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