Help! Weather and health?

[Zerbie]

I have not felt functional much at all lately.

I feel intuitively that it's the weather. (We're about 10 degrees above average temperatures right now, and it's usually hot enough to be a problem without being over the average.) I've been overheating internally for months. People (who live HERE in the same climate) have begun commenting that my skin is surprisingly hot to the touch.

There are a lot of high electricity, hot windy thunderstorms happening (for the past two weeks, and predicted for the next few days as well.) I've noticed that I become irritable, depressed, sometimes even hostile before thunderstorms. My mood ALWAYS lifts significantly at the beginning of a storm and stays elevated throughout it's duration. But I'm experiencing lower and lower lows before each storm.

At the same time, my blood pressure is too low (80 over 60.) I spent the last few hours lying down, instead of doing the activities that need to be done.

I am thinking of calling out work tonight, in case this weakness does not pass by then. I can hardly get up out of bed at all today, and at one point, crawled to get from one room to another. My doctor's office thinks the low blood pressure is "great, because this means you don't have high blood pressure."

So I can only lie around and cancel my responsibilities and wait for the monsoon season to end?

The hot winds (104 degrees at 9pm) blowing trees around really get to me. I feel noticeably weakened by them.

So umm. . . any ideas how to get some energy? I can't exercise, can barely even pull food from the fridge. I know the depressed mood is caused by my physical condition, if I could just move. . . .

Are there pressure changes before thunderstorms that could lower blood pressure? What the bleep should I do the day before a storm comes??

[Daniel]

Take a cool bath. Not cold. Cool! No salts or anything like that. Just cool running water. Create your own thunderstorm. And maybe get some electrolights? (however that is spelled)

You could also stand on your head, right? That would up your blood pressure, no?

See. Yoga has an answer for everything.

[Zerbie]

Originally Posted by Daniel

Take a cool bath. Not cold. Cool! No salts or anything like that. Just cool running water. Create your own thunderstorm. And maybe get some electrolights? (however that is spelled)

You could also stand on your head, right? That would up your blood pressure, no?

See. Yoga has an answer for everything.

I wish. On low BP days I don't have the energy to go upside down. Nice irony there.

I have started taking cold showers at night - my idea of cold is probably most peoples' idea of lukewarm in the first place, and in the second place, I can't get cold water to come out of the shower tap in the evening - it's really hot! It takes about ten minutes for hot water to stop coming out the cold tap and start being just slightly cool.

Electrolytes. Yes. Pedialyte has saved me many a day. I've been sipping a liter all day long and finally the dizziness is gone.

But I can't afford to wait until 2 in the afternoon to start going every day. We need winter!! NOW!!!

Could barometric pressure have anything to do with BP?
I checked, and it's 29 and steadily falling (or 1003 and falling) whatever those measures indicate.

[Daniel]

Originally Posted by Zerbie

I wish. On low BP days I don't have the energy to go upside down. Nice irony there.

So sorry you have to deal with this. You know, you do live where it's inhuman to be outside unless one is a lizard.

Originally Posted by the queen of SF

I have started taking cold showers at night - my idea of cold is probably most peoples' idea of lukewarm in the first place, and in the second place, I can't get cold water to come out of the shower tap in the evening - it's really hot! It takes about ten minutes for hot water to stop coming out the cold tap and start being just slightly cool.

Electrolytes. Yes. Pedialyte has saved me many a day. I've been sipping a liter all day long and finally the dizziness is gone.

But I can't afford to wait until 2 in the afternoon to start going every day. We need winter!! NOW!!!

Pray for snow? Rain dance? Oh wait. You can't move. Sorry. Bad suggestion.

What about self-acupressure points? I don't know enough about them to know which ones, but there might points be some that are stimulating?

Originally Posted by the queen of SF

Could barometric pressure have anything to do with BP?
I checked, and it's 29 and steadily falling (or 1003 and falling) whatever those measures indicate.

My own take? I have noticed that my tinnitus seems much louder when there is low pressure. Could it have an affect? Possible.

Zerbie- maybe you are a walking pressure gauge!

[Daniel]

I did take a very good Shiatsu class years ago- gee- like 15 years ago.

If you press firmly for 18-40 seconds and the base of the occipital lobe with your thumb (not on the bone, but rather, beneath it), this stimulates the meridian that goes into the head. You can also press each side of this point. Think of it as three points in a horizontal line. It's relaxing and invigorating at once. And will make you feel more clear headed.

[BruceChris]

In Minnesota, it's too cold in the winter, and too hot in the summer. But over the last few years, it keeps getting warmer in the winter, and cooler in the summer. This summer, I didn't need the air conditioner ONCE! And I'm a real wuss about heat.

All of our heat must have moved to Arizona. Blame it on global climate change

104 degrees at 9 PM? At that temperature, I brown around the edges, and if I'm not careful, I stick to the frying pan. Zerbie, take care of yourself. Do whatever is necessary to stay COOL

Concerned, Bruce Chris

[BruceChris]

Climate scientist Gerald Meehl says that in this country, the warming is greatest in the southwest. So you're not only a barometer, you're a thermometer (Lucky You ) National website:

http://globalchange.gov/publications...acts/southwest

Can you tell me what changes there have been in the dew point?

