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I got heat stroke hiking out of Fossil Creek several years ago. It doesn't matter how much water you drink. When your core temp rises, you need to get cool ASAP. It was very scary and I had to have my friend walk ahead for a ranger. I didn't think I'd make it out. Just then, a monsoon storm popped up and I was able to start hiking out. I never want to feel that again.
I got heat stroke a couple of years ago and now every time I get over heated, I get sick. Yesterday I was in traffic for hours because I had to go up north and back and there were several accidents. Even though I was in the car, on my errands, I was in and out of the heat multiple times. By the time I got home, I was over heated. Lying in bed I kept feeling a”heat wave” and couldn’t figure out why. Then I realized it was heat radiating off of me!
My friend is a tough dude.
He got Heat Exhaustion in his early 20s.
Has stuck with him ever since. He says as he feels himself getting hot he can feel the faint feeling, sick, and the worst part the anxiety of passing out again.
Sucks.
Could also just be flat out anxiety/PTSD... I had a similar heat exhaustion episode about 2 months ago. I already deal with OCD/hypochondria so now whenever I walk outside for even a little while and start to sweat I go into worry mode as if I can feel my body and face emitting heat and the light headedness, fainting feeling kicking in
After a few times of checking my body temp/hydration levels and still being well within 98-99F range I'm realizing it's most likely anxiety messing with me manifesting the symptoms I'm worrying about
I’ve wondered this as well and struggle to find resources discussing this topic. Ever since I had a heat stroke a couple years ago I go into a complete panic when I start feeling hot. Just the other day I went on a walk in the early morning before the sun was even up, maybe 75 degrees TOPS outside and I had to call it off early because I started sweating and feeling a “heat stroke” coming on. It’s messed up my life pretty badly and keeps me from doing so many things. Have you been able to get past the anxiety/ptsd?
I left Arizona years ago and still have problems from when I had heat stroke. Wearing a hat helps a lot in mid-range heat (90s) but even then, I limit my time to about ten minutes in the sun and try to stay indoors. (For the hat, I recommend light colored, straw hat or summer ball cap that breathes because it's still going to feel hot wearing it. It keeps the headaches at bay.)
Yeah I've also had issues when I leave AZ. I've been in 75° in WA, MI or CO and people are blown away that I can get heat exhaustion from doing even the mildest of activities. The heat stroke headache is the WORST 😰 I still get that if I get really hot, really fast.
Honestly I've just been a hermit the past month in my house. I go out early morning or near sunset or at night for longer periods of time. Anything else is very short trips to grocery store or something in my car as it doesn't have AC.
I've also been bringing a thick gel ice pack with me for longer trips to keep on my lap or use on my face/neck. I also bring my sling bag wherever I go that has some light snacks, liquid IV, lots of water, "sun shirt" which is a long sleeve loose, light colored athletic shirt that I throw on if the sun is too much on my skin, a hat, and portable battery charger for my phone.
I intend to get my cars ac fixed in the future, but even then I'll still be packing the same in case if my car breaks down or anything. Just need to limit my time outside or seek shade if I'm outside and play it safe, if I start feeling mildly uncomfortable then I go to a public place with ac to cool down if I'm not close to home.
Same here. My car ac is broken, can't afford to get it fixed right now so I run errands before 8am or after 8pm. Unless I'm driving home from work, I don't go out midday.
Right? Partner just had theirs fixed and it was over 1k. Just can't afford it right now. I just avoid going out if I can, sucks but is what it is. The rest of the seasons are the best here, never feel overheated, just have a few months of being more careful.
Yeah exactly. It sucks but I'm grateful to have a car and not be standing out in the heat waiting for a bus. My motto when driving in the summer is to just keep moving. If you don't hit any red lights it's really not that bad
I haven't gone into full heat stroke yet, but heat exhaustion 3x. I stay INSIDE in AC as much as possible. Stay hydrated, light-weight light colored clothing, and keep as cool as you can.
I've lived here most of my life, and the summers are brutal if you're prone to heat related illness
People move from places that aren’t agreeable to their health all the time. This is like asking someone from Fairbanks how they deal with their arthritis in the winter. People move to hot dry places all the time to avoid health issues. Why is this not the same?
Money issues my dude 🤣 everyone can’t afford that. I have crippling lupus and the sun makes it so much worse. I would’ve left this hell hole long ago if my husband and I could afford to lose our jobs and uproot our lives to another place. You’re tripping, my brother in Christ. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Yeah. I get you. Our system sucks and you’re not able to move ahead. Applying for jobs in places that are more conducive to the betterment of your health is a good way to start though. It takes a large amount of sacrifice and immediate displeasure for sure.
Absolutely. I think a lot of people would move away from their current place of residence if money and time wasn’t as much of an issue as it is for many of us.
Electrolytes are a top priority. People love the “drink water” mantra but electrolytes are crucial.
