Sorry folks, I posted this in the wrong place! It's already one of those days....

I know that the heat causes flare ups for many of us with POTS. In my case, I have a different experience. If it is a damp, rainy day I am AWFUL. I know it probably has to do with the barometer (I posted about this before). But, if it is sunny and I sit in the sun for awhile I feel so much better. What I know I CAN'T do is sit outside when it is humid and very hot(heartrate is bonkers, dizzy, lightheaded) but just a nice, sunny day (around 75-80 or so, low humidity) actually improves my symptoms. Anyone else experience this? Maybe it's more psychological than anything......just wondering.

I am very heat intolerant. The sun bothers me too. But I get rashes on my skin from the sun so that reaction might not be from the dysfunction. I cannot tolerate the humidity either, and I also cannot tolerate the cold.

michelle

Well, it was 95F earlier and I came back from the store and had a HR of 142. The other day I spent too long outside in 90-92F weather and came in with a 148 HR. Short of breath, shaky, cold, lightheaded, and wobbly - all those fun symptoms.
So I'd say yes, it's a problem. lol

Oklahoma summers get very hot. I'm sure we'll see 110-115F more than a few times, luckily there's little to no humidity. So it's a bit like stepping into an oven. It dries you out fast whether you have problems with dehydration or not.

....and I still need to drag myself outside later to fill in a hole in one of my turtle pens, water/feed them, and plant some stuff. I can't stay cooped up in the house either -even if I could, too depressing.

Treble - Sometimes I feel quite bad on a rainy day, somehow just the weather outside makes me feel like I have the flu. Other times I'm okay. I think I am okay when I keep the heat turned up and/or keep a lot of my body warm. I've seen others posting about how they enjoy sunny days that aren't too hot. I like them, but only if it's not too windy, wind and sun bother my eyes. You might be getting benefit from the vitamin D from being in the sun. Fresh air can be really good too.

My absolute #1 problem....it seems to have progressed. 95F days used to bother me, now 80 degrees with activity or in the sun crushes me too.

My too favorite letters-- AC!

Thanks for replying everyone. I think the humidity is the big trigger for me. If my house gets stuffy I get loopy. I also think the Vitamin D helps me feel better. So, while it is still Spring and not humid and overbearing yet, I will try to sit out and soak up some sun and hopefully have a few good days!
The real test will be in July when I go to the beach. I said I'd give it a shot because we are renting a house with AC and I can go in if I need to. We usually go in June when it's cooler and not too humid yet. I don't know how it will go but I figure at least if I have to stay inside I'll have an ocean view which is nicer than sitting inside my house with a view of my shed!

It's winter in Aust now, or will be 1st June and it's getting nice and cold. I never thought I'd say that. I was a 'summer baby' bought up on a beach, and loved summer and suffered through winter. The past couple of summers have been harder to get through and this last one was a nightmare.

I'm also intolerant to the sun now. This is a fairly recent development. I stay out of it as much as possible. It's a worry when I think about Vit D deficiencies so this summer I would try to discipline myself to sit on my balcony under an unbrella and let the sun shine just on my hands for about 15-20 minutes in the morning or afternoon.

I've always worn sunglasses because I'm so light sensitive but now, when I go out, I have a little cloth hat in my bag so that if i find myself having to be in the sun I can put it on. Plus, I always try to wear long sleeves.

I discovered this past summer that those cheap, light, long sleeved Indian cotton tops (the ones with the three button at the neckline) are pretty good for staying cool on the arms etc, even though I have to wear a singlet underneath them because they are pretty sheer and seethrough. I was about as cooly dressed as I could be and yet protected from the sun.

I'd actually carry an umbrella but I can't hold one up for long, and also if I need to use my cane it just doesn't work for me.

During my dr. visit yesterday, the Neurologist who specializes in dysautonomia was telling me what can make this worse. One item on the list was heat and he mentioned that one of his patients is also having increased symptoms due to humidity.