This week for my MS post I am going to post about a experience I had this weekend. It was Governor’s day. This is basically where the national guard units in Utah get inspected by the Governor. They turn into into a family thing. My Grandma and I decided that we were going to go and support my little brother. He had to be there by 8 so we left the house about 7. When we got there we had to park far away and hike down to where it was going to be held. We went and got seats and had to wait until 10 for it to start. At about 9 there was no more shade so I was sitting in the sun. I didn’t think it was going to be a big deal though so I didn’t move and go and go stand where there was some shade. After it was over and we found my brother we had the hike back to the car. This is where the trouble started. It was maybe a mile hike up hill in the heat. By the time we made it to the car I was totally whipped out. The heat made the MS 10 x worse than what is usually is. I then spent rest of Saturday and all day Sunday in bed. I am still warn out.
When people with MS are in the heat it causes what is called “pseudoexacerbation”. This basically you seem to be getting sick but there isn’t any new damage being done to your nerves. I seems like you are having a relapse but your body is just reacting to the heat. When your body temperature returns to normal what you where feeling should go away. Here are a few symtoms that people may feel when they get to hot.
- Decreased cognitive function
- Numbness in the extremities
- Fatigue
- Blurred vision, known as Uhthoff’s sign
- Tremor
- Weakness
For some people this can be so sever that people have to move to cooler climates so that they aren’t constantly sick from the heat. What people may feel varies from person to person though. If you have any questions please let me know!
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This is the site I got the information for this post from: http://ms.about.com/od/signssymptoms/a/heat_intoleranc.htm
5 Comments on Heat & MS
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Saw you on the blog hop….LOVE THE PURPLE DESIGN! Ooo the cat eyes!
Informative. Didn't know about the heat thing, and I have a medical degree 😮
Following! Come see me too!
Very informative and you never know who may have someone in their lives that has MS.
Thank you for sharing
Stopping in to follow.
hope you'll do the same http://nightowlmama.blogspot.com
Feel better! It will get cool soon.
I just found your blog on Follow Me Back Tuesday! Have a great night.
Amanda
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Hello…Some good info on ms..that i never knew
My sister has ms but not many symptoms yet…thankful for that.
Take care and Happy Blogging
Thank you so much for posting this. Believe it or not, it sounds as if MS responds to heat about the way diabetes does. Not to mention throwing anti-depressants in the mix.
I have had a very hard time this summer with the heat.
Good information