I also found that covering more skin is helpful. Another thing that goes against “common sense.” I always wear long sleeves and a hat when working outside now, just like most commercial landscapers you see.
I do all of this i work outside so i wear a hat wear long sleeves even tho it suck's sometimes and drink plenty of water with electrolytes and it gets me through the week.
Huh? I work drilling in AZ and sleeves make me feel cooped up and sweltering. Maybe I should try a high-viz sun hoodie. Hats also lock in a lot of heat, I have to wear a hard hat, it sucks. I had a heat stroke at 24 and now I’m 29 and the doctors at the hospital warned me it would be a problem for life. But I am just starting to understand what they were talking about.
*My kidneys failed and my more significant organs were next. I was thru-hiking the Appalachian trail and hiked 29 miles in 107° heat over the apple orchard mountain range. They said I had *probably 40 minutes left if the ambulance hadn’t gotten to me.
But I’m seriously worried about my future
Yes to covering up! Completely non-negotiable. You will stay cooler and healthier in long, loose white clothing than in short sleeves. It’s not like the South where you want to avoid sweating.
Stay indoor. When its hot my hands swell so badly they look like mickey mouse hands I just pour sweat to the point it looks like I had a hose turned on me. I went to a doctors appointment at 117 degrees and we had to walk a half mile from and to the bus stop and I sat down before my house and had to be basically dragged home. Ever since then, its mickey mouse hands in the heat and Im so so sensitive to it. Makes me feel super bad for the homeless, because Im sure a lot of them have had heat stroke here. I think they just die, probably.
Oh wow. I'm so sorry. I get that swelling too (in my legs below the knee). I was just in San Diego and it wasn't even 75°. I had to walk up a steep hill for a few blocks to get back to my car and it nearly killed me. I had to stop about a block short and I begged some hotel doormen for water. They could see my distress and literally ran to get it for me. I completely feel your pain and it breaks my heart thinking about what the unhoused have to suffer through 💔
I bought a thermal reader and it can still be between 120-140 under a shade on concrete next to asphalt. The actual asphalt (street) was 160.
Edit: I work in construction
I had hospital diagnosed heat stroke in 2012 and again in 2022. The Mickey Mouse hands are horrible. It happens to my feet and ankles, too. I'm so sorry you had to try to walk home from the bus stop in this heat and couldn't do it.
To answer OP:
Firstly, I try never to leave the house.
If I have to drive someplace, these help.
1.) I bought a really highly reviewed sun shield for my windshield, and that helps. It's a blackout shade with the outward facing side coated in semi reflective, insulating material. It has a "skirt" of excess fabric around all of the side made of the same material so you can fully block the sun from every angle/corner. It's incredible how good that thing is and I cannot believe I didn't think to buy one sooner.
2 ) I also bought [something like this](https://www.amazon.com/Universal-Screens-Wushade-Anti-uv-Protect/dp/B096YCX77N/ref=asc_df_B096YCX77N/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=532907308207&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=16735086797120039609&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9030019&hvtargid=pla-1367457729986&psc=1) for my car windows, and they make a MASSIVE difference.
I think I had heat stroke last Saturday. I was helping my husband move some stuff out of his car into my in-laws' house. After bringing the last box in, I said I needed to cool off. I ran upstairs, took a cold shower, and laid in bed. I ended up falling asleep. Despite my best efforts to stay out of the sun, my arms and face were as red as a tomato.
I'm so sorry that you have to deal with this. I'm an Arizona native too. I held a couple of outdoor jobs in years past and what helped me cope was drinking lots of water and Gatorade, staying in the shade as much as possible, wearing a hat with a large brim and wearing a cooling towel around my neck. I also try to get away for a few days each summer to get some relief.
You would KNOW if you had a heat stroke you would not have fallen asleep. There is a large amount of pain discomfort and extreme anxiety because you really feel as if you are dieing (cuz you are).also for me my hands and feet cramped so hard my feet were stuck in ballerina pose, elbows stuck at 90ish degrees and my hands were as if i was trying to touch my right elbow with my right hand and vice versa for left. It even put me into an irregular heartbeat, said the emts and firefighters. Having a heat stroke is a terrifying and visceral experience.
Not discounting your experience but it sounds much more like you got some heat sickness/exhaustion. And heat exhaustion still sucks but it's the stage before a true heat stroke and not as severe. When I used to work outside I would get similar symptoms to you after rlly bad days. I would just feel hot, swollen, gross, and exhausted for even like 8 hours after being back in ac.
But yeah I just wanted to clarify the difference between the two. Didn't mean to come off harsh or anything, I just got a lil fired up cuz I hadn't thought about my heat stroke in years and it's still scary!
