One of the most common complaints I hear from people with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome,especially this time of year, is how awful cold weather can be. The cold seems to get into our bones and make everything tighten up and ache. The cold can make our skin hurt, and when we get chilled it can be ridiculously hard to warm back up.
Some recent comments here really underline the problem and also bring up a good question: does it help to move to a warmer climate? Here's what some people had to say:
"Weather is the biggest offender. I'd love to know if people who live in states where it's warm & dry have fewer symptoms?" -JennyG
"I have to move to Arizona.........winters in the midwest are brutal to fibro for me." -al sleet
"I live in the UK where the weather is often damp and cold, even in summer! We have now bought an apartment in Spain, because after a 'trial run' in a villa there in October 2009, where I found myself in a lot less pain (weather, less stress, less housework, etc.) we decided that it was a much better climate for me!" -Sharon
"I live in southern Arizona where we recently went through and unusual and dramatic cold snap (while everyone else was getting massive snow and ice) which broke many records. I noticed when the front came through my muscles tightened up quickly and the achiness went through the roof. I moved here from Kansas last year because the changes in barometric pressure and temps were rapid and frequent as well as for the sun which I find very therapeutic. I was quickly reminded of the effects of sudden weather changes on my pain levels." -delere
On the other hand, many of us are heat sensitive, and some are sensitive to both heat and cold. I'm in that last category, but I find do find heat easier to endure than cold. I tend to have more pain, more fatigue and less energy in the fall and winter than in the spring and summer, and spring is my best season overall.
Would you move if you thought it would improve your health? Have you made this kind of move? What kind of climate have you found most beneficial? Leave your comments below!
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I live in Melbourne, Australia which is notorious for “4 seasons in one day” and it doesn’t seem to matter which one of them we’re in, I’m still sick! The heat is worse for me than the cold but both pretty bad.
I’m sick no matter what season it is, but winter is definitely the worst time of year for me. I’ve had CFS and fibromyalgia for about 25 years. I’ve also had Raynaud’s disease all these years, so that makes it even worse. I’m also hypothyroid. Even on Synthroid, I’m still very cold intolerant. I’m on Social Security Disability now for the last few years, so I no longer have to go out into the cold weather every day, Thank God! But I still can’t wait for spring. I find winter very dreary. Spring helps lift my spirits too, and that’s very important to feeling better overall.
I used to take Synthroid for years. I would get chilled to the bone in the winter, even inside, and found it hard to get warm once I was chilled. I finally found a Dr. who advised that I might want to try a different brand of thyroid medication. I did that and am much better. I did have to change about three times before settling on Armour Thyroid, for now at least. I used to do very well on Unithroid but for some reason that stopped working as well on me. I would discuss trying different brands until you find something that works better for you, with your Dr. It’s a bit of a trial in the beginning but once you find a medication that works better it’s well worth it.
I live in Indiana and the winters here are unbearable. I waited too long to apply for disability so I’m stuck with a little over $300 in S.S. Thank goodness my husband works and we have insurance through that or I’d be in a real mess. I’d give anything if we could move to a warmer climate as each winter I endure here seem worse and worse. It takes me most of the spring and some of the summer to recover and my fm seems to worsen every year .
Both heat and cold bother me. I hate winter most because of the lack of light. I have SAD but haven’t used my light box this year because bright lights have been bothering me more lately. I don’t really want to go outside in the cold to get natural light either.
The cold is brutal for me. I live in the San Francisco Bay Area and while we are pretty temperate most of the year, our winters still get chilly and damp, which wreaks havoc with my pain sensors and achiness. As soon as my kids are done with high school, my plan is to move to AZ as quickly as possible!
During that freakish cold snap I told you about earlier (re: the article above) for kicks I started digging around for an even better climate.
Here is an idea for those who also have problems with excessive heat. Try San Diego. Their temps and humidity are quite consistent with nighttime lows in the 50’s and daytime highs in the mid 70’s to low 80’s.
I do admit when it’s spring I feel better than winter, but I think growing up in Pittsburgh where it seems like it’s cold 11 months of the year, I’m much more used to it than the heat in Memphis where I live now. I lived in Phoenix for a year, but that was pretty extreme for me.
