Body temperature dysregulation: Heat, cold, & temperature change intolerance

[tsranga]

I have noticed that in withdrawal,  I have a tough time dealing with any change, especially those that relate to my health.. 

 

Some of the most difficult ones are temperature changes, especially those that are abrupt - like the first few days of a change of season, a warm or cold spell, or extreme variances in day/night temp.  Curiously, I rarely have issues being outdoors - only when I come indoors. 

 

I get stuffy sinuses, IBS flare-ups, skin hypersensitivity to drafts of air or sunlight etc. mostly at night, and occasionally during the day, when coming indoors, or  exposure to water/air drafts indoors.   Sometimes I am mentally overwhelmed about managing the symptoms, because I get different feedback from different parts of my body - my upper body is warm, lower body, especially feet and hands feel cold.  

 

I have multiple layers (clothes, bedding, socks) that I can take off and on, but what triggers a fight/flight reaction is the extreme skin hypersensitivity, the differences between my cold feet and hot head/back.. I can spend the whole night taking on/off clothing, bedding and switching on/off the heat/cold and never finding the goldilocks setting...

 

 Is this typical in withdrawal?  I have looked into both autonomic dysfunction or histamine intolerance, and they are probably connected. My reactions aren't as extreme as those diagnosed with these two conditions, but it has persisted through withdrawal in some combination of symptoms..   so I am always guessing if things are improving or its still a cycle.  I guess the fact that they don't last as long even though they can be intense is a sign. 

 

What can I do to better prepare myself without having that initial fight/flight reaction that comes from a feeling of helplessness/being trapped? Is it just more practice or time that helps?  I am already practicing yoga, breathing, mindfulness and acceptance, all of which have really helped at different times.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[tsranga]

I forgot to add..   as I spend more time in withdrawal, I find myself trying to control more variables / changes in attempt to stabilize my symptoms..  and that seems to make me even more sensitive to change. 

 

Does this resonate with people who are well into a multi year withdrawal? 

[UnfoldingSky]

I had such an issue with temperature changes.  No matter what it was like inside, if it was hot outside, I would feel it.  When spring comes I would feel awful.  Where I live we could have a hundred degree temp change in a day, and if that meant cold to hot I was worse than useless. 

 

I've improved a lot though I still have this to a more minor degree. The biggest issue now though is the warmer it gets, the less clearly I can think. 

[Totallylost]

I was only on meds for all in a month and now my body seems to be in constant fight or flight mode, I have no feeling of appetite which is horrible and now having cold shakes most of the time, barely sleeping on top of that 

[UnfoldingSky]

On 4/3/2021 at 11:37 AM, Totallylost said:

I was only on meds for all in a month and now my body seems to be in constant fight or flight mode, I have no feeling of appetite which is horrible and now having cold shakes most of the time, barely sleeping on top of that 

 

I had that too early in withdrawal the shaking. I looked like I was coming off a street drug (not that I used to do them.)  It was middle of the summer, and I remember having to be tucked under three really heavy blankets and still I could not warm up.  It did clear up by the way.  Hope you feel better soon.

 

 

[Totallylost]

3 hours ago, UnfoldingSky said:

 

I had that too early in withdrawal the shaking. I looked like I was coming off a street drug (not that I used to do them.)  It was middle of the summer, and I remember having to be tucked under three really heavy blankets and still I could not warm up.  It did clear up by the way.  Hope you feel better soon.

 

 

Thank you, have been off them 2 months now I have a constant butterfly feeling in my stomach and back it stops me sleeping and I have no hunger because of it, makes me shake a little 

[UnfoldingSky]

I feel for you, not being able to sleep is the worst. 

[Totallylost]

3 hours ago, UnfoldingSky said:

I feel for you, not being able to sleep is the worst. 

Yeah torture, was given sleeping pills they are horrible stopped them now 

[UnfoldingSky]

18 hours ago, Totallylost said:

Yeah torture, was given sleeping pills they are horrible stopped them now 

 

I would imagine they might have some weird effects for people like us.  I take chamomile tea now to get to sleep (mind early on in my situation I couldn't handle herbs either.)

[tsranga]

On 3/29/2021 at 8:44 PM, UnfoldingSky said:

I had such an issue with temperature changes.  No matter what it was like inside, if it was hot outside, I would feel it.  When spring comes I would feel awful.  Where I live we could have a hundred degree temp change in a day, and if that meant cold to hot I was worse than useless. 

 

I've improved a lot though I still have this to a more minor degree. The biggest issue now though is the warmer it gets, the less clearly I can think. 

Yes.. I used to love the heat.. it now makes me extremely tired, but i can't deal with the cold either. What I do notice is that if it stays stable, the body adapts.. it's the drastic changes that throw the body off.

[UnfoldingSky]

Yes the dramatic temp changes are the worst!  I used to love the summer too, and now sadly I dread it because of how foggy-headed I get.  And in winter my muscles feel like they lock up when it goes below zero so I can't really win.

