Heat simply shuts me down. Don’t get me wrong; I love sunshine and the warmth of spring and early summer days. High temps send me running for shade and ice water.
MS makes nerves lose their myelin sheath, which is their protective covering, and this loss of sheath makes the nerves more susceptible to heat and temperature changes. Once the climate hits the high 70’s, I am careful about being outside in the heat. Heat exposure can cause or worsen fatigue, numbness, blurry vision, wobbliness and tremors, confusion, cog fog, imbalance, and general overall weakness. My hands experience total numbness and tingling, and then my legs both start to burn. This experience is best handled with a calm-take action remedy.
So when I find that the wobbies coming on quickly, I have to stop being out in the sun. My exhaustion seems immediate. The best remedy is to have lots of cold water, cooling cloths, damp cool wash cloths, a cool shower, and seek a cool room to rest. Fans and air conditioning are very helpful. I am reminded that normally after the cool down time, I will feel better again.
MS Fortunate 