Why I’d pick winter over summer, especially where I live now where it’s 100 deg F and 100% humidity, is that I can where more clothes when it’s cold, but when it’s so hot I can only do so much. Thankfully I work indoors, I don’t know how I’d survive if not.
Yes I completely agree. Cold weather makes everything hurt worse. It affects my sleep patterns as well.
Also with the scleroderma, I tend to have worse reynaud’s attacks, which I’m positive has similar affect on the rest of my body.
I could get used to either hot or cold temps if they were dry. It’s the constant pressure changes that bother me the most. Plus humidity is a killer.
My family made the move to southern Arizona, and it was well, well, well worth it. Another plus (besides my love for the scenery–YMMV) is the abundance of sunlight for mood. But you do get a little spoiled in thinking 50 deg weather is freezing; still, objectively speaking, you’ll still be glad even when it is 50 degrees, remembering real severe weather. However, I’m now living in a humid climate which can also be oppressive on energy when it is really hot. CFS people really ought to try to move to a milder climate or migrate with the seasons if they can. Wish I had done it earlier–it’s just not intelligent to subject yourself to brutal conditions, if you have a way out; it’s also generally something good doctors recommend for those of us with chronic conditions.
Cold definitely makes it worse for me, but actual weather fronts moving through are the worst for me, regardless of humidity or temp. More fatigue, more arthritis pain and more migraines. There is research on migraines that indicates that changes in barometric pressure trigger migraines, maybe it triggers fatigue and body pain, too. Just a thought…
I was thinking of moving to the Northwest where some relatives live. Is this a good climate for fibro? I’ve visited in the summer, and August is like beautiful May here.
The Northwest is really bad for chronic fatigue, MS development and fibro. The summers are great if you have a bright home, but because it is evergreen, it is humid and damp, most definitely in the winter months. Cold that doesn’t leave your bones. This is for puget sound area of course. I left there for drier cold climate and it was much better. I can shield myself better from the cold than a humid cold that seeps into your bones.
I live in south Louisiana and the heat is worse for me. The very high humidity and barometric pressure is just awful for me. I dread every year when summertime rolls around. It is very hot and humid here.
I live in northeast Florida, and I can promise — the cold hurts, the barometric pressure drops (I can feel a tropical depression long before it gets close to land), the heat and humidity hurt — it doesn’t matter where you live, you’ll still hurt.
I moved from Beavercreek, Ohio to Tucson, Arizona because of my fibromyalgia. The warm weather, very low humidity and dryness has helped a lot. Cold weather lasts about 1-2 months at the most. It is usually cold at night not during the day. Sunny always. My body aches and pain don’t hurt as much. My moods are better because it’s always sunny.
Hi Sandy,
Below I just posted an additional comment about my problems finding a doctor in Tucson. I like it here for many reasons but am having difficulty finding adequate health care.
Have you had similar issues? If not, do you have any tips on what to do? I really don’t want to move back to colder temps.
Well, well well, I would CERTAINLY and immediately move to a warm, even HOT climate, even without the diagnose that you won´t get in Germany officially, in spite of the pain and other symptoms. But what to do when the spouse cannot stand any warmth? Hates hot weather ? When he LOVES the cold, the harsh winters in the mountains? You see…. there are reasons NOT to be able to move, even if you would love to….
I live in Oregon about an hours drive from the coast and even though we don’t have the true 4 seasons, the rain and high humidity get to me. My daughter lives in Arizona and when I stayed there for a month last year I felt SO much better!
I was raised and lived 4.5 decades in N. CA, in the east bay area, and for 7 years in the Sierra foothills. After moving to Las Vegas, NV for 3 years, where my pain was so much better from the low humidity levels, as well as the heat, of the desert. Last year, I moved back to the bay area; I was in so much pain! I spent 8 months there, and 6 of them were in terrible pain. I knew I had to move back to Vegas in the first month of living there. The last 2 months I spent there I took a strong opoid twice daily to avoid the horrible pain, and it helped. I’ve since moved back to Las Vegas, in fact just last week; I’m so happy to be back! I’m never leaving here again!! The cold and wind during late Fall and Winter are hard, but NEVER as hard as everyday was up there! Make a change if you can! I feel I have a life here, not so in the fog and clouds near the ocean in N. CA.
thank you… thank you…. thank you….