 

 

[Ventus]

How have you all deal with the fight or flight mode being on? Mine is on 24/7 and it's the strongest physical symptom I have. My only partial relief from it,  it's still there just alot less, from it is when I work out heavily, run, cuddle with my dog, and talk with those I care about. But it always comes back full power afterwards. 

[Rusty1]

21 minutes ago, Ventus said:

How have you all deal with the fight or flight mode being on? Mine is on 24/7 and it's the strongest physical symptom I have. My only partial relief from it,  it's still there just alot less, from it is when I work out heavily, run, cuddle with my dog, and talk with those I care about. But it always comes back full power afterwards. 

For me (and I assume for most other people) it is one of the most common symptoms as our CNS gets supercharged.  I would watch any symptoms around exercise.  Heavy exercise can be triggering for some.  It was for me, it made all my symptoms worse.  But if it isn't for you that is great since working out has great health benefits outside of withdrawal.

 

The only times I got relief were doing pretty standard stuff: trying to get enough sleep, doing meditation, seeing a therapist, eating healthy, and occupying my mind doing things that didn't push my CNS.

Where I found significant relief was just in letting time pass and my body healing.  As I started to feel better and better from the withdrawal symptoms I could feel my CNS activation decreasing.  I don't think I am 100% healed yet, but I would say my CNS activation has finally made the progress to be well on its way.

It is amazing to see how activated my CNS was 24/7 like you say and yet know and feel like there was no need for it.  My body just couldn't control it and it felt out of control.  Now those exact same scenarios can happen and yet my body doesn't go into the same fight or flight mode at all.  It feels more like a "normal" response I would expect out of myself.

 

Be patient it will get better as you continue to make progress in your recovery.  In the meantime take care of yourself in ways you can control.

 

[Ventus]

Thanks! It's good advice.  I never was a patient person but I need to find some. I find it interesting I can do things like heavy excercise and drink, though it takes alot more to get me drunk now, and not make anything worse. I will hopefully remain being able to.

[Altostrata]

Merged similar topics.

[tsranga]

On 6/25/2021 at 3:19 AM, GVR91 said:

 

My question is, are there tips to help or did you do better over time on it's own (without meds) or maybe with supplements? thanks a lot

 

I can definitely say that it flares less often and doesn't last as long over time. 

 

Daily oil massage to legs and hands and soaking in it for 15-20 min seems to help with temperature regulation most of the time.  The choice of oil is important as some oils have a cooling or heating effect.

 

But some days, it still can flare up, especially when weather changes drastically..

[Ventus]

Nowadays it only  happens at night where I get really hot and sweaty under any blanket.  I have a weighted blanket that helps some. But can anything be done about the night sweats? It doesn't always happen but when it does it usually means I will not sleep that night. 

[Callietallie]

I am 6.5 months off a way too fast taper after being on SSRI's (Lexapro primarily) for 20 years. Hot flashes are my most distressing, ongoing symptom. I wake up all night, every night every 1-2 hours hot and sweating. I also have to pee every time I wake up. The peeing part seems to subside around 4 am, and the hot flashes are a little less frequent around that time. It is so frustrating to feel like I never get a really good night's sleep. I do get some hot flashes during the day, but they aren't horrible. I am 57.5 and have been post menopausal for about 5 years. 

I read through most of this thread and acupuncture seems to be the thing that people have found helps with this.  My acupuncturist who had a very gentle insertion method combined with cranial sacral treatment while needles are inserted moved during the beginnings of the pandemic. But I finally have a lead on a new one to try who uses a similar method, so I will be trying that. Hopefully she is accepting new patients.

Anyway, has anyone found anything else to help?  Herbs or other supplements? 

[tsranga]

On 10/9/2021 at 8:42 AM, Callietallie said:

I am 6.5 months off a way too fast taper after being on SSRI's (Lexapro primarily) for 20 years. Hot flashes are my most distressing, ongoing symptom. I wake up all night, every night every 1-2 hours hot and sweating. I also have to pee every time I wake up. The peeing part seems to subside around 4 am, and the hot flashes are a little less frequent around that time. It is so frustrating to feel like I never get a really good night's sleep. I do get some hot flashes during the day, but they aren't horrible. I am 57.5 and have been post menopausal for about 5 years. 

I read through most of this thread and acupuncture seems to be the thing that people have found helps with this.  My acupuncturist who had a very gentle insertion method combined with cranial sacral treatment while needles are inserted moved during the beginnings of the pandemic. But I finally have a lead on a new one to try who uses a similar method, so I will be trying that. Hopefully she is accepting new patients.

Anyway, has anyone found anything else to help?  Herbs or other supplements? 

Interesting..  I have been off almost 3 years and still deal with temperature disregulation along with skin hypersensitivity almost daily. In my case, I notice that it's worst when the weather changes drastically.. 

 

I am still trying to find a consistent pattern so that I can dress appropriately, but there appears to be only so much you can control. 

 

Wearing soft loose socks while sleeping, wearing loose, smooth and breathable dress material, and then layering additional covering as needed seems to help..  but temperature changes can make it hard to pick the right combination.

