This was something else I took sharp notice of. I live out in Arizona where it's dry all the time. Whenever I head east to Lake Chautauqua, NY for a couple weeks in the summer, I notice my symptoms tend to lower dramatically, sometimes almost nonexistent. I sleep better. I feel more refreshed. Skin, mouth, and nose don't feel so dry.
Welcome to Sjogrens World Rock, I would imagine that you notice the difference when you get in the humid country. I also think it depends just what kind of symptoms you are having with your Sjogrens. I like to visit Mesa to visit BIL AND SIL but the heat just kills me with my nose, throat, eyes,etc. Also, I have low t-cells and can't go to Arizona anymore as I might pick up valley fever and it could do me in.
Anyway, my thermostat is broken (autonomic system which regulates body temp etc) and I just about melt into a big grease spot with the heat and humidity. I do well with humidity around 40 % and temp 60-70 degrees. In MN we go from winter to hot summer and skip spring these last years. The temp was 95 yesterday and dew point was 70. It was bloody miserable. If you want to see really bad weather come to MN in July and August when the dew point hits 80% which is tropical and the temp is in the mid 90's. The livestock suffer terribly, but the sweet corn and other crops really grow. I don't remember this bad humidity years ago.
Have you tried using a humidifier in your bedroom or a larger one for your house? You may find that you will feel less dry and miserable. You can buy smaller personal humidifiers to put on nitestand next to bed. I haven't had much luck finding them in stores, but maybe some of the gals/guys will post some sites where you can order the personal ones. Good luck.Irish ;D
Any time I had to travel to Colorado, Utah or Arizona my eyes , nose and throat were on fire after a day or two. That was before I even knew anything about Sjogren's and thought it was from the air pollution.
Rock I live in Colorado and whenever I visit my family in Florida or Massachusetts I notice a big difference in my dryness. My joint pain does not always improve significantly but my eyes definitely do!!
I think my internal thermostat is broken too,, thuogth it for two years now, but anyway,, its 90 here today,, and I;m wilting,, wheni I;moutside,, my body tempp goes up to 103,,,
I live around hot humid houston tx. Listening to others I feel the humid weather hear that I hate may accually be good for me. I dont have the severe dryness as others
Beverly Jane,
I live in the suburbs of Houston (outside of the Beltway) :) It's been down right nasty out there, I feel like I'm going to melt. I think the humidity helps us with the dryness but it makes the heat intolerance so much worse. Can't win either way. :-\
Quote from: irish on June 24, 2009, 09:32:51 PM
Welcome to Sjogrens World Rock, I would imagine that you notice the difference when you get in the humid country. I also think it depends just what kind of symptoms you are having with your Sjogrens. I like to visit Mesa to visit BIL AND SIL but the heat just kills me with my nose, throat, eyes,etc. Also, I have low t-cells and can't go to Arizona anymore as I might pick up valley fever and it could do me in.
Anyway, my thermostat is broken (autonomic system which regulates body temp etc) and I just about melt into a big grease spot with the heat and humidity. I do well with humidity around 40 % and temp 60-70 degrees. In MN we go from winter to hot summer and skip spring these last years. The temp was 95 yesterday and dew point was 70. It was bloody miserable. If you want to see really bad weather come to MN in July and August when the dew point hits 80% which is tropical and the temp is in the mid 90's. The livestock suffer terribly, but the sweet corn and other crops really grow. I don't remember this bad humidity years ago.
Have you tried using a humidifier in your bedroom or a larger one for your house? You may find that you will feel less dry and miserable. You can buy smaller personal humidifiers to put on nitestand next to bed. I haven't had much luck finding them in stores, but maybe some of the gals/guys will post some sites where you can order the personal ones. Good luck.Irish ;D
I'm definitely going to give the humidifier idea a try. Good recommendation.
Quote from: Epson on June 24, 2009, 10:03:34 PM
Any time I had to travel to Colorado, Utah or Arizona my eyes , nose and throat were on fire after a day or two. That was before I even knew anything about Sjogren's and thought it was from the air pollution.
Glad to know I'm not the only one to pick up no this.......and I've lived here all 30 years of my life. It was only really in the past 5 years that this has become such huge problem with me. But alas, thee things always slowly unfold.
Quote from: navydad on June 25, 2009, 12:34:47 PM
I think my internal thermostat is broken too,, thuogth it for two years now, but anyway,, its 90 here today,, and I;m wilting,, wheni I;moutside,, my body tempp goes up to 103,,,
I notice that I've become very temperature sensitive. It's been 103-105 this week and it feels like 120 to me. When it's 60 degrees I shiver like it's 40.