I suffer from Fybro and arthritis… on disability and always sick…. july and august are the only good months in Oregon so We are moving in September to Las Vegas because of your post…
The change of seasons, oncoming storms, cold temps, and humidity have gotten so much worse for me the past 2 years. I’m 50ish and have had fibro, osteoarthritis for over 30 years, but Raynaud’s & Vertigo are more recent. (currently in Northeast usa) My Dr. told me I should consider moving. At this point I am open to any place on the planet that is more dry and temperate and not a big city.
When I think of how scary it is for me to just pick up and relocate by myself – I always try to tell myself that I can move back (family in NE area) if it isn’t for me. Thanks for all the postings…
Hi Amy. Everything you say is so right on for me, except I’m 40ish (which, from here, just looks like 10 more years of living like this
. The idea of moving is scary for me too. Maybe we should all start a fibro/cfs/Raynaud’s/etc. commune in AZ & keep each other company! 
I can not stand the cold, it has got to be the worst.
@Delere,
San Diego is my dream climate, & before getting sick I visited there several times and loved it……..but it is way way way out of my price range (am on SSDi and cannot afford basic living expenses anywhere, but southern CA is one of the most expensive palces in our country)
@everyone,
I cannot tolerate heat or cold…..in between about 63 and 73 is the range where weather does not have much negative impact – anythign above or below and I feel significantly worse…
..unfortunatley though, heat makes me pass out and have other issues that make it impossible for me to function at all, so if I have to choose between the two I go with colder….my family all moved to Florida and even though I used to love the heat and would have been so happy with the idea of moving there, since getting sick that has become impossible, so I have stayed in the Midwest (and I might add that digging out from the snow compounds the pain that the cold causes)
I have a long standing offer from my very best friend in the world to move from the Philly suburbs and live with her and her husband in Arizona…I was broken hearted when they moved there from this area, so the idea is very tempting and sounding better every day.
I used to live in Iowa for thirtynine years..i moved to so. cal. sixteen years ago and now that I have fibro. I realize now that I’ve had it much longer than I ever realized.. The weather is one of the major triggers of my life… The cold is brutal on me!!!Im cold if the temp. is below 70. I love the heat but only tolerate it at small doses.. The WIND real trips me out..I believe its all the debri and dirt in the wind…swirling around bringing up germs and what have you from the earth… Also when its foggy or beginning to rain OUCH my whole body hurts..
I did move for the warmer weather, from Michigan to SW Florida. So much better, except the humidty started to really bother me when hot flashes started. Even airconditioning can’t take it all out. And when storms and fronts move through I get achy and slow. But sinus totally went away!
I live in San Diego (inland where 100 degrees is normal in summer). The heat is a killer to me. But the changes in weather seem to really bother me also. I think the cold would probably set me off too. Oh well.
I have CFS, fibro and severe POTS. I live in the SE because the cold DESTROYS me. It increases pain and
worsens my POTS to the hospitalization/ICU point. I’m a shut-in in Jan. and Feb. to boot.
I feel for those whose spouses won’t move to protect their health, just for reasons of their own personal preference.
My husband prefers an alive wife with reduced suffering, to his desire to move elsewhere.
Heat: as a native Southerner, maybe I am just acclimated to it, but I can always get in the A/C if I’m hot…but never can warm up once I am cold. And I can leave the house when it’s hot, unlike when cold. So what if I syncope/faint once each summer?
I live in Indiana. The cold weather is brutal on me and my son.
We are both disabled because of Fibro and CFS.
We are moving to the Phoenix area in Arizona on the 23rd of Feb.
Our new home has a pool. We are very excited about the move. I will write more after our move and let you all know if the warm weather is making us feel better. I am sure it will.
Shawn Thomas, I am considering moving to the Phoenix area to relieve symptoms from my CFS and Fibro. I would be very interested in whether your move there succeeds in helping you and your son with your symptoms. I would also love to hear from others who have moved to that area as well. I am particularly interested in whether the summer heat is tolerable for you. Good Luck!