BC

[Zerbie]

Originally Posted by BruceChris

104 degrees at 9 PM? At that temperature, I brown around the edges, and if I'm not careful, I stick to the frying pan. Zerbie, take care of yourself. Do whatever is necessary to stay COOL

Concerned, Bruce Chris

Oh no, 104 at 9pm is not at all unusual. The last few weeks it's often still been 110 at 9pm, and with the sun down, you walk outside and at first you think, "Oh, it's so much cooler now. . . " and then after a while it hits you, no, it isn't really all that cool.

What bothered me last night was 104 degree sweeping WINDS. My nose still hurts. (from hot dust I assume)

[Zerbie]

Originally Posted by BruceChris

Can you tell me what changes there have been in the dew point?

BC

What's dew?
Do we even have dew in Phoenix?

I honestly have no idea, Chris. All I know is it's dry here even in the rain (we had a thunderstorm with Actual Rain last night and I felt dry as I stood outside trying to enjoy the moisture, so I looked up the humidity. It was 15%.)


Oh but don't feel guilty about enjoying 68 degrees at night. I would probably FREEZE!

[Alecto]

Is it possible that this all relates to depression from some other origin (even a biochemical one)? (/psych major hat)
Have you been drinking enough water?

[BruceChris]

Being in as hot and dry a place as you are can be tremendously dehydrating. Under normal circumstances, most health experts recommend drinking 8 glasses of water a day.

I was on an Aids ride a few years ago, and the sponsors were very concerned about anyone collapsing from heat exhaustion or dehydration, and so they pushed fluids on everyone.

On that Aids ride, I only learned two things. (1) How to drink Gatoraid, (2) How to Pee.

Until you reach the point where it gets in the way of everything else, drink until you pee.

To retain fluids, Zerb says she needs salt, or other electrolytes. Salt tablets may be less obnoxious.

EDIT: Zerbie says she's way ahead of me on all this

Concerned, Bruce Chris

[Zerbie]

Originally Posted by Alecto

Is it possible that this all relates to depression from some other origin (even a biochemical one)? (/psych major hat)
Have you been drinking enough water?

Extremely unlikely it's any form of depression, except that induced by having BP so low I can't pick my head up. I've noticed every time my BP falls below a certain point, I feel depressed. Change the BP, my mood is immediately evens out. Also, both physical symptoms and mood symptoms disappear instantly as soon as I've left Arizona, and return again within hours or days of arriving back.

I am a water FIEND.
I drink approximately one gallon of water per day. More if I've exercised, but exercise almost never happens between May and October.

The first week I lived in Phoenix, I drank 3 gallons of water a day and only peed once or at most, twice, a day. After the first week, things were eliminating more normally and I cut it down to only one gallon. (that was 6 years ago, so it's been a while.) I've noticed that I feel much better when I salt my water in the summer, so the gallon I carry around all day has a teaspoon of added salt in it. Without the salt, I feel tummy sick. Even so, on hot days it's not unusual to drink 2 liters of Pedialyte in addition. Pedialyte has been known to bring my BP up as much as 20 points such that I could do ordinary activities (like emptying the dishwasher, folding laundry, etc) again. I've also had several episodes of having to spend a couple days in bed because I made the mistake of going to the grocery store and walking from my car to the building and back in the daytime on days between May and October. I try to go on cloudy days, or at least load up on Pedialyte before I step out of the car.

In fact, it's quite possible it was ordinary daily activities on Monday that caused yesterday's crash. The parking lot is about a quarter mile away from where my work is, and I've been known to get sick before from walking to the building. I went back and forth twice on Monday, and then on Tuesday I couldn't function. Possibly causally related.

But what about the thunderstorms? I get 'off' before storms, and the moment the discharge of lightning and rain starts, suddenly, I am functional again. Why does the falling barometer make me sick? Does it lower the blood pressure even further?

[Daniel]

And say...

Is it time to move?

Oh Zerb girl. It sounds like you are trying to find ways to cope with living in an oven.

How about moving to Maine from May to late summer? I hate the thought of you having to deal with this heat. And worry about the effect of is as (Ok...I am going there) you age. Right now your body can manage it somewhat. But at 50 or 60? It's going to get dicey. Sounds like it's kinda dicey now.

I want to put an ice cube on your forehead and cool you off!

Alecto may be on to something. Perhaps not depression. But your anticipation of a change in the weather could have a powerful effect on your biology.

[Zerbie]

Originally Posted by Daniel

And say...

Is it time to move?

Oh Zerb girl. It sounds like you are trying to find ways to cope with living in an oven.

I am. We DO live in an oven. The 115 degree heat comes down from the sky and glances off street pavement, parking lots, buildings, etc, and then comes UP simultaneously also, so that when you are outside, your body is constantly convection cooked.


How about moving to Maine from May to late summer?

