Before I was dx'd, I found out the hard way (twice) that I can't tolerate hot tubs anymore..
I can take hot showers and warm baths, as long as I'm not in too long. The ragdoll effect takes hold in the summer, too. I did discover (out of desparation), that a popsicle goes a long way to making me feel better when that happens.
The cold never used to bother me at all. When my son was ski racing, we'd get up early and I'd be standing out in the cold watching. This year, it's bothered me a lot. We never got above zero yesterday, with a wind chill near 40 below when I left for work. Today, I could only work half the day because I'd get this "shivery" feeling and muscles would start spasming in by jaw, neck, and back..I feel like I've been on American Gladiators, my body's so sore.

I think the "x-ray-like" image is a normal thing when you look at a light or close your eyes quickly, but I dont think the gold sparklies are supposed to be normal.

When I told my opthalmologist about seeing the gold sparklies once when I'm in a dark room with my eyes wide open, or seeing them when I close my eyes, he gave me this weird look, and told me to tell him if it ever got worse. I'm guessing that it's not supposed to do that.

Yay for me that the sparklies havent bothered me since last summer.

If you don't have a problem with heat intolerance, I don't think there's any reason why you can't take hot baths. The problem is that sooner or later it seems to hit most of us, and it's frustrating and sometimes embarrassing to have it start when you've been soaking in a hot tub and can't get out.

Somtime that x-ray picture happen when I wake up in the middle of the night. I doen't have to be that I was looking at a light. I have an appointment with an opthomalogist in a few weeks, I will ask him about this. I get burry spots in my vision ton of floaters and very irritable and a kind of cofused foggy feeling if i get over heated.

LeeAnn,
Thank you for this article. It was very helpful.

I'm a "keep things to myself" girl too. I don't understand yet what is important enough to tell the doc and what I should tell. I seem to worry about wasting people's time, even though I know that is what docs are there for.

I still take my hot baths and love them. I think in some people it increases symptoms, but I don't think it makes lesions worse. So if you're a person who it doesn't increase your symptoms, my understanding was it was no problem. Hasn't been a problem for me.

There are not alot of people like me--I can have baths. See I have a sensation problem on my right side, I can stand cold at all, feels like an electric shock. In the winter I have to wear ski pants all the time outside cause once the air hits it, it HURTS.And see I too was told that I was not to have hot baths, but since I loved baths I thought I would just try and see what happens. And nothing happens to me.

They say your symptoms will arise cause your core temp goes up.

I love summer and the heat, hot showers, baths... I asked why I did not have prob - my answer "your just one of the lucky ones".

I'm still taking hot showers, even tho it will cause a bit of vision weirdness. When I had a bad fever a couple of weeks ago, I had to back off on the hot water a bit, but I didnt have to stand under the freezing cold. When I do think it's going to cause me a bit of MS weirdness, I will turn the hot water down just before getting out and make sure that it's a lot cooler and rinse off with the cooler water just before stepping out.

Tomorrow, our new bathroom will be totally finished (been waiting for the grout in the tile to dry) and I'm all excited about the chance to use a bathtub for the first time in months. (it's got jacuzzi jets! ) But, I'm not going to do a steaming hot bath. I'm planning on a warm bath.

The new tub is really cool. Ever see the commercials for the Indugleabath tubs? That's what it is. Nice seat, jacuzzi jets, and I bought a brand new rubber ducky a week or two ago to play with in the tub. I'm excited!