HEY I live here too :-) I am enjoying today! Did you need a rheum? I go to a guy in Scottsdale, pm mee and I'll give his name
Hi Rock,
Let me welcome you to the SJS World! Please peruse the board as there are tons of topics and so much information that it's almost scary! ;) :D
I'm like Irish, I just ooze sweat if the humidity is higher than 50%, and don't even get me into anything higher than 74 degrees. Nope, I'm a wet rag until I get in a colder/dryer environment.
It's darn if you do and darn if you don't live in the exact right environment.
Count me in as another Arizona lover, great state isn't it?
Take care -
Patze
Hi Rock,
It's probably the combination of hot temperatures & low humidity, IMHO.
I live in a very humid country & am affected more by cold temperatures (especially when freezing & humidity is lower).
When it's cold I get an array of complaints, varying from extreme dry eye (painful) to more mouth ulcers & pain in hands and knees (joints). :-\ When it's hot & humid, I feel a lot better ;) So I love this time of year.
Just my 2 cents.
I am also a hot and humid lover. I have no problem with my thermostat. The summer weather does make me feel more drained, but no more than others. I hate the cold, dark, dry winter. I don't think this has much to do with my illness, I've just always loved spring and summer.
Babs
Hi Rock,
I think I always feel better when it is humid. It helps my skin feel more moist and flexible, my eyes improve and I think the heat helps my joints feel better. Doesn't help the fatigue though - high humidity wears me out - but I have to admit I love it.
Beverley
I live in northern England, so we have a fairly temperte climate. However, I always feel better in the sunshine and heat - but probably no more than about 80 degrees. I think I must be solar powered :)
Being very fair skinned, I burn easily, but if I keep covered and in the shade at the height of the day, I'm usually ok.
Kathyx
I went to a humid country on my recent holiday - didn't need any eye gel ;) xx
I live near Lake Erie in Ohio and it gets real hot and humid here, let me tell you, the reason your eyes dont' feel dry has nothing to do with the humidity level, it's sweat that runs in your eyes that keeps them moist 8)
Quote from: beverley on June 26, 2009, 05:55:33 AM
Hi Rock,
I think I always feel better when it is humid. It helps my skin feel more moist and flexible, my eyes improve and I think the heat helps my joints feel better. Doesn't help the fatigue though - high humidity wears me out - but I have to admit I love it.
Beverley
It's good to hear everybody confirming what I thought on this subject. It's like night and day the difference between how I feel here in the dryness of Arizona compared to when I spend those couple of weeks in up state NY. I used to think I was crazy for evening thinking that or maybe it was just coincidence, but apparently that's not the case.
Hey Rock!
I was diagnosed 6 months ago and have found all the weird symptoms now have connections - Sjogren's! I live in Massachusetts and have found my eyes are doing much better in this nor'easter that's been swirling above us...never actually thought about it until I read your post. It's crazy!
Holly
Quote from: hollyvad on June 26, 2009, 08:18:29 PM
Hey Rock!
I was diagnosed 6 months ago and have found all the weird symptoms now have connections - Sjogren's! I live in Massachusetts and have found my eyes are doing much better in this nor'easter that's been swirling above us...never actually thought about it until I read your post. It's crazy!
Holly
It's hard early on to figure out what is going on as well as what is be exasperated by stressing out over not knowing what's wrong. The first year or so I was terrified over what was happening. Five years later I can tell when my body is flaring up and can distinctly point out things that precipitate the problems and their levels of instensity.
Many of us with autonomic neuropathy have the same trouble with heat. I've learned to totally stay inside during the hot dry climate I have here in Northern California. With that I feel GREAT. If I didn't have central air all my symtoms would be flaring.
Quote from: Billydude on June 28, 2009, 10:41:07 PM
Many of us with autonomic neuropathy have the same trouble with heat. I've learned to totally stay inside during the hot dry climate I have here in Northern California. With that I feel GREAT. If I didn't have central air all my symtoms would be flaring.
Uggggh the official summer heat wave has started here in AZ. We managed to dodge it thru most of June with unseasonably cool 90's ......... now it's up to 112. I believe it was 114 yesterday. And with me, the heat always feels even hotter than that. I'm so freaking sensitive to the weather.
Me too Rock. Its been in the 100's for about 4 days. One day up to 108. Very dry and hot here too. Non-SjS people just don't understand our intolerance to it. They always say "Yeah, I hate the heat too". If only they knew.
Hi Holly,
I live in Massachusetts as well and this past month of rain & clouds have helped my eyes quite a bit. The humidity in my house is 62% right now :) In the winter the building I work in goes down to 15-20% relative humidity and I really feel it in my eyes. I have a humidifier sitting next to me, but it does not help that much, the room is too big. I keep my house at 45-50% relative humidity in the winter and notice the difference when I get home.
len