I live in Clearwater, FL and the heat and humidity make my fibro symptoms so much worse. I, too, am a shut in during the summer months. My theory is that more humidity allows for less oxygen making it harder for me to breathe. Considering a move.
I live in Tennessee, where we experience massive weather fluctuations. I seem to have less pain and fatigue in warmer months, but the heat and humidity of July and August is often as bad as the 3 degree temps we have recently had. Also, no matter what the temp, I have more pain as rain moves in..I’m like a human barometer.
I live in a valley sounded at the tail end of the rockies and i too notice that when the low presure comes my pain does also and i have spent some time in Floriada, i tell you i feel young and alive, pain free. and i am a male age 42 been diagnosed with Fybro and RA.
i hear you all and i agree with you. I leave in South Africa (Cape Town. Our weather is not that cold or too hot, today is very and guess what i’m in pain. Too me both weathers are bad but winter is too bad. At work they don’t believe me when i say i have pains 24/7, some people say i’m lazy to work or i don’t do enough.It used to hurt me but not anymore. FM affects my life big time, i’m 37 no child and alsi don’t wish to have one. In winter i’m stiff and my mom helps me to wash and dress myself. I find it difficult to cope even with studies. to me it’s better when it cool and for how many days. Thank you all for sharing your stories this is the only way that keeps me going and stron. I know that on my side it is summer now and i don’t limp. In winter i limp and now people stops me everytime how do i do. People are so insensitive they don’t know what really hurt or brings you down. It’s even worse that no one knows my condition. This column is a life saver for me.
Maybe I’m an oddball here, but I find that cold and wet (worse than cold and dry) affect my fibrofog more than my pain levels. Since there seen to be less remedies (none that I’ve found effective for me), I avoid cold and wet like the plague. I HATE fibrofog.
I don’t know how cold and snow might affect me, but cold and rain are definitely bad, bad, bad. Warm and rain doesn’t affect me much, just a tad bit more pain sometimes.
In the last couple years the main things that have increased my pain are: sudden and traumatic stress (loosing a job suddenly because I couldn’t come back to work full-time quick enough after major spinal surgery, despite there being no other complaints about my work) and being taken off Provigil and malic acid. Since both of these help especially with fatigue, it seems that fatigue might be more of a trigger for pain for me and weather. I was off the Provigil once due to an insurance issue and the malic acid because of poor record keeping (I thought I had another bottle).
I live in Florida which is mostly hot and humid. I know that some people with FM can’t tolerate high humidity, but it doesn’t seem to bother me. In fact, I have found that steam saunas (even more than dry saunas) actually help. Go figure.
Please…I would like to know if anyone with ME/CFS/FM is having a real bad time of it this winter!!! I have been sick since 1989. I have to say this flare of symptom’s is probably the worst in at least 5 yrs. if not longer. I need to hear from the rest of you so I don’t feel so alone. I’m having a hard time coping with symptom’s that I haven’t had in yrs. I can’t believe some of them are back. Actually, alot of them are back. So much pain! I’ve been in this flare for about 6 wks. now and I know from the past I just have to wait it out but it is sooo hard. I would love to hear from you. Thank’s
You aren’t alone! My symptoms have been worse every winter but this is the most painful by far. I haven’t been out of my pj’s for several weeks now, all I seem to be able to do is sleep when my insomnia isn’t keeping me awake all night. I’ve also had a lot of problems with my digestion and IBS. A new one for me is kidney problems probably from having to go and hurting so much I don’t want to get up and walk to the bathroom. I’ve been holding it till I can’t wait any longer before going and I just read this is very bad to do. My fatigue is also the most severe it’s ever been. Hang on and try to keep in mind that the winter is almost over and spring is just around the corner.
Gentle hugs
You are not alone, Cheryl!! this last winter about tore me up!!! I live in Mid Michigan and the winters can really be brutal!! I would love to be a snowbird..living in beautiful Michigan in summer and Arizona in winter. The pain of fibro can really tear u up. Hang in there Cheryl!!!