 

 

[julesb]

Sweat

 

is there anyone who is unable to produce sweat ?

 

Edited December 24, 2021 by ChessieCat
added topic title before merging with existing topic

[RoseNettle]

Hi all, tapering Lexapro and the heat intolerance is really bad. I’m in south Florida and temperatures are currently 90-100F with 65% humidity. I think it’s unbearable for most people who aren’t from here. I grew up in FL and this is the first summer where I can’t walk outside more than 10 minutes without feeling faint or panicked.

 

I want to be outside, I want to exercise, I want to be in nature. I’m really disturbed by this. 
 

please let me know what can help or if YOU have gone through something similar and how it got better. 
 

I might just need some encouragement that this is temporary and will improve. Please let me know 🙏

[RoseNettle]

On 6/11/2021 at 5:08 PM, Ventus said:

How have you all deal with the fight or flight mode being on? Mine is on 24/7 and it's the strongest physical symptom I have. My only partial relief from it,  it's still there just alot less, from it is when I work out heavily, run, cuddle with my dog, and talk with those I care about. But it always comes back full power afterwards. 

 Yes, indeed. How are you doing now?

[RoseNettle]

On 10/9/2021 at 11:42 AM, Callietallie said:

I am 6.5 months off a way too fast taper after being on SSRI's (Lexapro primarily) for 20 years. Hot flashes are my most distressing, ongoing symptom. I wake up all night, every night every 1-2 hours hot and sweating. I also have to pee every time I wake up. The peeing part seems to subside around 4 am, and the hot flashes are a little less frequent around that time. It is so frustrating to feel like I never get a really good night's sleep. I do get some hot flashes during the day, but they aren't horrible. I am 57.5 and have been post menopausal for about 5 years. 

I read through most of this thread and acupuncture seems to be the thing that people have found helps with this.  My acupuncturist who had a very gentle insertion method combined with cranial sacral treatment while needles are inserted moved during the beginnings of the pandemic. But I finally have a lead on a new one to try who uses a similar method, so I will be trying that. Hopefully she is accepting new patients.

Anyway, has anyone found anything else to help?  Herbs or other supplements? 

Hi @Callietalliehow are you doing now?

[RoseNettle]

On 10/10/2021 at 3:05 PM, tsranga said:

Interesting..  I have been off almost 3 years and still deal with temperature disregulation along with skin hypersensitivity almost daily. In my case, I notice that it's worst when the weather changes drastically.. 

 

I am still trying to find a consistent pattern so that I can dress appropriately, but there appears to be only so much you can control. 

 

Wearing soft loose socks while sleeping, wearing loose, smooth and breathable dress material, and then layering additional covering as needed seems to help..  but temperature changes can make it hard to pick the right combination.

 

 

Hi @tsrangahow are you doing now with temperature disregulation? Has anything helped?

[Ventus]

3 minutes ago, RoseNettle said:

 Yes, indeed. How are you doing now?

I was good for a long while but then I think I made too large of a drop so I am feeling it again. Which is disappointing since I haven't felt that symptom in over a year.

[RoseNettle]

2 hours ago, Ventus said:

I was good for a long while but then I think I made too large of a drop so I am feeling it again. Which is disappointing since I haven't felt that symptom in over a year.

thanks for replying. How long did you fight/flight energy stay super activated? I’m really god to hear you got a break 

[Ventus]

17 minutes ago, RoseNettle said:

thanks for replying. How long did you fight/flight energy stay super activated? I’m really god to hear you got a break 

It ended fully around 6 weeks after my reinstatement last year. It stayed super activated for maybe a month before that.

[RoseNettle]

@VentusAh okay. Did you CT citalopram?

[Ventus]

3 minutes ago, RoseNettle said:

@VentusAh okay. Did you CT citalopram?

afraid so. Been tapering for over a year now. but my last drop I couldn't handle so now I hold and wait

[RoseNettle]

Good on you for finding your way and holding. I’m holding as well. I will hold this dose for years if need be, I don’t care. I just don’t want severe withdrawal symptoms. Being functional is more important to me 

[tsranga]

On 9/8/2022 at 9:45 AM, RoseNettle said:

Hi @tsrangahow are you doing now with temperature disregulation? Has anything helped?

Sorry for the late response. I am still dealing with thermoregulation issues and it's worse when I am exposed to both heat (sun) and cold (air). In general, I notice that the body adapts when the weather is consistent. If it fluctuates more than 10 deg either going up or down, then I have issues. 

 

Fortunately, the body seems to be able to recover faster than before. 

 

What has helped me most was to track my natural heat/cold cycle i.e. my circadian rhythm of heating and cooling, and then choose clothing and exposure accordingly. 

 

For example, my body usually heats up between 10-12, and 4-6. It cools down between 12-2. 6-10 is usually when my body is mostly symptom free. 

 

I have found that when the body is in a heat or cold cycle, it's best to not let it overcool or overheat, especially since my body's  sweat/shiver response is malfunctioning.  Cover up/be in warm conditions in a cold cycle. Reduce exposure to cold when you are in a warm cycle.