Chronic hypothermia anyone?

[maxthecat43]

My docs have been telling me that my body temperature is low due to my having MS.  I didn't really believe it.   I thought they were blowing me off.  Apparently people with MS actually can have chronic hypothermia,  due to lesions in the hypothalamus.   I guess it's mostly seen in those of us with SPMS.  

Anyway,  I'm basically always cold.   Since I  now live in the south tip of Texas now, chronic hypothermia may come in handy.

[karryon55]

I totally understand the heat and humidity as I'm in Australia and we've just had 112.7 F or 44.6 C which is not common but it is hot here. I did spend the whole day in air con but then we lost power so I was without even a fan for 3 hours. :-(  I have spent much of my life having a low grade temp of 98.5 due to my rheumatoid arthritis which is not unusual in RA. In the last few years though it did the turnaround where I started to get abnormally low body temps. Go figure!

So for me it's been one or the other & I wonder how much this has played with my MS and symptoms. I was told by one of my doctors that brain stem lesions in certain areas can muck around with your body temp as well as respiration but I do know that was not my Neuro who said that. My Neuro knows I have great difficulty in the heat and the cold with exacerbating my symptoms but also with regulating my body temp so I now get some financial assistance to pay for my huge power bill.

I hope you don't have the flu. I always have the flu vaccine as I'm always picking up anything that's around.

Hugs,

Karry.

[maxthecat43]

Tonight I'm sick.  I think it's flu(because my husband has the flu), and my temp is 96.9.  I'm still worried about triple digit temps, and high humidity in spring and summer here.  But this problem may help me a little.  It will be our first summer here.  There are no MS specialists here.  MS just isn't widely seen here.  So, we'll see.

[essdipity]

My 'normal' temp is just over 97, meaning if I'm at 98.6 I have a fever, and if I'm at 100 I'm really sick. But lots of people are that way, as it's just a variation on normal and doesn't indicate a disease.

But even with all that, I still get overheated to the point of profuse perspiration frequently, and that part is abnormal. I attribute it to MS and my neuro agrees. I think that having a low or high normal temp and feeling hot or cold constantly are different processes. Some people have both, of course.

ess

[davincidanes]

Interesting thread.  I'm curious to know more about a correlation between possible MS and a normally low body temperature.  My normal has been 97.4 F for years and am always cold.  I am still in limbo without confirmed diagnosis, but many factors leaning the MS way.  My MS Neuro specialist appointment is still a ways out in late February.

Thanks!

[essdipity]

Over the years we've had quite a few people mention this type of problem, and it's fairly common in MS. We generally think of movement and sensory issues, but the autonomic nervous system can also be affected. I may be mistaken but I think that's ultimately what causes so many urination snafus.

In regard to body temperature regulation, some MSers feel cold a great deal, and find their symptoms intensify in the cold, unlike the majority who find heat is the problem. But just being constantly cold or hot can be its own issue. For myself, I overheat so easily that I often start to perspire when others are very comfortable. When I'm cooking I wind up doing a modified strip :-) because of this, and in summer I have to run my AC 24/7. This is all post MS dx.

South Texas may be a good place for you, Max. I'd be in big trouble!

ess

[karryon55]

I've been having nurses tell me that my body temp is too low for years now. I have to keep an eye on my temp as I suffer from Neutropenia and I've got 3 different thermometers which all say I more often than not my temp is abnormally low.

It's obviously not always too low but I have just started saying that's normal for me now because it's been going on for so long. I have brought it up with a doctor before & I can't recall what their explanation was but I'm pretty sure it was something to do with the MS and thermoregulation.

I will be interested in what others have to say about this one.

Take Care,

Karry.