Im 30, I live in the mountains of Maine and I suffer so much. I was diagnosed with Fibro & Psoriatic Arthritis about 10 years ago. My life has gone down the toilet especially the last 5 years. I find that I’m very intolerant of the hot and cold temperatures. Id like to find somewhere that stays between 50 and 75 degrees year round. The weather changes fast around here. Some days we start with heat on, then put the a/c on then go back to heat. There is always random rain/thunder/snow storms moving through and it gets so cold in the winter. I don’t ever recommended living in Maine if you suffer from fibro and arthritis.
Thank’s Bobbie! I’m sorry you’re in a flare too. It was interesting that you mentioned the bladder/kidney thing. I have had the same, with feeling lower abdominal pressure, aching burning pain and feeling like I have to pee all the time. The fatigue is horrible. Gland’s are swollen all over and every muscle and joint hurt. I have also lost my appetite which never happens to me. I love to eat. Right now I have no interest in food. I’ve been tested for UTI twice. Both were fine. I will be so glad when this season passes and takes at least some of these symtoms with it! Hang in there.
I’d like to make an additional comment about the apparent appeal of Arizona.
Although I stated earlier the climate here is great (I don’t have problems with the dry heat) there are other things to consider about Arizona and fibromyalgia.
I moved here from Kansas last year. In Kansas I had good doctors and specialists who treated me with respect. My experience with doctors here has been poor. I am on SSDI and Medicare and it has taken me 6 months to find a doctor who is willing to even see me knowing I have fibromyalgia. The first PA I saw (who doesn’t work directly under an MD – apparently legal here) can prescribe clonazapam (2mg daily before bed to sleep) which I have been on for years, nor hydrocodone 5/500 that I take only occasionally for bad flair ups (annual average of 1 pill/week). When I asked if she could prescribe cyclobenzaprine which I use less than the hydrocodone she was quite perturbed and only gave me a prescription for five tablets.
She did refer me to a neurologist who suggested ECT for fibromyalgia after less than a five minute visit. Shocked and disgusted I started calling around again for a doctor. The Medicare list is horribly inaccurate for the area anyway. I did find one doctor accepting patients and Medicare as payment in full, but when he found out I was a ‘pain patient’ I was told he wasn’t accepting anymore of those. After another few hours of calling doctors offices I found another doctor who take Medicare as payment in full. The nurse asked what medications I was on and was literally horrified I occasionally take hyrocodone for pain.
In talking to others here I have learned there is in general an attitude here among health care professionals that fibromyalgia is not to be taken seriously and that the prescriptions of any type of narcotic, even for as needed use as opposed to regular use, is highly frowned upon.
Despite the positive benefits of the sun I am seriously considering moving back to NE Kansas and possibly buying an infrared sauna.
There may be doctors here who do not take Medicare as payment in full that will do their jobs, but I am on a fixed income and can’t afford the much higher bills.
All I am saying is do your research before moving away from healthcare providers you like.
I currently live in NJ and I am miserable. I dream about moving to a warmer climate every day, however, my husband won’t move away from his family, so I suffer. I guess I am going to have to hope for another answer. : )
Thanks so much Adrienne for your blog. It has given me hope and information. I am truly in your debt.
As for the cold, I live in Massachusetts and it really limits my activities in winter. The increase in pain is substantial and the extra effort dealing with the weather really exhausts me. Also, the cost of keeping the heat on higher is substantial these days. So we are looking for a place in Florida during the winter. I think that even though traveling twice a year is very debilitating, it will be worth it. I will miss my friends and family though.
Thanks again.
I have suffered with CFS for over 20 years and lived in the UK, I always complained the cold weather was worse for me but don’t think people believed me. I also now have FM and SAD, I hate the dark winter nights. We moved from UK to Kuwait last year and my CFS has hardly bothered me, I still suffer with FM but nowhere near as bad as it was in the UK. The temperatures here can reach 60 deg C in the height of summer and it is a dry heat so much much better for me.
I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia about 4yrs ago in Minnesota. I have moved to Texas since then…..and I find that my Fibromyalgia is alot worse down here.