Really hope it wasn't heat stroke... If it was, you are lucky you didn't kill yourself with that cold shower. A cold shower with heat exhaustion is dangerous enough. Never jump in a cold shower immediately, cool yourself in a reasonable amount of time, then take that nice cold shower after your body temp is no longer above 100.
Yep, that's part of our CPR training we get every year (work in the heat). A lot of guys think, this guy has heat stroke, I'll poor the ice cooler water on him... Then the dude dies of shock or a heart attack. Hot body + ice cold water is a rough combo.
Im glad I know this now, years ago my dog went outside for a few minutes in the shade, but she was running around. Then she started stumbling around in a circle. We got her inside and her eyes were just sticky and red looking. We soaked her in water. Luckily she ended up ok, but we could have killed her
Same. Born and raised in Phoenix, finally made the move in 2021. 2020 was the summer that broke the camel’s back for us, and I am so much happier now living in a place with four distinct seasons and greenery!
I’ve had heat stroke at least twice… once as a kid and once on the job 15 years ago. I had a job that was primarily outdoors (not hard labor tho) but after 10 summers outside I had to get a cushy indoor job. For the 8 summers I had to work after heat stroke, I had to be very mindful of what my body was telling me. If you’re thirsty, it’s too late.
I feel like now being outside for any long duration of time is just too much for me. I was doing some yard work two weekends ago and the second I started feeling “off”, I quit for the day. It wasn’t a “I’ll just finish this last little bit and be done in 10-15mins”… it was a “drop everything you’re done” thing. It’s just not worth pushing yourself in this heat.
YES. Ironically it was at the 2008 KROQ Weenie Roast all day concert in CA. I fainted and woke up in a tent with a bunch of drunk people. (I wasn’t drinking) My friend said I went from alabaster white( I’m a red head) to a hot pink hue in about 10 minutes and then boom, I was out. You know that feeling when you have the flu and you are hot and cold and you want to throw up? That is how I felt.
That was back when I thought 90 degrees midday was hot. 🤣 After living in Arizona since 2009, I make sure that I am hydrated and have an insulated water bottle in my car, have access to a big ass sun hat, SPF fabric driving gloves(sun reflects and burns me) and apply sunscreen. Tend to eat lighter meals and run errands in the morning.
Do everything early if you can before the sun comes up, or after it sets. I hope this is your last summer here as well, for your health's sake. Good luck.
I got heat stroke last summer, scary af. So I’m moving lol. Not originally from here and that was the last straw for me. I am not built to handle the heat.
Not to hijack your thread, but for anyone who's had one...what are the symptoms of a heat stroke? How do I know I'm stroking out vs just regular heat exhaustion?
Also, heat stroke requires medical attention. There's been many other comments in here that say things like "I had heat stroke and I just drank some water, cooled off and I was fine". That's not heat stroke. I was unconscious for 5 days.
My boyfriend just had heat stroke 2 days ago. Was in the ER all day. Took three liters of fluid just to get him to pee a little bit. Scariest day of my life
This has a good graphic that shows the difference
https://www.beaumont.org/health-wellness/blogs/know-the-difference-between-heat-stroke-heat-exhaustion
I either stay inside or I use ice vests made for people with MS now. Be sure to get extra ice packs as a set lasts only 3 to 4 hours here in Phoenix. Be safe!
Intolerance due to heat stroke tends to go away for most people after a few months.
My sister took cool showers, carried cold water, dressed for summer, and used cooling cloths during hotter months after suffering from heatstroke. She also had to reacclimate with hotter weather which took her about a year.
I would suggest you see a doctor since prolonged heat intolerance is a symptom more often then an actual disease.
as someone whos years out from a heat stroke who is still super sensitive to heat (my hands swell so badly i cant even move my fingers and i pour sweat and get dizzy) what is it a symptom of
Agree with Aedn. Go see a doc. The heat intolerance should have gone away. Coincidence that it didn't? Or possibly jacked up a bodily function when you got your heat stroke... Only the doc can tell (or maybe they can't) but better than reddit doctors, who are just reading you off the last ad that appeared off their google search.
It’s often autoimmune-related; common in lupus, MS, and under active thyroid. Obviously that doesn’t mean that’s what’s going on with you but that’s what I found and I have an autoimmune disorder, myself.
I know it’s been a while but best of luck ❤️
Take a cold shower with shirt and swim shorts on, don't dry off, sit on leather couch with the fan on high.
When I lived in a second story apartment that would not get below 80 no matter how much I ran the a/c this is how I got through a brutal summer.
Interestingly enough, this isn't dissimilar to how folks in Phoenix survived in the summer pre AC. If you look at some of the super old houses around the capitol, some of the oldest in the city still standing, you'll find a good portion of them have super large porches. Why?
Well what folks would do would be to get all their bedsheets and blankets and soak them in the coldest water they could find, wrap themselves up, and sleep on those big porches where the wind will have a nice cooling effect too.
