11-04-01 ALL//Question of the week affects of cold temps

[Guest guest]

Hi Everyone:

I just came across this email and even though it is from the previous weeks

" topic of the week " I want to reply. After I first got hurt and developed

the RSDS I thought I was losing my mind. I have always been a warm blooded

person. Half of the time I would wear a dress tank top under my blouse so

that I could take it off during the winter months. The fewer pieces of

cloths I had to wear the better. I was normally to warm in the winter with

a heavy winter coat and believe me here in LaPorte, Indiana & Michigan were

I was raised we sure do need them during the winter.

I used to love to go outside and shovel the snow and help my kids make snow

angels, snowmen, and have snowball fights. I loved to ice-skate & go for

long walks outside too. During the summer I wore as light as clothing as I

could for several reasons. One was I didn't sweat like most people when I

got hot. My face would turn red and I really would start to over heat to

the point at times I would get ill or passout. But once I developed the

RSDS I started to sweat all of the time no matter how warm or cool it was.

If it wasn't outright cold at first I would even sweat then too.

(Weird)....

But now I most of the time I can't stand to be outside if it is below 60 or

chilly and damp. There are times that when I get cold I am chilled to the

bone and I really mean chilled to the bone, because they seem to ache and

really hurt from the cold. There have been times that I have become so

cold that I start to shiver and I can't even do anything. When I get like

this I have to have someone here to help unbutton buttons & zippers because

my both of hands clutch and claw up to the point I can't open them & my feet

and legs seem to freeze up at weird positions to the point that I can hardly

walk around. The only way I can even get warm when I get like this is by

taking a bath in really warm water and Epsom salt.

Since I have developed hyper sensitivity (alodidia (SP).) I really have a

hard problem with wearing gloves and socks. My Step Mom made me a couple

pairs of mittens that didn't have any thumbs in them and lined them with

lambs wool covered by silk & with leather on the palms so I could pick

things up or hang onto the steering wheel when I was driving. They are so

warm and without the thumb in the mitten my hands will stay a lot warmer

because all of my fingers are right next to each other & there isn't the

heat loss through the mitten's thumb. I had been wearing silk socks over my

hands under regular mittens, but had a heck of a time keeping them on

because the mittens keep slipping off the socks. Also it was almost

impossible for me to be able to drive with them on because I couldn't hardly

grasp the steering wheel without my hands slipping.

As far as my feet and legs that was a really hard one for me because I have

quite of bit of pain when I had to wear pants or socks & shoes. A Physical

Therapist recommended that I try to wear light support panty hose. Which I

used to do all of the time before the RSDS, I wore them for warmth during

the winter and to help prevent verclous (SP) veins in my legs (they run in

my family) when I was working or walking. Also with the pantyhose it helps

reduce the swelling in my feet & legs. They don't cause pooling or band

effect on my legs (like you get from tet hose & stockings, & even regular

socks) by cutting into them and they even help desensitize them from some of

the hypersensitive that I get. They do bother me at first but after a bit I

kind of forget that I even have them on.

During the summer months I hate air-conditioning. My husband & I argue

about running it in the cars and the bedroom. It hurts for it to blow on my

skin. When it is really hot out since my husband works in a foundry and

really needs to be able to cool down at night I sleep down stairs so I don't

have to suffer from the air-conditioner in our bedroom & he can get a good

nights sleep and rest up for work. There are times that when a fan can be

blowing cool air on me that it feels soothing. But then there are times

when I get hit by the breeze of a fan and it can send me up the walls and

into tears with pain.

One good thing about having the hysterectomy in September done. I am

starting to suffering from awful hot flashes and with the weather starting

to get colder, maybe they will help keep me warm this winter LOL. Boy I

sweat like I'm in a sauna some of the time when they hit me. That is

another whole topic.....

Love,

Rene'e

Question of the week

> >Date: Sun, 4 Nov 2001 16:22:42 EST

> >

> >Hi Guys,

> >I want to ask for the question ofd the week, what you all do when the

cold

> >weather strikes to avoid episodes (if possible)? Do you think that we

would

> >all be better living in warm weather? I know the people that live in warm

> >weather still have pain. But if I could be like I was in the summer, I

> >think

> >I could almost handle this disease. I went to the movies last night, and

it

> >was cold when we left. This sent me into an episode for almost 15

minutes.

> >I

> >tried to breath deep, everything. I keep a fleece blanket in the car and

I

> >did wrap myself in this, eventually it did subside, but you forget how

bad

> >this disease can get. I know it isn't feasible right now in my familles

> >life

> >to move, so what else is there. Stay in? Yuk, anyone have any great

ideas?

> >

> >Hugs and a pain free minute,

> >Deb

> >Deborah Genatossio (Debgena@...)

> >National Planning Director

> >http://www.americansocietyforrsd-crps.org/

>

>

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