I lived most of my life in the tri state area. My FMS diagnosis was after I moved out to CO & back to NJ but I will be moving to AZ. The winters here , even the fall as we speak are nailing me to my chair- it’s horrible. I am sooooo barometer sensitive. Yes , I can & will be moving in the next 2-3 years AZ here I come.
It’s interesting to me that a lot of people on this forum,refer to barometric changes affecting them.Why, where do they draw this conclusion? I am able to feel the changes 4-5 days out.When they had the 4 day forecast I was ahead of the meteorologists in feeling a change.Now with the 7 day prediction,sometimes I am right and they are not.Increasingly, I have become affected with volcanic effects and accompanying weather conditions too.I live in Melbourne Australia,so effectively I must be picking up vibes from Perth, as much of our weather emanates from the West of Australia, and beyond.Now it seems to me, that 3000klms. away is too far for barometric change to be the answer here.Continued.
in n and s hemispheresContinuation ;It seems to me to be likely that it is the positive and negative charges that are involved here.In banks of air one charge moves toward the other, but the ions have to be situated so lightning and thunder, ice rain and snow can form under the varying conditions that they form under.Cyclones hurricanes, tornadoes etc spin because of the air being charged in relationship to the outer air masses and you could study this in detail if u wish,however suffice to say,that I think and FEEL that it is this activity,that’s what is behind the changes in barometric pressure,rather than just pressure change itself.I believe Gravity is involved, with the earth’s rotation too.The Air forming our winds spin in opposite directions in N. and S hemispheres.
Hi Dallas,
I agree with u. I think it is easier to make a connection between the FM/CFS or RA pain and air pressure, rather than ion levels. It is also a description that people understand more. If I started discussing body and atmosphere ion exchange correlation, they’d just think I’m batty. I think my body doesn’t regulate ion levels correctly and when the atmosphere ion levels start to shift my pain and bone crushing “pressure” increases.
I appreciate your post and have long wondered why my body processes weather and stress changes so poorly. And, more importantly what can I do to improve this condition? I live in NE USA and wonder about moving to a more stable climate. What are your thoughts? Have a good day, Amy
I live close to Winnipeg, Manitoba and the weather here is brutal for my fibro. I have both cold and heat sensitivity,; the weather changes here can be drastic. The winters are absolutely horrible, and the pains and fatigue definitely get worse with the cold. Unfortunately it doesn’t warm up here until end of May/June. We have had terrible summers lately, with lots of wind and rain, making symptoms worse. If I have fibro fog chances are when I check the barometric pressure it has dropped! My best month seems to be September, as that is the month with the least fluctuations. I also have SAD, Raynaud’s, which worsens cold symptoms. I am definitely looking to move to the West (Alberta/BC) as soon as I can afford to; it is hard to tolerate the conditions here.
I agree with all your posts! Its hard to find a happy medium when it comes to the pain of these conditions. I myself am affected by cold damp weather and also humid hot weather.But the cold is the worst and pressure changes as well! Thank u all for sharing your experiences its very helpful to the rest of us who suffer in silence
I live in the Bay Area in California. I have fibromyalgia and chronic severe sleep apnea. UGH what a mess. Winter is the worse for me. And we do not get snow or hard winters. Rain and cold and damp. Kills me. Summertime kills me too. But more tolerant in the summertime. Before diagnosed I just thought I had really bad arthritis and I was different because it hurt so bad in the summer. This winter is terrible. Nothing takes the pain away. The medicine is for what I do not know. I don’t see a difference. So for me I think I would be better somewhere that is warm all the time. I feel in a constant flare up. It is getting harder and harder to work. wish the best to everyone.
I’m convinced that a hot, dry climate is best (for me anyway). I lived in Northern Mexico for 4 years and never had pain from my Fibro. Have endured migraines my entire life, again in 4 years I had 1. I moved back to Virginia & though it was summer and definitely as hot as Mexico, the humidity started the pain & flare ups – we had a “mild” winter and I thought I’d be in bed for months. Terrible! I need to move before winter returns. I’m in my 50’s, single with 2 dogs. Is anyone looking to relocate who might be interested in undergoing this adventure together. I’m considering New Mexico
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