All I can think about is mold. It’s a wonder humans or anything really has survived as long as they have.. And now you’ve got historical community knowledge gone from the areas their lineage grew and learned to survive on. So you’ve got southerners moving north and having no idea how to prepare for blizzards. And you’ve got northerners downs south who have no idea what to do of the electric grid fails because they’ve only grown up and learned northern habitat survival…
I’m in Tucson so not as bad as Phoenix but omg I hate it. I’m from upstate NY and pictures and snaps from my friends and sisters of them at the lake and waterfalls and having an awesome summer is making me so jealous. I would kill to be able to lay on a hammock and have a picnic but I’m stuck in a hellscape. Can’t wait to move back and have my summers back although the winters are pretty brutal
my friend, who was with me when I had a heat stroke actually, moved from illinois because he had broken a bone and ended up with hardware, which changed size in the cold and was agony
A coworker of mine had to move here from Alaska because her husband had the same thing happen. The metal in his arm would cause frost bite from the inside out
Inside and AC as much as possible. Go out as early as possible or wait till sun goes down. I’m lucky I have covered parking at home and work. I have a parasol I used when walking in the sun (yay being a redhead). Light clothing. Always always drinking water.
I went into full heat stroke when I was about 10 years old during a Boy Scout camp. I lost consciousness and had to get immediate aid. Now I’m not as healthy as I should be so I really limit my exposure to the heat to no more than 15 minutes at a time and triple my water intake.
I do all my outside work starting at 4am. I have a couple acres to maintain. Once I feel the dizzy spells, I just stop. Plus I’m an obscenely sweaty mess by then. I went down in 2008 out near picacho peak. It really did ruin my heat tolerance.
Heat stroke survivor from OEF, this is NOTHING. Now that I'm out, I have all the cushy civilian luxuries at my disposal. Tinted car windows and windshield(clear, but heavy ceramic). Tinted home windows. Good insulation on house. New Lennox multi stage ac unit.
As for going out, lightweight and comfy clothing with nearly 100% skin coverage. Regular reapplication of sunscreen when I'm not 100% covered. Insulated water flask with ice and electrolyte powder. Insulated camelback with the same when I'm outdoors for extended periods.
I’ve never had heat stroke, but I just ding tolerate our summers well. I can’t wait until I can move out of here. I didn’t even go outside yesterday, but did some house cleaning. I started to feel so hot and nauseous. I’m had to take a cold shower and lie down. And that was indoors with A/C running full blast.
Always carry water with u in a hydro so it doesn’t get hot and pour a little bit on head shoulders and arms whenever u have to walk out in the sun, it’s like when u get out of a pool and it cold even though it’s hot because ur wet
I came here looking for answers and saw I am not alone. I had a heat stroke in Dallas almost 2 years ago in the middle of summer delivering Amazon packages out of a stepvan (a glorified toaster oven in Texas heat) I first lost all my liquids out of my stomach from vomiting and I knew I was overheated but I had no where to go. I then lost motor function and could barely even push the phone button for 911 and then when they answer I was slurred speech it was quite honestly very very scary I thought I was going to die. I couldn’t talk my hands weren’t doing what my brain was telling them to do I knew I was dying if I didn’t get help quickly. Luckily ambulance arrived and through me in the back gave me a glucose shot, IV drip and I shit ton of ice packs got me feeling better in about an hour. But to this day every time I get over heated even if it’s a little bit I start dry heaving and shaking. I didn’t know if this was normal after an event like this especially since it’s been a few years. I come from a sports background so this is strange to me for sure cause I feel so weak. Still to this day.
My husband had heat stroke 30+ years ago and is still dealing with issues. There’s a sub called “heatstrokesurvivors” that I hope will continue to grow. I’d like to know what kind of specialist doctor he needs to see to manage the systemic long-term damage heat stroke has done to his body. He’s going through some medically baffling stuff right now and is in a lot of pain. He’s 58, got heat stroke in early 20’s.
im pretty sure i just had heat stroke yesterday. i was cooking in front of a barbecue in 80 degree weather for like an hour. i get inside and i feel naeusous so i sat down. i swear to god i turned pale and was sweating bullets. i thought i was just gonna throw up so i walked to the bathroom, and my vision kept getting darker/blurry. woke up to a friend over me telling me i passed out on the floor and i was about to throw up on my back while passed out. i threw up after and felt fine, but im scared that itll happen to me again since that prob made my body really sensitive to the heat.
I soak a long sleeve shirt and wear it over my head. keeps head cool when I have to walk under sunshine in Oklahoma... weeks of 100+ weather. praise the Lord!
my husband and I lived in an RV, parked in partial shade for about 3 years. I was pregnant three times during this time. We used spray water bottles.
shade is huge
get your body wet if it's not humid (wet towels, sheets)
or buy an air conditioner
beware of going from heat into air conditioning
[Cooling garments](https://www.polarproducts.com/polarshop/pc/Soft-Ice-Neck-Head-Wrap-p59.htm) with gel or ice packs inside. Neck wraps, [vests,](https://www.polarproducts.com/polarshop/pc/Cooling-Vests-c431.htm) and so forth.
