With MS when ever you have a raise in temperature, hot shower, or fever your neurological system slows down. It is like a computer slowing down. If it prolonged you can have more MS symptoms. When your body cools of the symptoms should get better.
Alex
Thanks Alex,
This is what happens when I get hot. It is almost like an anxiety attack.
I get weak and feel like I'm trembling... may not show on the outside, but I feel it on the inside. I'm very short of breath and sick feeling - even dizzy with vision blurred..I perspire a lot from my head & face, to the point where my hair gets dripping wet. I have extreme thirst and a desperate need to sit down. After doing so and a few minutes, I am fine. That's the worst of it... happens when I run (dog show). A milder version is after getting out of the tub or shower. I used to stand to dry off, etc... but now I need to sit after, because I'm weak and a bit dizzy and nauseous. :(
Hi Linda. Don't know what to suggest about the running in dog shows, except either cut your hair if it's long or wear it up so it's not on your neck or otherwise heat-producing. Keep cold packs with you for use when you're not actually in the ring. There are cooling vests and other paraphernalia that MSers use in summer conditions, so search online for something of that sort.
Also, it sounds as if your bath or shower water is too hot. A big no-no for those with MS, so dial it down as much as you can. Once you get out, wrap yourself in a big towel and just sit for a couple of minutes. This should help a lot.
ess
Thanks, ess. Those are all very good ideas so I thank you. Heck, I carry cooling blankets made of chamois that we soak in ice water for the dogs on warm days. I guess I need to pack some for myself. :) Well... at least on a smaller scale, to at least wrap my neck when coming out of the ring. I'll look into the cooling vests. Thanks Again!
~Linda
To be honest, what you've described sounds to me, like it could actually be heat exhaustion.......
"Heat exhaustion symptoms can include:
Fatigue
Nausea
Headaches
Excessive thirst
Muscle aches and cramps
Weakness
Confusion or anxiety
Drenching sweats, often accompanied by cold, clammy skin
Slowed or weakened heartbeat
Dizziness
Fainting
Agitation"
http://www.webmd.com/first-aid/understanding-heat-related-illness-symptoms
The Uhthoff's sign is similar in a way to heat exhaustion but Uhthoff's is generally a temporarily return or worsening of an MSers symptoms when their temperature raises, even as little as 1/2 a degree and then once cooled and rested, they go back to their normal again but depending on the amount of heat exposure, it can literally take hours and hours to recover from just the fatigue...
For me, my reaction to over heating has basically become predictable enough, that i can often now catch my signs earlier but with some things like my communication and bladder issues, i often don't know until i start sounding like i'm drunk as a skunk and i've got a river running down my leg. lol My DH thought he understood what the heat did to me but during last summers, 10 day record heat wave and our airconditioner on the fritz, by day 3 i was really scaring him and now he gets it.
My vision is often the first thing i notice because the double split is more pronounced, my tremor is more noticeable, my problem muscles either get tight or heavy and fatigued, my balance goes south and getting steps out becomes a test of my will power but short exposure like showers its' no way as bad, it's more just my vision, balance and muscle fatigue and recovery is a heck of a lot shorter.
I think it might help to try altering your behaviours and taking a more proactive approach eg increasing water consumption, wearing breathable clothing, removable layers, staying in a cool environment, lowering water temp, cooling neck or vest as ess mentioned, minimising physical activity etc and see if it helps to keep you at your normal....
Cheers...........JJ
Thank you, JJ, and I would consider my symptoms to be very much like heat exhaustion as well. What doesn't fit, though, is that this happens only after 3 minutes of being in the show ring... where I would normally need to run with my dog 3 times for a time span of 30 seconds or less each time. And when I am at a show site, I am well hydrated because I drink water consistently - there is always an open bottle in my show bag.
So what I'm saying is that I get the extreme symptoms after very little physical activity, and the weather doesn't necessarily have to be real hot when it happens. It can happen when it's cool outside and I'm running around my backyard with the puppy while training. :(
Well, our next shows are toward the end of next month. It is in an unheated livestock arena, and it's cool here in TN at this time of year, so we will see what happens. I don't even know if my legs are going to work well enough to show at all, so it's all a little disconcerting right now. My husband or a friend may have to handle him, but I'm going to keep a positive attitude and hope for the best.
For me, there is often a delay in the heat symptoms. It's not like I get hit by a flash of heat and immediately feel worse. Taking a shower, unless it is really a long one, causes the weak feeling after I get out... usually a few minutes later. You might also consider investing in a cooling vest to wear under your clothes.