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  • How does the heat affect you?

    Posted by ally on August 3, 2021 at 5:17 pm

    August is typically the hottest month of the year where I live, and this year is no different. I think the high today was 27 degree Celsius (80.6 degree Fahrenheit).

    Does the heat/humidity affect your Parkinson’s symptoms? If yes, how? Do you have any tips for staying cool during the summer?

    troy replied 2 years, 7 months ago 7 Members · 6 Replies
  • 6 Replies
  • phinala

    Member
    August 5, 2021 at 1:48 pm

    Hi Ally,
    I live in Spain and until I was diagnosed with Parkinsons’s I never really felt the heat like I do now, it must be the medication. The way I try to keep cool is use shutters on windows. have one of those personal square box fans, wear cotton as much as possible. Do cooking early or late when it’s cooler. We have ceiling fans but don’t have air conditioning.

  • William Palmer

    Member
    August 5, 2021 at 2:09 pm

    Heat and direct sunlight make me feel much worse, I find. It accentuates my fatigue when I mow the lawn, which I need to do now in two or three sections with breaks in between. If I come into the house with air conditioning, this helps a lot. A month ago I went raspberry picking at noon on a hot, sunny day but had to stop–it quickly wiped me out.

  • rick-m

    Member
    August 5, 2021 at 4:28 pm

    I live in Phoenix, Az and as my PD progresses it seems that I get more and more fatigued by the heat.  I get tired just walking outside and it’s getting worse.

    I have air conditioning and I go inside to cool off.  (or jump in the pool)

  • kathleen-provorse

    Member
    August 5, 2021 at 6:02 pm

    my husband has a very diffucult time with the heat and high humidity also. I make sure he is very well hydrated and have purchased a cooling hat from Mission which is the name of the company and that makes his body temperature 20% cooler. The cooling of the hat seems to remain for about 2 hours and he is very comfortable with the body temperature
    hope this helps
    kathy p

  • marlene-donnelly

    Member
    August 6, 2021 at 7:16 pm

    Temperatures above the high 70s make me feel sick – nauseous, light-headed, and very uncomfortable.  Before PD this was not the case.  I spend most of my days from May until October indoors with air conditioning (we live in NJ).  I am also less tolerant of cold than I used to be, though that’s not as bad as the heat.  In the house I keep the thermostat at 72 degrees in winter and between 74 and 76 degrees in summer.

  • troy

    Member
    August 8, 2021 at 2:13 pm

    The heat double edged sword for me: On the one hand, it makes me more fatigued than I already am, and I’m already too fatigued as it is! I find it discouraging to be my age (I have eopd) and be fatigued from doing absolutely nothing and then have the heat pile on just for the fun of it 🙂 On the other hand, the heat sometimes provides momentary relief from my worst non-motor symptom of electrical nerve pain. When the Lyrica isn’t working, I can go and spend a few minutes in the sun and I feel like my nerves are being soothed by an electric blanket. So, at least I can gain something positive from an otherwise uncomfortable experience!

    Peace.

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