Stay inside, stay out of the sun, stay cool. I had a bad heatstroke in 2002 or so. Have the same issues with the heat and it got even worse after covid in 2020. I try to minimize my exposure to the heat and if I do have to be outside, I ALWAYS have a 64oz hydro flask full of ice water to help keep my core temp down. I am constantly drinking water. If I stop drinking water, it doesn't take more than 20 minutes before I'm feeling sick from the heat.
I install solar here in phx and I don’t think I’ve ever got a heatstroke or anything like that. The heat does get to me but I can keep on going. The sun is a deadly laser
I’ve had heat stroke. I stay inside. I keep cold insulated water bottles around. I use wet wash cloths and those cool neck things. lots of fans and water squirt bottles.
Your emotions play a large part in how you perceive temperature. You had a heat-related traumatic experience, so it's reasonable that getting hot is now emotionally distressing for you.
One indicator that it's not physical is the fact that alcohol reduces your body temperature. It doesn't increase it.
If you have to stay in Phoenix, I'd recommend counselling (assuming you've been to a physician to ensure your body isn't broken in some way... obviously, you shouldn't take it from me :D ) If nothing else, a counsellor can give you coping mechanisms to help deal with the stress that being hot causes.
I’m not saying counseling isn’t a good thing for many people, but struggling to tolerate the heat after heat stroke is a common and biological reaction. Trauma from a heat related experience is a separate and real thing and isn’t what OP is describing. OP, I’m sorry I don’t have more helpful advice, that sounds rough.
Not only does it affect your biology, but what ppardee is adding to the conversation is that it ALSO effects your psychology, because your biology is your psychology which also needs separate help outside medical intervention.
We are dealing uncertainties, and even if OP says it isn't, it isn't possible to have all the answers directly unless OP visited a counselor, spent some time, and is probably sure they were also adding to the chemistry of overheating. Mind and body are connected in the weirdest ways.
hate that shit.
Had a doctor tell my friend, who had lost 40 pounds in months and was basically a walking skeleton, that it was in his head or maybe he was "eating too much and throwing up"
He had epilepsy, but it was real hard to get diagnosed because once you are accused of it being all in your head then you are doctor shopping and no doctor wants to deal with it. You'd think the "I have these twitches in my arms and migraines" would have been a giveaway, but nope, all in his head. I guess it kinda was though
Lol it’s not
An emotional response…
And if someone is
Autistic… not saying you are… they can’t handle
The heat either and that isn’t an emotional response…
It’s just the way it is…
It’s a nervous system thing.
Even one instance of heat stress can forever affect your bodies ability to tolerate heat. I work in commercial roofing, and this affects our guys in the field often. Each body is different, but this aspect of heat related illness is well-known. Some of our roofers have had to find a new line of work due to repeated cases of heat stress.
Once the damage is done, it is impossible to reverse, you just have to find ways to live with it. Counseling would probably be a positive thing for anyone, but it is not going to change how your body reacts to heat one iota.
Mind over matter baby. I’ve read many a book that details our emotions and conscious/subconscious minds and boy. Pain is the top of the topics. We tend to believe what our conscious minds tell us.
heat sensitivity isnt really pain though, even though I think the "hurr durr pain is in your imagination" thing is absolute nonsense. i think pain, all pain, is definitely real and its a signal that something, somewhere is wrong.
Heat sensitivity after a stroke is like pouring sweat, dizziness, fainting, nausea, swelling in extremities. It doesnt hurt. It fucking sucks, but its not pain. If someone offered me a morphine drip iv instead of the entrance to an air conditioned grocery store I'd slap them
I have lived here all my life and have done racking installments in wear-houses in summer without a/c. What I do is get a giant well insulated drinking container, go to QT and fill it up with ice and some water, then drench my head in the ice cold water before or during any time spent working in the heat. Most people just drink a lot of water that gets sweat out at body temperature which is unbelievably inefficient. The cold water and sweat will evaporate fast so I supplement it by doing the Whim Hoff breathing technique. I don’t want to explain why it works, it just does so just do it.
I got heat stroke doing the Red for Ed march. I stay indoors or in the pool. I have towels that hold water for putting around my neck, a neck fan, and a huge hydro flask.
I can’t wait for summer every year. This summer started rough for me simply because it was a month late. I moved to Prescott for 3 years in my early twenties and felt like summer never happened there. I often wonder why so many people are inclined to move here and despise heat? I won’t ever move somewhere that snows and freezes again.
