Weather changes and RSD
 

Hi everyone

With the weather getting colder, it is awful. is it normal for people with RSD/CRPS to feel the weather changing? Let me give you an example I went outside for a few minutes and the cold air really bothered my leg, no matter how much I tried to get warm my leg would not warm up. It felt like a cold burn for hours.

Summer

Sso true,
 

Hi Summer, I had a terrible espisoode today trying to take my dog for a short walkk- the cold weather , I belivie caused severe booone pain in my left leg. It was brutallllll. I had to call to be picked up I couldnt walk home. When we got home and looked at my leg it was grossly swollen annd had dark blllllue spots everywehre. Llike huge bruises. it too seveal hours to go down.I guess the circulation just stopped. Is that what causes all the dark blue?CZ

If we could all get into being weatherforcasters, we'd make excellent money! LOLOL

It's very normal for weather to bother us. Most of us feel the cold weather horribly and hurt a lot more because of it. I can feel a cold front or other front coming for a couple of days before it even gets here. It's a pain but part of our life. *sigh* The most we can do is try to stay warm and not go out unless necessary. This is where I feel really lucky because I live in Florida. It's been absolutely awesome this year with temps "below normal" which means colder than normal and I love it!!! :-D I don't like the pain but I deal because winter is my favorite time of year. I'd never make it living in a state where it gets lots of snow and/or stays below 30 degrees. Brrrrrrr Nuh uh....I'll stay right here where I was born! :)

Hugs,

Karen

The weather definitely affects me! My mum says that my leg is a human themometre as I can always tell when it's going to rain or be cold as my pain levels go up!

I usually tend to find that my pain is better in the hot weather (summer months) and a lot worse in the winter months. I'm absolutely dreading this winter!!

One of my friends with RSD suggested getting a heat blanket as they can help with the pain sometimes ... that might be something for you to look into if you haven't got one already.

I hope you feel better soon.

Oh man winter!!!

I am sooooo dreading winter, even though the heat was messin with me too it is nuthin like the cold. The cold seems to creep in and then never leaves until spring LOL.

I also can feel the weather changes, but dont realize that is what is causing all the pain until my eyes can see it. Me and the wife went over to the central coast for a couple of days and it was beautiful! 70 all day, I wore myself out walking out to the end of the pier at Pismo, and all over the place in Morro bay.

I am really ready to move over that way LOL. The temps dont vary so much all year at all. Compared to here where it will be from 110 in the summer down to the 20's or 30's in the winter. I know that isnt that cold to some, but to me it is cold enough LOL.

I use a blanket to wrap up my RSD leg only, it seems to help with the deep bone ache :wink:

Hope everyone is having a great holiday season!! :grouphug:

Me Too!
 

When the weather changes I am extremely affected! The change in barometric pressure is the worst. Then when the cold sets into my body there seems to be no way to get it out to reduce pain. Winter and the changing seasons are tough. I am back in the chamber, now. Last night was rough. Today it is raining, windy and cold. I could have told you this would happen. I stay cold for so long with pain, then like frost bite, it turns to burn. Until, finally it resolves itself, and I get a bit of a break. I have had RSD since 1989...going on my 20 year anniverary in July. I am thankful to have survived. A hot bath (and I am scalding hot) seems to help for an hour or so. Covers or adding clothes does not help at all. My husband can feel the coldness on my skin, although it feels much colder to me. I will be glad when it warms up. All the best...Diana

This cold is awful
 

Hi All.

This has been the worst change in weather in 5 years that I have
had RSD. I have really been suffering.

Gabbycakes

Hey Summertime,
I can honestly tell you that the weather really affects my rsd. I am really noticing it now living here in Iowa. I have to do things outside while my husband is on the road and I can really feel the pain. The pain in my hands and now feet,knees and legs hurt so bad all I want to do is cry. I tell my 13 year old daughter if I am not in the house by a certain time then she has to come check on me to make sure I am ok just in case I fall down or something. It is not fun. Life sucks with this disease. Sometimes I wish I could turn the hands of time back and change what I did so I can be normal, but I know that is not possible so I try to deal with it the best I can. My husband and daughter neither one could care less about my disease they don't even want to read anything about it to see what I go through on a daily basis. That really sucks because then they really don't understand the disease and what could really happen. I do know that for some reason this year seems to be a lot worse than other years on my body and I don't know why. Maybe because I am just getting weaker and becoming more of wimp. Oh well just thought I would drop you a line and let you know that yes the weather is bothering me teriable this year.