That's why we always go to cold places each summer. Not long enough I suppose, but it wouldn't be feasible that long (costs, mainly). We were in Germany freezing our butts off for a month this summer, then I went to Colorado. Okay, and Florida was only 90 degrees (believe me, that feels very cool if you've come from Phoenix, as it's 20 degrees cooler than the place you left) and plenty humid, so that was a wonderful escape too.

I hate the thought of you having to deal with this heat. And worry about the effect of is as (Ok...I am going there) you age. Right now your body can manage it somewhat. But at 50 or 60? It's going to get dicey. Sounds like it's kinda dicey now.

I'm not going to worry about that for several reasons. One, it's a long time til I'm 50 by which time who knows where I might be teaching and we may have a house someplace else by then. Two, the older I get the stronger my health. I have a thousand times the health, energy, and stamina now than I did as a teen or when I was 20. I reflect back on what it was like at 17 or 20 and the change is miraculous. The strength and health gains made since I moved here, despite living in an oven, are tremendous as well.

Temperatures seem to be an issue though. Most of my life, I've always been cold and always requested that it be made warmer. I thought Phoenix would be ideal for me. When I was a toddler growing up on the east coast, doctors insisted my parents ship me off to Florida for the winters. I don't think they knew WHY the doctors said I couldn't regulate my body against the cold, they just followed orders and shipped me south.


I want to put an ice cube on your forehead and cool you off!

Alecto may be on to something. Perhaps not depression. But your anticipation of a change in the weather could have a powerful effect on your biology.

Oh believe me, I rub ice cubes all over my body most nights, top of the head really helps. Ice both before and after cold showers. Ten minutes and I'm heated up again. And clearly, these weather changes are impacting my biology strongly. Thunderstorms and falling barometers? I"m looking for a WHY here, and if I get a why, that may give a clue how as to how to ameliorate the effects so that I can function.

[BruceChris]

Salt tablets may be less obnoxious, and they do help retain water.

EDIT: Blood is about 1% salt. That's more like 2 tablespoons than one teaspoon, which is why I suggest the salt tablets. Talk to a doctor, or a nutritionist. Any electrolyte helps retain water. and ought to help raise your blood pressure

Air conditioners are wonderful, but they reduce the humidity EVEN FURTHER.

BC

[Zerbie]

Originally Posted by BruceChris

Salt tablets may be less obnoxious, and they do help retain water.

You mean taste? I love the taste of salt!

EDIT: Blood is about 1% salt. That's more like 2 tablespoons than one teaspoon, which is why I suggest the salt tablets. Talk to a doctor, or a nutritionist. Any electrolyte helps retain water. and ought to help raise your blood pressure

Air conditioners are wonderful, but they reduce the humidity EVEN FURTHER.

BC

I know about AC. I've always referred to myself as 'allergic' to air conditioning because my nose can't tolerate being an in air conditioned room. When I first moved here, I was sick and non-functional all the time. I've finally adapted out of necessity to appreciating air conditioning. But anyplace other than Phoenix, I demand that the AC always be off.

I lived in Houston for 7 years and I did turn the air conditioner on once for an hour. It was 105 that day and I was in a small, enclosed, upstairs room. That was the only time I ever used AC in 7 years in Houston.

My ideal climate is Swamp. I absolutely THRIVE in Houston, Corpus Christi, much of Florida, pretty much anything Gulf Coast.

[Alecto]

That was the other thing I was going to ask is if it might be allergy related? My mom had allergies so bad for awhile that it was mistaken for depression because the reduced oxygen made her tired all the time. I dont know how allergies could affect BP, but depending on what the allergen is, it could fit the pattern with storms too (I think they tend to clear the air of pollen, but then raise the mold out in the world).

Storms are by definition areas of low pressure, so it's totally plausible that that could affect your internal pressures too.

Hope you're feeling better soon.

[Zerbie]

Well it certainly isn't an allergy to mold!! You almost can't grow a mold in Phoenix if you're trying!

Don't know what one would be allergic to very suddenly in the still air before a storm. During and after the storm, I become strong and energized in a wonderful calm way. It's *before* that's bad. Mentioned this to a colleague today and he said he knew a flight instructor who pointed out, when a group was having a really bad day, that the barometric pressure was low and it was probably affecting their mood.

So apparently, there is some idea out there in the world connecting the barometer to mood, and possibly to how energetic one feels? Googling didn't bring up much on this subject except questions, conjecture, and outright disbelief. Does anyone else here react badly to dropping barometers?

[Alecto]

I do know that storms always uplift me. I don't always necessarily feel gross beforehand, but like...the heavier, rainier, and more violent the storm, the better I feel (especially if I go out on the porch and watch it).

My brain chemistry's a little hinky on its own though. ::shrug::

[Jennifer5]

Originally Posted by Zerbie

So apparently, there is some idea out there in the world connecting the barometer to mood, and possibly to how energetic one feels? Googling didn't bring up much on this subject except questions, conjecture, and outright disbelief. Does anyone else here react badly to dropping barometers?

I become irritable with certain weather changes. I don't know specifically what causes it, but it can certainly be the weather causing the problem.

Glad to see you around here.