Guest guest Posted April 28, 2002 Report Share Posted April 28, 2002 , Just a note to say that I am interested in this phenomenon too and have noticed that weather changes moderate how I feel. Some have suggested that it could be related to mould spores or SAD in which people get depressed due to reduced daylight hours. But this doesn't correlate with my experience. I tend to feel better in fine sunny, still weather and worse in stormy, windy, rainy weather. My opinion is that it is likely related to air pressure changes where high pressure systems are good and low pressure makes me worse. Other disease states are effected similarly such as rheumatoid arthritis. The weather seems to exert an effect on the immune system. Also there are more heart attacks in cold weather as the cold temperature thickens the blood. The oposite is also true, in hot climates the blood becomes thinner. In the summer all of my symptoms improve, I have more energy and better exercise tolerance. People who are subclinically hypothyroid will also feel better in the summer. Bobby __________________________________________________ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 28, 2002 Report Share Posted April 28, 2002 This is me to a 'T' (whatever that means) except I feel worst as the barametric pressure is falling. Humidity also affects me. Foggy weather is not good. Mike I tend to feel better in fine > sunny, still weather and worse in stormy, windy, rainy > weather. My opinion is that it is likely related to > air pressure changes where high pressure systems are > good and low pressure makes me worse. > Bobby Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 28, 2002 Report Share Posted April 28, 2002 I moved from CT to AZ because after traveling around the country (my job required it) I found I felt consistently much better in the dry, hot southwest, and I also felt better during the 3 warm summer months in CT. When I wake up I know the weather based on how I feel, despite house thermostat controlled temperature. I believe I feel the effect of atmospheric pressure. Higher pressure forces more oxygen into the blood. Holding other parameters constant, pressure is high where altitude is low, humidity is low, and in the absence of stormy weather. That made AZ a good choice (and the Yucatan has a similar climate). It has a low number of rainy days, low humidity, and the southern portion is low altitude. It is also hot which has a blood thinning effect, allowing O2 to move less impeded through the circulatory system to produce more ATP, and to kill anerobic pathogens. Blood tests of CFS/FM patients have shown lower total blood volume at 50-70% of normal, misshapened or clumped red blood cells, and fibrinogen (blood clotting) deposits on capilary walls impeding transfer of oxygen to cells. So in addition to our weather induced hypoxia symptoms there is reason to suspect many PWC do not get adequate cellular oxygen. I have been posting recently about hyperbaric oxygen. It seems to me that those who find themselves reliably sensitive to atomspheric pressure stand a reasonable chance of benefiting from HBOT. It is good weather in a tank, forcing oxygen into red blood cells, plasma, and other body fluids by imposing an artificially high atomspheric pressure. I live in the Phoenix AZ area, and plan to purchase a HBOT unit within the next few months. If anyone within reasonable distance is interested in trying it, I will make the unit available for free, except possibly something to help cover the cost of O2 used. Anyone interested can email me off line (Target@...). I am not a medical professional and this is not a business, I just hope to share some relief and learn if this works for other PWC. > This is me to a 'T' (whatever that means) except I feel worst as > the barametric pressure is falling. Humidity also affects me. Foggy > weather is not good. > > Mike > > > I tend to feel better in fine > > sunny, still weather and worse in stormy, windy, rainy > > weather. My opinion is that it is likely related to > > air pressure changes where high pressure systems are > > good and low pressure makes me worse. > Bobby Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 28, 2002 Report Share Posted April 28, 2002 hi and all - .. Holding other > parameters constant, pressure is high where altitude is low, humidity > is low, and in the absence of stormy weather. That made AZ a good > choice (and the Yucatan has a similar climate). It has a low number > of rainy days, low humidity, and the southern portion is low > altitude. FWIW, I've been all over the Yucatan and found it to have an extremely humid climate - every time I stepped off a plane I felt like I was getting hit in the face with a wet blanket. Even though I was there before I got sick, I didn't feel too great when I was there. Like you, I always seem to feel better in a desert type climate. Judith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 29, 2002 Report Share Posted April 29, 2002 Hi Judith, Thanks for the correction. The Yucatan is out and my geography needs work. In the USA the overall lowest, hottest, and least humid city is Yuma AZ. > hi and all - > > . Holding other > > parameters constant, pressure is high where altitude is low, humidity > > is low, and in the absence of stormy weather. That made AZ a good > > choice (and the Yucatan has a similar climate). It has a low number > > of rainy days, low humidity, and the southern portion is low > > altitude. > > FWIW, I've been all over the Yucatan and found it to have an extremely > humid climate - every time I stepped off a plane I felt like I was > getting hit in the face with a wet blanket. Even though I was there > before I got sick, I didn't feel too great when I was there. Like you, > I always seem to feel better in a desert type climate. > > Judith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 29, 2002 Report Share Posted April 29, 2002 I am very grateful to and Judith for their suggestions. I am sorry to hear that not everyone does well in the Yucatan. I have spent much of the past several years in the Yucatan and Cuba. Most of the time, I can lead a normal life here, almost as I was pre- CFS. Yes, it is humid, but several of us have done very well while here. A couple of