Sincerely,
Tracy(Screwballpookie)

Suggestion
 

I personally hate this weather as my husband is one of those camping-types that likes that window opened and the room cold. We actually had a "fight" one day as to whether a wimdow was cracked-then he really believed that I could feel that air movement! Anyway, one of the things that I swear by is a matress warmer. Something like an electric blanket, but it fits over the mattress like the fitted sheet. There is extra "wires" at the bottom so it keeps feet warmer than arms. Because of the mechanism (heat rises) you need much less heat to make you feel warm and jumping into an already warm bed is heaven! See if this helps the "lower extremity" group. I'm sure that you can get them online, but this kept me from pushing my cold-air-loving hubby out the window-I would miss him if he was gone!:hug: Lori Lee

Hi Summer,
 

It's snowing here. We have about 4 inches and suppose to get more for the next few days.

The weather drives me nuts. My pelvic pain and leg pain goes nuts when the barometer changes. The only bad part is the summer gets to me just as bad as the winter, maybe worse. Each winter gets worse for me though. I have 4 heating pads but I intend to splurge on an electric blanket after Christmas. I know that should help at night anyway.

Tracy, Colorado weather is horrible on the RSD also. I do believe some states are worse then others for the pain.

Ada

Hello Ada and Lori Lee,
I want to thank you both for your opinions. Lori Lee I have never heard of a bed warmer like that before. I really appreciate the suggestion I am going to check that out and see what i can do. I just wanted to drop a line to let you both know I appreciate the opinions. You take care and hope to talk to you soon.

Sincerely,
Tracy

Hi Debby!

Yes it is absolutely gorgeous over there. I have lots of family living around there, and went over to see some of them. When we got to talking we realized that some of us hadnt seen each other since 1968! Gonna change that LOL.

I seriously want to move there because of their great weather, but wife says to far from her 6 kids, and 9 grandkids. I say they will follow us LOL.

i'm like a weatherman, i know when a storm is coming or if its gonna be colder... the pain gets so much more intense in the bones and my muscles start cramping up.... hate winter boooooooooo hahah

WOW it was SO nice to read that other people are going through the same things that I have been going through for over 2 yrs now. The pain and the bone chilling cold when winter comes (HATE WINTER) the breezes that hurt even if in the spring or fall - and the having to bundle up just to kept your RSD leg warm. Thank you everyone for your posts - I don't feel as alone!
Just today I got my first of 3 Lumbar Sympathetic Blocks. My husband and I were looking forward to starting a family but now all of that is on hold while I try to get my RSD pain under control. I live in MN and the weather is brutal up here in the winter. PAINFUL to the extreme. Being that I am 34 I don't want to wait much longer to start a family but I am tired of not sleeping all winter long because of the pain - so tired of it all. Hope that the injections help but am getting a bit bummed - I got my injections at 11 a.m. this morning and my leg heated up and the purple color went away so I was excited. Now at only 8 p.m. my RSD leg is colder to the touch than my 'normal' leg already. I had high hopes but now am not so sure.
Again - I enjoyed reading everyones posts - just to know that I am not the only one out there helps!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi Ali!

I live in Maryland, and we have had more snow last December than in 10 years combined! (it wasn't even calendar Winter yet). I Spent $90.00 on a very soft heating blanket and many hundreds of dollars for heating pads in the past year. I must say that it is the VERY best investment I have ever made! My Husband calls it my "toaster oven". I set both on High and hide inside of them. Then I get all sweaty and need to go outside to cool off. Your idea is magnificent! I wish I could find one that plugs into the lighter thingy in my car, so I can take them to my Doctor's appointments! Husband can't even see me in the morning when he checks on me (can't sleep together) because I am buried over my head in the blankies. I miss them when I am not home...

Tracy, and everyone...

Massagewarehouse.com has all good stuff...check it out! great prices too!

