Do you know how climate can influence your symptoms?

[Brittany Foster]

I definitely feel changes in my breathing. I think it is especially hard in the hotter temperatures of the Summer time. This is usually when I notice the most swelling in my legs and fluid retention in my stomach that makes it harder to breathe. Any time I sweat and the heart has to work harder it is very tough for me. It’s a tough balance of staying in the AC and working on my summer tan!

[Andrew Strunk]

Hi Brittany. I put my feet up (elevate) when my legs swell up during the hot weather and find that helps, try it and see how you go.

[Brittany Foster]

Thanks for the helpful tip! Leg elevation can definitely help to get the blood circulating back to the heart !

[Cris]

I don’t really know about heat, yet. We’re just coming out of a late snowfall or two, and breathing was very hard (and painful) this winter. I’m typically always cold, so look forward to warm every year, in fact, we are considering moving back to Austin Tx area next year. It can be very warm up here in the summer AND very humid. Stay in the a/c, drink lots of water, and keep the legs raised, right?

[Brittany Foster]

I feel your pain with the winter. It was definitely a long (what seemed like 8 months ) !!! Hoping the warmer weather is a bit easier on the body than being cold was.

[Kathleen Sheffer]

I definitely suffered the most in winter. I learned cold air can cause spasms in our lungs so I started wearing more scarves to heat up my neck and the air as it entered my system. Has anyone else noticed being extra short of breath in cold weather? Did wearing scarves help you?

[Brittany Foster]

I suffered in the winter months too . My doctors advised me to wear a scarf. My walk tests actually were a bit better when it was a random warm day compared to the 20 degree chill we were getting. I can feel the spasms it’s almost like a burning feeling.

[Margie Novak]

For me I would have to say the hot summer weather! I live in Pittsburgh and it is an older house that only has air conditioning in certain rooms. One room is my bedroom and if I stay in that room and it is hot and humid (even with the ceiling fan on) my oxygen tubing sticks to my face, my CPAP machine is miserable and it is just terrible. Plus, I like to go out in the summer but to go to the grocery store I have to do either early morning or very late. It is easier for me to go out in summer than winter as in winter I have my big E tank oxygen to lug around and it drags in the water and yucky ground. But, in the summer I cannot cool off fast enough where in the winter I can heat myself up! The humidity is what does me in.. Just feels like you cannot breathe!

[Brittany Foster]

Margie,
I agree that the winter and summer both come with their challenges. As an oxygen user myself I can understand the struggle of having the bring the tanks places on the winter especially when it’s so cold out. I find it hard in the summer too because usually I leave my spare tanks in the car , but in the summer I never leave them in the car because I fear the temp will get too hot. The humidity adds extra stress and then when you add in trying to pull the tanks around it’s like a triple workout to just go to the grocery store some days.

[Linda Griffin]

I have lived in Colo all my life. I was diagnosed with PAH, PVOD, CREST SYNDROME IN 2010. The winters were terrible, even with scarves around my face, It feels like my lungs were frozen and took me 16mins to1/2 hour to recover. We have now moved to Florida. Been here since last Nov. Breathing better. They tell me the summer month’s here are brutal. Any tips on how to handle the heat and humidity?

Thank you

[jen-cueva]

Hi @katesnonnie, Linda has PVOD, too, so I wanted to see if she would respond and share more of her experiences with it. @lindag, how are you doing, and what have you been up to? Would you like to share some of your experiences with PVOD with LaDonna?

[Kaye Norlin]

The cold damp air really bothered me, as does the hot humid air. I live in Illinois so, can’t win! I survived with scarves and masks in winter, and air conditioning in summer. I also didn’t go out much in really bad weather. The wind is horrid to deal with as well.

[Brittany Foster]

Kaye,
I agree that wind is also a factor that people often forget about! It truly effects me a lot as well and tends to take my breath away (literally)

[Colleen Hall]

More swings hot or cold makes me short of breath and exhausted

[Brittany Foster]

Colleen,
The extreme weather definitely puts a stress on my breathing too. Especially in New England where the weather can go from 40 to 70 in a day ! The back and forth when the weather is changing bothers me quite a bit !

[jen-cueva]

As summer ends and we begin seeing cooler temps, this can also affect our symptoms. For me, cold and wind are harsh and burn my lungs. When we’ve been to places much colder than I’m acclimated to, I use layers, including a scarf, and I would also try to limit my exposure to those temperatures.

Of course, here in San Diego, we don’t get cold. But the mountainous areas nearby do. I hope we can go to Big Bear or Lake Tahoe this Fall/Winter season. I’ve been to Big Bear only in the summer months when I was a teen.

Do you find that the climate, more specifically climate changes, affects your PH symptoms?

[Colleen]

@jenc climate change definitely always affected Cullen. The transition of seasons was hard on him and looking back on his PH days I noticed a trend of him missing more school during those times. Once his body adjusted he did better but still had to be careful in extreme temperatures whether they be hot or cold.

[jen-cueva]

Hi @colleensteele, yeah, it seems our PH bodies need a bit longer to acclimate to the changes in climate. Like Cullen, the heat and cold affect my symptoms. I’ve heard others say the same, and some who live in extreme temperature climates don’t notice this.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this topic. I thought that as the climate changes, some might find this true.