A touch of fall is in the air where I live - nights are crisp and cool, mums are in bloom, and my feet will not warm up!
It's another aspect of fibromyalgia to which I've had to adjust. In the spring and summer, my hands and feet get puffy and throb. In the fall and winter, they're so cold they ache and cramp. Pre-fibro, I was always hot and hated to have my feet covered, but now I have a drawer full of super-soft socks and slippers to wear around the house. If I forget to put them on, I usually have to use a heated rice bag under a blanket to warm them up!
When it comes to other symptoms, however, I don't see a lot of seasonal change. But I've learned in the Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome forum that different seasons are harder for some people. A few have problems with seasonal affective disorder (SAD), and others have weather-related issues that are less specific but still have a big impact on their lives.
Which season is worst for you and why? What have you found that helps? Share your experience here or in the forum (under Newsletter & Blog Topics.)
Suggested Reading:
- Life With Fibromyalgia & ME/CFS: 10 Little Things That Help
- The Holiday Survival Guide (Hint: Start Now!)
- Do Your Clothes Hurt? Dress for Less Pain!
Fall and winter are my worst times. As soon as the weather gets cold, I really start to ache. My feet are always cold so I wear socks to bed at night. If I don’t then I can’t fall asleep. Also, we purchased a heated mattress pad. It was expensive, but was the best investment I made. I turn it on about 20 minutes before I get into bed and the sheets are nice and warm. It is dual controlled, so my husband never uses his. I use it probably 9 months out of the year. It is great!!!
Karen
Summer is the worst for me. In addition to FMS, CMP and NE/CFS I’m obese, most of it in my waist area — an apple-shape, so it’s hard for me to cool down when I’m hot. It’s my fault for being obese, however, I was hot when I weighed 120 pounds. The only time in my life that I can remember being in sync with other women was the one time I was pregnant.
Lynn
The heat doesn’t really bother me, but the humidity is what can bring me to my knees. When the weather begins to turn ‘icy’ it seems that all of my joints ache.
The heat isn’t too bad…I can endure that. The humidity is what bring me to my knees. Then, when the weather begins to turn colder, it seems all of the joints in my body ache.
The heat I can endure, but the humidity really brings me to my knees. I can’t be in the direct sunlight though…not quite that hot, lol. When the weather begins to get cool it seems that every joint I have aches. I’d say the mid summer and winter mos. are the worst for me.
I absolutely HATE the winter! I live in Portland OR and our winters are cold and also very rainy. That damp, cold weather hits me like a locomotive and I just can’t seem to get warm enough as I’m chilled to the bone. It makes my already debilitated muscles contract and hence, the muscle pain. Additionally my joints also go bonkers on me and I find it hard to move in cold, damp weather. I need to sleep with an electric blanket ON all night with a portable heater near my bed. I make sure the heater is in a safe location and keep ALL objects at least 3 feet away. I try to keep my house temperature at 70 degrees but with the cost of gas that’s going to have to be lowered. I have stocked up on thermal underwear purchased at Sears, have battery operated foot warmer slippers and also wear a pull-over wool Navy watch cap on my head rolled down over my ears, along with a fleece scarf and battery operated hand warming gloves. This is all INSIDE the house. Going outside I have SO MUCH clothing on me I look like R2D2 (from Star Wars) when I walk my dogs. I’m glad I have basset hounds because they move as slowly as me!
Fall and winter are so terrible for me..at the end of september when the temperature begins to fall i start freezing…i freeze all through the winter…beginning in january i have the worst pain though..getting out of bed on winter mornings is like a chore for me.
For me it’s not really about season but about dampness. When it gets dreary and rainy I’m at my worst. I live in Florida now, but I lived in Northern Virginia for the first 12 years of my fibro. And, regardless of the weather, when a full moon shows up I hurt for several days, making me definitely want to HOWL at the moon!
Fall and Winter are horrible for me. I get terrific pains in my shoulders and neck, migraines and ache all over. My fingers get stiff and my feet get cold. Summer is best for me. I love to sit in the warmth of the sun (except when hot flashes send me running for the air conditioner). But, of course, that’s a whole other matter…
Anita
I suffer most in the summer months. I cannot tolerate a lot of heat — I feel as though I am suffocating, plus the pain is unbearable.
My internal thermostat has changed since I’ve had FMS. My temperature baseline is 97.4 degrees; used to be 98.6. Surprisingly, this small fluctuation causes drastic changes.
I suffer terribly in the summer. Heat and humidity are my worst enemies.
Fall & Winter I HURT more and can’t seem to get warmed up. In the summer I over heat REALLY easily.
I’ve trid to understand what the specific issues are when I am at my worst, so this is what I’ve come up with. When rain is coming..lots of pain, when the rain finally starts, there is a litle relief. Humidity seems to be present when everything is swelling and painful. So there has got to be some kind of connection to the FMS and humidity. I live in southeastern Oklahoma. Very humid most of the summer.
In my experience with Fibromyalgia, I noticed that each time I travel to a hot climate country i.e Ghana I am pain free so during that time, I am able to do my exercise and my mobility is adequaite. But the soon as I return back to the UK, I start to feel severe pain and all the symptoms returns.
I would recommend it to sufferers like me because it is a great therapy and you get to reactivate the muscles, revitalise your self esteem and regain your independent and dignity.
spring & summer are the worst for me. i felt as close to normal as i have felt in a long time this past winter but its been up in the high 80s low 90s this last month or so and the pain is back full force my hands hurt to do anything again my feet hurt so bad its almost unbearable to walk on them. the fatigue is alot worse too. i could definitely do without the warm weather. i feel so much better in the cool weather than anything and id like to stay that way all the time.
as for what helps? in the summer time nothing really helps. i can take cool baths and it helps for the while im in the bath but as soon as im out and dressed it all starts creeping back. no pain meds have ever helped so im stuck just “dealing” with it the best i can during the hot months.
Winter is awful for me.
However, during summer I feel almost like I’m well again. When I briefly visited a tropical island, I was perfectly well for the time I was there. Perhaps a warmer climate may be the answer?