Yes, the cold is absolutely horrible, as well as 115 degree heat. I live in southern california and we have wonderful weather here, i had a series of ketamine infusions and was doing great and i went to oregon where it was 30 degrees and it flared all back up and i ended up having to go through more infusions as soon as i got home because of the cold weather. you arent alone:) the cold weather is horrrrible!!! :) all the reason to come to LA! (i live in la, and the weather is for the most part really nice) :) But the rain... oi... :( thats when the pain kicks in. My doctor alters our medications seasonally- ie winter more meds summer less... kind of nice because my body hasnt gotten adjusted to medications so we havent had to up them because I was used to them.

Hi Ada.

I live in Maryland and we've already had more snow than we've had in the last ten years combined. We just dug ourselves from two feet! The weather bothers me so bad that I went out and spent almost $100. on a heating blanket. I sit on my heating pad with my blanket cranked up to high ALL DAY! It's been a miracle for me. My blankie is a very soft microfleece. Sunbeam makes them and its very soft, not scratchy like the older ones. Good luck!

Kim

I totally agree with llrn7470.
The "Automatic" heating pads (I believe made by Sunbeam),

Get a dual sided control, bottom heating one. (mattress cover). If you get a single control, your spouse will have a fit, (not to be blamed on them). But, especially more important, I found, If you buy one that's 10/$20 cheaper and it's a Blanket (lays on top), you'll get over heated, and throw it off in the middle of the night, and start the whole cycle over again.

Being a Master Plumber, I understand how (this is more an electricians thing) the "Automatic" part works. There is a wrapping around all the heating wires in the blanket.
The "cooler" they get, the more resistance, and the more heat they'll give off. (Yur cold spots, your Feets, arms, like that.) You couldn't feel any more like a bug in a rug!
I had a few of these automatics, til wifey decided she needed them more...
Believe me, they're AWESOME!
I'd NEVER buy a regular electric blanket again!
These are completely washable too!

Hello, the cold weather effects the circulation and hot weather maks it more painful. I have RSD/CRPS in my right lef, foot and hip and it is always colder than the other leg no matter the weather temperature. My foot will get extremely cold and blue. A good way to help is to get in a bath but gradually warm the water because if you get in the water when it is hot and your foot is really cold, it will burn even if it's not too hot for the unaffectd area. the water helps witht he circulation and the slow increase in water temp will help too. Hope that helps:)

heat and pain
 

:confused:although during the winter i hurt and live in a heating blanket, the ac in my car is broken and we've had record high temps this summer. the heat makes me dizzy and sick and shaky and everything draws up. i left work eary because suddenly my entire body started sweating. now it feels like i've got the worst sunburn in the world and my skin is changing color.
anyone else get this? or am i going crazy? lol

Hi! I have noticed that extreme cold and heat bother me. I have more pain in the cold or when there are storms, but I feel stiff in the heat. Bummer. Lol

I have moved around so much with this condition from CA,MI,FL and every state has its issues. FL I swell and the heat/humidity is very painful. MI the winter makes me frozen and lack of circulation/painful. CA seemed to flare my eye condition worse which now we think is RSD in eyes. I know sun is supposed to make people feel better but it makes me feel worse. My eyes can't tolerate it and it bothers my limbs. I now have a black out room in my home. It helps though.
I need to live in a bubble with climate,noise,light control:)

Hi, everybody:

I know my RSD knee hurts more when it is going to rain soon. I guess it is because of the humidity in the air. Is it because this knee has RSD or is it because the demineralized bones of this knee hurt in cold weather, just like fractured bones? Sometimes the whole leg is cold, sometimes it is the knee, and sometimes it is the foot.

Dear Fairlight,

I can totally relate. The winter can be tough but this humidity this summer is really affecting me. I don't think I have been outside out of the a/c between 11-6 in a month, unless I absolutely have to. I get the same type of feelings of being,sick,shaky and most of all for me is the sweating. I'm not a person who sweats a lot but if I go out in that heat forget get it I feel like I'm going to pass out. I think in my situation I have titanium in my arm, when the arm swells because of the humidity,especially around the elbow area the whole cycle starts. On the other side my office is so cold I can't even work sometimes.

Summer use to be my favorite time of year. I love the beach and lakes my home is lakefront and I can't enjoy it like I use to. Even the hot tub jets bother me..This is when it really starts to get to me. But I'll live. And I the positive side last night that humidity finally broke, what a relieve. This a.m. its only 60 degrees and know humidity.

Better days are coming. Hope you feel better soon.

gabbycakes