MCS people were not well in the Yucatan. For the past three weeks, I have felt so poorly in the Yucatan, that I am considering giving the desert coast of Peru a longer try. I was in Chiclayo, Peru for 5 days and was almost back to pre-onset levels there. I was in Mexicali, which is close to Yuma, Arizona, for seven months straight last year. I was slightly better than I would be in Toronto or New York. However, I was no where close to being well. But, yes, the place is warm to very hot usually, and dry and below sea level. (Mexicali resembles Hell in many ways! LOL) May I suggest that those who find that they are still not truly healthy in Arizona, try going further south, if they can. Most of the reports of people who truly regain their health are from areas roughly between the Tropic of Cancer and Capricorn. Please feel free to email me with more feed back on this. Regards, . p_beith@... > hi and all - > > . Holding other > > parameters constant, pressure is high where altitude is low, humidity > > is low, and in the absence of stormy weather. That made AZ a good > > choice (and the Yucatan has a similar climate). It has a low number > > of rainy days, low humidity, and the southern portion is low > > altitude. > > FWIW, I've been all over the Yucatan and found it to have an extremely > humid climate - every time I stepped off a plane I felt like I was > getting hit in the face with a wet blanket. Even though I was there > before I got sick, I didn't feel too great when I was there. Like you, > I always seem to feel better in a desert type climate. > > Judith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 29, 2002 Report Share Posted April 29, 2002 hi and all - I personally know of 2 people who have moved to Hawaii from CA and both are recovered to just about pre-illness levels. One lives on the windward side of Oahu, so I think pollution levels are something to take into consideration. Unfortunately, the desert areas in the west/southwest are becoming ever more polluted, especially in Arizona. At least on coastal areas, ocean breezes tend to blow pollutants inland. Judith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 29, 2002 Report Share Posted April 29, 2002 Is it not more likely that we are affected by CHANGES in pressure than absolute pressure? So going to sea level might not make it better, and living in the mountains might not make it worse in the long run? My other thought is that changes in location often work because we are allergic to different things in different locations. Foe example I am very allergic to a particular mold, it doesn't occur in dry climates, so I am better there. Same for types of dust mite, pollens, etc... I am always better in a new place for a year or two, then.... downhill again. n Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 29, 2002 Report Share Posted April 29, 2002 OK, fair enough. I actually used to feel fantastic when flying, and I think I still feel better at altitude in general, so maybe I need to put it down to clean air. Like all of this it is possible there are two or more things happening. I do notice though that I feel lousy when low pressure days arrive, and that happens whether I live here (600m), in the mountains (1000m) or on the coast (3m!). n At 17:10 30/04/02, you wrote: >The absolute pressure Seems to have a lot to do with it. >Cheney beleives that there is an O2 starvation going on in the paitents. >Ergo, when we go up in elevation, the starvation would be even worse. >I know when I fly the CFS is worse and when I am up in the mountians >it is very debilitating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 30, 2002 Report Share Posted April 30, 2002 I used to do very poorly flying, and also at high elevations like Denver. Got sick easily. Since my heparin treatment I didn't have that anymore. I'm not sure if it's the thinner blood, or the reduced amount of mycoplasma in me that made the difference. Thanks, Doris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 30, 2002 Report Share Posted April 30, 2002 I wonder how much is weather vs other things. For example, CA has been accused of having a lot of electromagnetic fields, and there is a lot of toxic chemicals, including mercury and also things involved in semiconductors. It could be in the ground water, in the air, in the food we eat. There are a lot of people in the SF bay area with breast cancer, there seems to be a lot with CFS. Then there is the lifestyle angle that is a possibility. Thanks, Doris Re: Re: Weather changes/ Yucatan > hi and all - > > I personally know of 2 people who have moved to Hawaii from CA and both > are recovered to just about pre-illness levels. One lives on the > windward side of Oahu, so I think pollution levels are something to take > into consideration. Unfortunately, the desert areas in the > west/southwest are becoming ever more polluted, especially in Arizona. > At least on coastal areas, ocean breezes tend to blow pollutants inland. > > Judith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 30, 2002 Report Share Posted April 30, 2002 The absolute pressure Seems to have a lot to do with it. Cheney beleives that there is an O2 starvation going on in the paitents. Ergo, when we go up in elevation, the starvation would be even worse. I know when I fly the CFS is worse and when I am up in the mountians it is very debilitating. Re: Re: Weather changes/ Yucatan Is it not more likely that we are affected by CHANGES in pressure than absolute pressure? So going to sea level might not make it better, and living in the mountains might not make it worse in the long run? My other thought is that changes in location often work because we are allergic to different things in different locations. Foe example I am very allergic to a particular mold, it doesn't occur in dry climates, so I am better there. Same for types of dust mite, pollens, etc... I am always better in a new place for a year or two, then.... downhill again. n This list is intended for patients to share personal experiences with each other, not to give medical advice. If you are interested in any treatment discussed here, please consult your doctor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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