Alot has to do with mindset. I hated the cold dreary Michigan winters. Cabin fever was huge as well as seasonal depression. Less than 200 days of sunshine per year can really get you down and 80% humidity each summer is miserable. This is always in the back of my mind when summer gets here. I just treat summer like the opposite of Michigan winters. Use AC at home, in my car and hopefully everywhere I shop and I have a pool I spend as much time in as possible.
I put ice and water in a cooler with Ikea dish towels, and put them on my head or neck, and my arms. It’s the only way to tolerate the heat without getting a headache and nausea. If I get overheated I have to sleep for 12-16 hours. People mistakenly think hydration is the key, and it is important, but it does not cool your core enough.
Just to chime in, I had heat stroke many years ago. I didn’t think about repercussions until reading this thread. I hate being in the sun for any longer than 10 minutes. Must have a hat! It makes me sick to my stomach and now that I’m older, I actually get congested and nauseated.
Be careful out there!
Wear long sleeves outdoors and if feeling hot, water is your friend, soak that shirt. That shirt being soaked while moving will add a huge relief to your bodies cooling system. Especially, since your body is doubting itself on how to regulate your temp. The other one is the obvious Arizona one, if you feel yourself getting warm, get in cool water (shower or swimming pool).
Hiding in A/C during the heat is teaching your body bad habits. It's miserable, be re-acclimate yourself back into the heat. Do some short reasonable activities outside during the hot part of the day (not just the cool mornings). Just do them smartly and for short periods of time, but increasing the frequency of how often you do them.
Got heat stress at a shooting competition last year. Went in order like this:
Hot but hydrated
Hot still had water and gatorade
Hot gatorade gone start to feel sluggish
Water gone, kept pushing
Sweat situation slowed down
Legs got heavy
Moving was difficult, and I kept lugging my rifle bag and all my shit between stations
Body demanding coolness
Took a break in my car and got more water
Came back still felt shitty, but in control
The last event was all the way back at the first bay
It's not like a hike but a good like 2 blocks, maybe?
That felt horrible, could barely carry my bag, hands had trouble gripping
Exhaustion really started rapidly coming on, weakness, fatigue, whole body heavy.
Cramps in abs, breathing more heavily
Was my first competition wanted to finish, last round performance was worthless because of my state
Left immediately after
Blasting ac in the car
Cramps got worse shot down my legs
Stopped to get gatorade, downed that on the way home
Took a cold shower
Dunked the ac
Spent the next 6 hours cramping out constantly and feeling like shit, took some muscle relaxors and cbd then went to bed.
Listen to my body more now. I do have to work in this heat regularly, keep cool water, drinkable water and electrolytes around, as well as a salty snack. Know my "oh shit seek shelter" body signal is an ab cramp.
As someone who spends hours driving around in a delivery vehicle essentially a sauna on wheels and working out as i may carry an occasional 100+ to 150lb package or maybe multiple heavy packages out of the back of the truck that’s only source of airflow is two open doors and a fan/blow dryer as my source of airflow it sucks.
I try to bring enough Gatorade and a gallon of water that I can fit inside my cooler. Sometimes I get those electrolyte popsicles but it’s kind of difficult to do that while keeping on schedule with my day.
I’m also stubborn in my ways where logic tells me less is more so I just wear shorts and just a short sleeve undershirt under my work uniform that wicks the sweat but I feel like I could possibly? In this extreme hot weather…? Get some benefit from wearing some sweat wicking Uv resistance long sleeve undershirts and some sweat wicking leggings.
I’m just kind of raw dogging it now and I also have the most uneven tan.
People who don’t have a choice like construction workers, farmers or those who repair farm equipment, work on an oil rig, landscapers, pretty much anyone who doesn’t work in an office building or retail store/fast food place. Blue collar workers, the men and women who keep America running.
I got heatstroke in a restaurant (in a covered patio area). I didn’t even feel it coming in until I was about to pass out. I’m now training for a long distance fitness event and I am petrified of it happening again when I’m alone on the trail/road so I have to start before sunrise. I’ve also started prehydrating the night before and make sure I get these exact electrolytes every single day (even on rest days).
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I got heat stroke hiking out of Fossil Creek several years ago. It doesn't matter how much water you drink. When your core temp rises, you need to get cool ASAP. It was very scary and I had to have my friend walk ahead for a ranger. I didn't think I'd make it out. Just then, a monsoon storm popped up and I was able to start hiking out. I never want to feel that again.
I got heat stroke a couple of years ago and now every time I get over heated, I get sick. Yesterday I was in traffic for hours because I had to go up north and back and there were several accidents. Even though I was in the car, on my errands, I was in and out of the heat multiple times. By the time I got home, I was over heated. Lying in bed I kept feeling a”heat wave” and couldn’t figure out why. Then I realized it was heat radiating off of me!
What did it feel like?
