This is the first time I've ever had this problem, or at least put two and two together. Yesterday we started with a hot spell, which is actually quite early by New England standards. The temperature went up into the low 80s (high 20's). I stayed in the house and on the cooler side of the house, which faces north. We don't have AC, but the basement is quite cool and so is the back side of the house where the room temperatures didn't go any higher than the 70s (low 20s), if that.

By the afternoon, I started to feel really tired to a point where I thought I was going to pass out. I wasn't feeling hot, but really dizzy and fatigued. I plopped across my bed, and slept for over 3 hours, or long enough to require my next dose of meds. I got up for a few hours, then the same thing happened again. During my waking times, I had and still have blurred and double vision, which has made doing normal things like reading very difficult. My coordination was a bit off too, which I found that while trying to play the piano last night. I couldn't initiate movement, and my hands and arms feel buzzy and tingly.

I ended up going back up stairs and laid across the bed again for a nap before bedtime. I woke up again in time for meds, took them and went to bed. I slept the night through, but am still exhausted, tingling and buzzing, as well as dizzy, and still have the blurred double vision that my glasses won't help. I've forced myself to go to work, thinking that the AC might help, but it hasn't yet.

Is this the PD, or do I have an underlying additional condition I should ask my neurologist about?


Thanks,

John

Now before you ask if I was drinking plenty of liquids, the answer is yes. I had consumed 2 very large Gatoraides plus my normal pill water-glasses. This I know is very important during warm weather particularly because of my low blood pressure.

Dear John,

This could be related to heat, though a call to your neurologist would definitly be in order for these new symptoms, as it is always important to alert your neurologist to any sudder changes in symptoms.

If she shakes her head and says she has never heard of heat affecting PD, try contacting the National MS Society. They have acknowledged the effect of heat for MS patients and offer free hats, neck scarves, vests, etc. which have several pockets to fill with frozen gel packs if they want to walk outside, or tolerate any heat related event. I have found heat to have the same effect you describe. I have been forced to stop in the middle of an outdoor concert because I become a statue. It is humiliating to say the least.

Good Luck,
Vicky

Vicky -

That is SO "cool"!!!

I'll check out the MS site immediately; I suffer tremendously in the heat and also sweat profusely from the head with the slightest exertion.

Even living in the cool Pacific Northwest doesn't solve this problem; could be pre-menopause (but this answer won't help the guys!).


John - I'd definitely tell your neurologist about this episode.

Vicky and Carey,

I have a call into my neuro and now I'm waiting her call back.

Thank you for the input on this.

John

Heat just kills me and it doesn't take much. Be aware that heat stress builds up day after day if you don't get a chance to cool down. So a week of constant 80 degree days can be worse than one day at 95.

A good improvisation is to take a big ziplock bag and freeze enough water in it to make a big pad about an inch or two thick. Then tuck the icy treat into the back of your waistband over the kidneys. As the blood circulates it will be cooled.

Sounds good. My personal thing is a bandanna - with water retention crystals stitched into it - soaked in ice water then tied around the neck or head before exiting the air conditioning. A life saver.

we used bandanas dipped in ice water with "Sea Breeze" added to it. THe alcohol in it makes the water evaporate quicker.
You have not been hot til you have been at Vasquez Rocks in July. 125 degrees!

http://www.polarsoftice.com/index.html

I believe the National MS Society must have a federal contract to order products for free. Paula, do you know if it is possible for APDA to set up a similiar contract for PD patients?

UPDATE:

I got a call from my neuro yesterday. Guess what? It was heat stress that caused the Parkinsonism to become worse.

Thank you all for the support and suggestions. I'll look into the cool packs and such to keep my temperature down. Rick, I think you hit the nail right on the head here. The heat started on Wednesday and ran right through Friday. I don't have any air-conditioning in my car, and none at home as well so basically, I was cooked.

My doctor did make some good suggestions that, which I will pass on. These are pretty obvious though, but you know what happens when something is too obvious.

Eat no matter how icky and hot it is. We need to stay nourished otherwise we will run out of steam when our blood sugar drops.

Stay hydrated. Yup... Drink plenty of Gatoraide, Poweraide or any other good electrolyte drink you can find along with plenty of water. This might sound like an obvious thing, but sometimes I think we tend to under drink enough liquid due to many reasons including bladder urgency issues and just plain not listening to our bodies needs.

John

Well, two I guess. I worked outdoors all my life an summer heat is something you learn to respect. It WILL kill you. Also, once you do overheat, you are sensitized for week afterwards.

A tip that is counter-intuitive is that if you are going to be out in the sun, wear longsleeves and pants, a hat, and even gloves. You will never see a farmer, for example, wearing a short sleeve shirt to the fields in summer. The reason is that you absorb far more heat from the sun on the exposed skin than you can ever hope to shed. But if you are going to be hot in the shade, just the opposite applies.

In both cases, a light canvas hat that you can wet and wring out works wonders, too.