Are you staying cool and hydrated during this hot weather? Those of us with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome should take extra precautions to avoid dehydration and heat exhaustion/heat stroke.
Most of us have some form of temperature sensitivity, which can mean that we get overheated easily and our bodies just won't cool down like they should. That's believed to be because of autonomic nervous system dysfunction, or dysautonomia. The autonomic nervous system controls homeostasis -- things like temperature regulation, heart rate, blood pressure, and physical responses to stress. Sure seems to fit, doesn't it?
It's important to know the symptoms of dehydration or heat stroke so you can keep it from getting too bad. Some of them may be hard to distinguish from your regular symptoms. They include:
- Dizziness
- Headache
- Weakness
- Dark, possibly strong-smelling urine or inability to urinate
- Dry nose & mouth
- Nausea & vomiting
Water is great for preventing dehydration, but once you are dehydrated you need something that includes electrolytes, such as:
- Sports drinks
- Broth or soup
- Fruit juices
- Fruits & vegetables
Staying hydrated can help you avoid heat exhaustion, which can lead to heat stroke. About.com First Aid Guide Rod Brouhard has articles that include symptoms and treatment of both problems:
If you know you're going to be in the heat for a long time, you might want to try a cooling product.
Have you had problems with dehydration, heat exhaustion or heat stroke? Do you take preventative steps? Has it been harder to prevent these things since you've been sick? Leave your comments below!
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HI Adrienne.
I follow you on twitter I am Kissi_krissy. Thanks for all the great info.
I got heat stroke twice in the last 2 weeks at work.
The first sunday I guess I didnt drink or eat enough and had a coffee. First aid brought me to their office. The first aid office was useless as they just had me lay on bed in air conditioning and I had to ask for water which they gave me a little dixie cup. (I think the problem with our disease is that we can look so healthy sometimes and we are just brushed off.)
I laid on the bed then had to go to the bathroom and on the way back started passing out again. Still no water I had to ask for more. I drove home dizzy and scared.
The second weekend I brought sandwich and drank 4, 20 oz bottles of water, drank no coffee when i felt it starting again within 3 hrs of working in a non air-conditioned racetrack.
I snuck into the bathroom to hide and was confused bc I drank sooo much water not sure if i had eaten any of my sandwich yet though.
WHen I felt strong enough went back to my window and pulled the cooler out of my lunch bag and put it in my shirt then grabbed ice and put it into my other waterbottle and rested it on my shoulder and in the back of my shirt (i tucked my pants in to keep it in place and leaned back on it when I could in the chair) and did that the rest of the day.
The first week it happened I could barely get outta bed I was so exhausted. When I got back to work I couldnt even remember how to do my job. Similar to when I got a concusion from a car accident. Weird. Like many of us I have no health insurance so no docs for me.
I have autonomic nervous system disorder and fibromyalgia. I get overheated VERY easily and then I get dizzy and nauseated. My gp told me that’s because the blood is flowing to my extremities and the vessels are widening in an effort to expose the most blood in an effort to cool off and so not enough blood is going to my brain, etc. Because of the autonomic nervous system disorder, my blood pressure doesn’t equalize if I bend over, stand up or turn too fast–if the blood equilibrium isn’t right, I get sick.
Best remedy is to jump in a slightly cool shower and gradually decrease the temperature to as cold as you can stand it. That shrinks the blood vessels and restores blood equilibrium. If you can’t do that, wet a towel or something in cool water, wipe the insides of your wrist and elbows, the sides of your ankles, and behind your knees. Wipe your neck, forehead, temples, etc. as well.This is where the blood vessels are closest to the surface and will benefit the most from the cooling water. KEEP hydrated. I set the reminder on my Outlook to remind me to drink every half hour.
Living in Arizona for many years and dealing with high temperatures, this is something I’m very familiar with. Drinking water, cool showers isn’t enough. You have to think about electrolytes. Sport drinks are fine in a pinch if you can have sugar, but when you can’t, it gets trickier. Look for drinks or liquid vitamin supplements that boost magnesium, potassium, calcium, zinc, B vitamins etc and have them on hand for emergencies. I use a powdered mix that I can mix in a water bottle and keep in the fridge for when I need it.
I use a bottled water called Smart Water. Available in the grocery with the bottled waters. It has electrolytes but no sugar. Really helps me function better if I need to be in the heat, I work and function twice as hard/long. I found a lot of the sports drinks has so much sugar and other junk, and this just tastes like clean fresh water. Great stuff!
Thanks everyone for your comments. our summers are way into the 30′s centigrade and I have the symptoms but did not realise that it is heat exhaustion. DUH!!! I dont know if anyone else has this problem, but I have gone off my food and am eating very little unless it is cold – I usually cannot eat anything cold – but only fruit and juices – have to watch the sugar – and mostly filtered water. I was very bad yesterday and my daughter in law immediately gave me lots of water to drink, but i only felt better after a good nights sleep. Thanks Adrienne once again you hav hit the spot with another of my MANY symptoms.
I initially had what I believe to be a heat episode 6 years ago while playing bball in 95 degree heat. Ever since, I have dealt with autonomic issues ranging from exercise intolerance to headaches to dizziness. Previous to the time of the heat stroke, I had spent a lot of time refinishing furniture. Initially, I thought this was the root cause. However now, I believe the heat stroke may have been the roots to my autonomic mess. Has anybody else experienced this? Another question, any idea on how to encourage repair of your system?
I have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, I get good days and bad. I have had it for 11 months now and I am 22 years old. Before I came down with cfs I was very fit now I can’t even go for a 5 minute walk without getting fatigued.
I was out in the sun today because summer has just arrived in New Zealand and I was in the sun for a couple of hours. I have been in bed most of the day because I got heat stroke, I didn’t know sitting in the sun can cause me to end up in bed. I am still learning about the illness that I have.
I live in Southern Arizona, and had a nasty case of heat exhaustion back when my fibro was first really starting to increase in severity. I had a job that required driving short distances between locations in a hot car–it was seldom a long enough trip for the AC to cool down–and pretty soon I was vomiting in a parking lot. I failed to understand, at the time, that you don’t just go back to normal after you hydrate and cool down–I was incredibly sick for four days.
Always carrying water–in the summer a very, very cold drink–and avoiding exposure to temps over 90 for more than a few minutes are key for me. Fibro makes me sweat profusely so I dehydrate very quickly. Even a night of sleep without water and I’ll wake up dehydrated–it’s crucial to keep water by the bed. Staying hydrated and cool is a big challenge with fibro, and takes constant mindfulness.
The medications I take my my skin sun sensitive so I never venture out without sunscreen–I keep it in my purse and in the car so it will always be there when I need it.