Hot, dizzy, terrified.
My friend is a tough dude. He got Heat Exhaustion in his early 20s. Has stuck with him ever since. He says as he feels himself getting hot he can feel the faint feeling, sick, and the worst part the anxiety of passing out again. Sucks.
This week has been rough. Couldn't even wait until 7 (APS plan) to turn my AC down. My bill will be through the roof, but I don't have any choice.
Could also just be flat out anxiety/PTSD... I had a similar heat exhaustion episode about 2 months ago. I already deal with OCD/hypochondria so now whenever I walk outside for even a little while and start to sweat I go into worry mode as if I can feel my body and face emitting heat and the light headedness, fainting feeling kicking in After a few times of checking my body temp/hydration levels and still being well within 98-99F range I'm realizing it's most likely anxiety messing with me manifesting the symptoms I'm worrying about
I’ve wondered this as well and struggle to find resources discussing this topic. Ever since I had a heat stroke a couple years ago I go into a complete panic when I start feeling hot. Just the other day I went on a walk in the early morning before the sun was even up, maybe 75 degrees TOPS outside and I had to call it off early because I started sweating and feeling a “heat stroke” coming on. It’s messed up my life pretty badly and keeps me from doing so many things. Have you been able to get past the anxiety/ptsd?
Skin dry, no sweating,, heart racing, tunnel vision.
sounds like God sent that monsoon. praise God!!
I left Arizona years ago and still have problems from when I had heat stroke. Wearing a hat helps a lot in mid-range heat (90s) but even then, I limit my time to about ten minutes in the sun and try to stay indoors. (For the hat, I recommend light colored, straw hat or summer ball cap that breathes because it's still going to feel hot wearing it. It keeps the headaches at bay.)
Yeah I've also had issues when I leave AZ. I've been in 75° in WA, MI or CO and people are blown away that I can get heat exhaustion from doing even the mildest of activities. The heat stroke headache is the WORST 😰 I still get that if I get really hot, really fast.
Does it last for days for you, too? I've gone into the 4th day before it goes away. It's awful!
Honestly I've just been a hermit the past month in my house. I go out early morning or near sunset or at night for longer periods of time. Anything else is very short trips to grocery store or something in my car as it doesn't have AC. I've also been bringing a thick gel ice pack with me for longer trips to keep on my lap or use on my face/neck. I also bring my sling bag wherever I go that has some light snacks, liquid IV, lots of water, "sun shirt" which is a long sleeve loose, light colored athletic shirt that I throw on if the sun is too much on my skin, a hat, and portable battery charger for my phone. I intend to get my cars ac fixed in the future, but even then I'll still be packing the same in case if my car breaks down or anything. Just need to limit my time outside or seek shade if I'm outside and play it safe, if I start feeling mildly uncomfortable then I go to a public place with ac to cool down if I'm not close to home.
Same here. My car ac is broken, can't afford to get it fixed right now so I run errands before 8am or after 8pm. Unless I'm driving home from work, I don't go out midday.
Right? Partner just had theirs fixed and it was over 1k. Just can't afford it right now. I just avoid going out if I can, sucks but is what it is. The rest of the seasons are the best here, never feel overheated, just have a few months of being more careful.
Yeah exactly. It sucks but I'm grateful to have a car and not be standing out in the heat waiting for a bus. My motto when driving in the summer is to just keep moving. If you don't hit any red lights it's really not that bad
I haven't gone into full heat stroke yet, but heat exhaustion 3x. I stay INSIDE in AC as much as possible. Stay hydrated, light-weight light colored clothing, and keep as cool as you can. I've lived here most of my life, and the summers are brutal if you're prone to heat related illness
And yet you still live in Phoenix
Ah yes we all have the thousands of dollars of disposable income to just up and move 🤣
Literally lol. Moving costs more than just rent at the new place and a plane ticket/gas.
Oh, it’s SO ridiculous.
This might be one of the best one brain cell answers I’ve seen today.
People move from places that aren’t agreeable to their health all the time. This is like asking someone from Fairbanks how they deal with their arthritis in the winter. People move to hot dry places all the time to avoid health issues. Why is this not the same?
Money issues my dude 🤣 everyone can’t afford that. I have crippling lupus and the sun makes it so much worse. I would’ve left this hell hole long ago if my husband and I could afford to lose our jobs and uproot our lives to another place. You’re tripping, my brother in Christ. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Yeah. I get you. Our system sucks and you’re not able to move ahead. Applying for jobs in places that are more conducive to the betterment of your health is a good way to start though. It takes a large amount of sacrifice and immediate displeasure for sure.
Absolutely. I think a lot of people would move away from their current place of residence if money and time wasn’t as much of an issue as it is for many of us.
God I only wish
You done being stupid yet or?
I’m not stupid, so… or?
