I still have occasions when I become cold all over and it takes ages to warm up. I've been known to go to bed with wearing pyjamas, dressing gown, thick duvet and covers along with a hot water bottle and still feeling cold! Then all of a sudden it's as if someone has flicked on a switch and I become hot all over - in fact just the reverse, too hot. The body is unable to regulate temperature and changes.

Then, to make matters worse, I entered into the menopause and all the night sweats started. I had a period of years when I woke up many nights drowned in sweat even though it was cold in the bedroom. I would start off covered up, wake up hot, throw off all the covers and then within minutes freezing cold again!!!

Bizarrely I even have times when one part of my body feels hot and the other cold. That's so difficult to manage. 

I fare better in a warmer dry climate and don't do very well in the damp and cold. I know some people are totally unable to tolerate either hot or cold. Which do you prefer?
 So how do you cope with this aspect of M.E.?  I have learnt to always have many layers of clothing which I can add or take off. I try to avoid the extreme climate changes. I try to be more aware of what will make me feel worse and avoid situations that will only exacerbate these symptoms. If possible change your location and see if that helps.  

This is the poem I wrote about being hot and cold 



Hot and Cold

My thermostat
Is not working
Out of control
Either too hot
Or very cold!
How can I be
Both hot and cold?
Body confused
Instead chaos
Has taken hold!
Don`t understand
Why I feel hot
When it is cold
Why I feel cold
When it is hot!
Temperature
Always changing
Never the same
One minute cold
And then BOILING!
A sudden sweat
Comes over me
Take off layers
But then I feel
Cold instantly!
Hard to control
And keep stable
What must I do
To make myself
Comfortable?
 
Of course the benefit from sunshine is to capture some vitamin D. So I think I'll just take a walk out in the sunshine.....................
 
A bientot
From the French Femme
xxx