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environmental triggers???

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sunshinedean
sunshinedean Posts: 82 Member
in Social Groups
What environmental triggers affect you ~ how do you cope with them?

Me?
COLD ~ causes pain!!!!
Extreme heat ~ causes asthma to flare and fatigue
allergies ~ dust pollen ragweed .......all of them cause fatigue & asthmatic issues ~ I have to take 2 sep allergy meds every day
some cleaning supplies & strong perfumes ~ cause flare ups (still researching which ones)
OTC vitamens ~ some have fillers in that actually made me worse :ohwell: I order from Melaleuaca now (all natural;no fillers)
over doing it ~ I am slowly learning to limit today so I can enjoy tomorrow too......this is hard!

Replies

  • khaosstar
    khaosstar Posts: 26 Member
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    Changes in weather really play hell with me - it makes my fibro worse *and* brings on migraines.
    Heat doesn't affect me, but direct sunlight does bring more migraines.
    Cold causes pain and stiffness.
    As far as the vitamins, I just have to watch out for gluten as I'm intolerant.

    There's not a ton I can do to avoid the weather/environmental aspects aside from dressing appropriately, but heat is a huge player in relief for me so I have a heated mattress pad over a memory foam pad (memory foam holds in more heat than others). I live in Florida and people can't believe that I have that setup, but it helps more than anything.
  • DawnMcUK
    DawnMcUK Posts: 53
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    Definitely the weather, especially with RA too, cold stiffens me up and causes lots of pain; heat does make me feel dizzy sometimes, and weak (with sweats).
    I also have a heat blanket over a memory foam mattress but unfortunately live in the North of England, so not quite Florida tropics lol! Having said that, when I use it, I also have to have a fan on to alleviate the sweating...
  • deb_jones
    deb_jones Posts: 48 Member
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    Just the humidity and the rain ... YUCK!!!
  • weefreemen
    weefreemen Posts: 652 Member
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    Both hot and cold as well as weather inversions (like thunder and lightning) I too have had a recurrance of childhood asthma and allergies which has now extended, again, to dairy. 3 asthma meds a day. If the asthma is bad it of course agravates the back pain. Like many others strong odours bother me and I can't wear my fave perfume anymore :-(
  • sprapp
    sprapp Posts: 5 Member
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    Yep, here comes my favorite season fall, and now along with it comes chilly air and aching muscles. I see my neurologist on Monday to get "winterized." lol. Wonder what adventure that will bring...
  • emangr88
    emangr88 Posts: 8 Member
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    I know! I hate winter. My hands absolutely lock up, and I have a hard time getting them to do anything. I have to wear mittens indoors so I can write with a pen, and just forget about typing if I haven't had time to warm my fingers up. I get more back and leg and hip pain in the winter, too. What does "winterizing" entail?

    I'm kind of opposed to taking medicine for it at this point in my life. I was on Savella and Cymbalta a year or so ago, and they both really messed with the rest of my body. I'm so young that I figure I'll be on meds by the time I'm older, but I don't want to start them now! I've been doing better with gentle exercise (like the elliptical machine), and have been thinking about adding light weights to my routine. I heard it helps arthritis, so why not fibro? I just wish I could fast forward a few months and get back to having mobile joints...
  • Paganrosemama
    Paganrosemama Posts: 86 Member
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    allergies ~ dust pollen ragweed .......all of them cause fatigue & asthmatic issues ~ I have to take 2 sep allergy meds every day
    some cleaning supplies & strong perfumes ~ cause flare ups (still researching which ones)

    Is it common for those of us with fibro to have asthmatic issues and chemical sensitivity?

    I have been recently diagnosed with fibro due to pain issues, but have had issues with strong perfumes, cleaning supplies, and medications both with skin irritation and asthmatic reactions all my life.

    My doctors have looked at me in the past and told me I was crazy since I didn't actually have asthma. One skin allergy test I had done I broke out in hives on the back side of my arms where I had to sit with arms on the counter because of the allergens on my forearms for 20 min. Doctor told me it was impossible to be allergic to chemicals, while the nurse shook her head at him. She told me I was just a chemically sensitive person, and would have to figure out what my triggers were on my own and avoid them. The doctor told I had mild allergies to cats, grass, ragweed, and tree pollen, and these allergens must be contaminating my chemical triggers, I was begrudgingly given an inhaler and told to take OTC allergy meds.

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