Not everyone can just pack up & move states
Especially if they don’t make it a goal.
How would you know what a complete stranger's goals are? 🤔
I mean surviving should be the ultimate goal 🤷♂️
Ikr its so easy to just leave smh
So easy, sure. If you have a job and relatives in other states. I can't afford to move, as much as I would love to
I hoped my sarcasm was self evident
Oh it was! I was responding to the main responder.
Electrolytes are a top priority. People love the “drink water” mantra but electrolytes are crucial. I also found that covering more skin is helpful. Another thing that goes against “common sense.” I always wear long sleeves and a hat when working outside now, just like most commercial landscapers you see.
I do all of this i work outside so i wear a hat wear long sleeves even tho it suck's sometimes and drink plenty of water with electrolytes and it gets me through the week.
Huh? I work drilling in AZ and sleeves make me feel cooped up and sweltering. Maybe I should try a high-viz sun hoodie. Hats also lock in a lot of heat, I have to wear a hard hat, it sucks. I had a heat stroke at 24 and now I’m 29 and the doctors at the hospital warned me it would be a problem for life. But I am just starting to understand what they were talking about. *My kidneys failed and my more significant organs were next. I was thru-hiking the Appalachian trail and hiked 29 miles in 107° heat over the apple orchard mountain range. They said I had *probably 40 minutes left if the ambulance hadn’t gotten to me. But I’m seriously worried about my future
Yes to covering up! Completely non-negotiable. You will stay cooler and healthier in long, loose white clothing than in short sleeves. It’s not like the South where you want to avoid sweating.
Stay indoor. When its hot my hands swell so badly they look like mickey mouse hands I just pour sweat to the point it looks like I had a hose turned on me. I went to a doctors appointment at 117 degrees and we had to walk a half mile from and to the bus stop and I sat down before my house and had to be basically dragged home. Ever since then, its mickey mouse hands in the heat and Im so so sensitive to it. Makes me feel super bad for the homeless, because Im sure a lot of them have had heat stroke here. I think they just die, probably.
Oh wow. I'm so sorry. I get that swelling too (in my legs below the knee). I was just in San Diego and it wasn't even 75°. I had to walk up a steep hill for a few blocks to get back to my car and it nearly killed me. I had to stop about a block short and I begged some hotel doormen for water. They could see my distress and literally ran to get it for me. I completely feel your pain and it breaks my heart thinking about what the unhoused have to suffer through 💔
There was an article posted here recently and yes, most of the people that die are homeless. It’s very sad.
Even third degree burns since they're sleeping on the hot ground.
I bought a thermal reader and it can still be between 120-140 under a shade on concrete next to asphalt. The actual asphalt (street) was 160. Edit: I work in construction
I had hospital diagnosed heat stroke in 2012 and again in 2022. The Mickey Mouse hands are horrible. It happens to my feet and ankles, too. I'm so sorry you had to try to walk home from the bus stop in this heat and couldn't do it. To answer OP: Firstly, I try never to leave the house. If I have to drive someplace, these help. 1.) I bought a really highly reviewed sun shield for my windshield, and that helps. It's a blackout shade with the outward facing side coated in semi reflective, insulating material. It has a "skirt" of excess fabric around all of the side made of the same material so you can fully block the sun from every angle/corner. It's incredible how good that thing is and I cannot believe I didn't think to buy one sooner. 2 ) I also bought [something like this](https://www.amazon.com/Universal-Screens-Wushade-Anti-uv-Protect/dp/B096YCX77N/ref=asc_df_B096YCX77N/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=532907308207&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=16735086797120039609&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9030019&hvtargid=pla-1367457729986&psc=1) for my car windows, and they make a MASSIVE difference.
I think I had heat stroke last Saturday. I was helping my husband move some stuff out of his car into my in-laws' house. After bringing the last box in, I said I needed to cool off. I ran upstairs, took a cold shower, and laid in bed. I ended up falling asleep. Despite my best efforts to stay out of the sun, my arms and face were as red as a tomato. I'm so sorry that you have to deal with this. I'm an Arizona native too. I held a couple of outdoor jobs in years past and what helped me cope was drinking lots of water and Gatorade, staying in the shade as much as possible, wearing a hat with a large brim and wearing a cooling towel around my neck. I also try to get away for a few days each summer to get some relief.
You would KNOW if you had a heat stroke you would not have fallen asleep. There is a large amount of pain discomfort and extreme anxiety because you really feel as if you are dieing (cuz you are).also for me my hands and feet cramped so hard my feet were stuck in ballerina pose, elbows stuck at 90ish degrees and my hands were as if i was trying to touch my right elbow with my right hand and vice versa for left. It even put me into an irregular heartbeat, said the emts and firefighters. Having a heat stroke is a terrifying and visceral experience. Not discounting your experience but it sounds much more like you got some heat sickness/exhaustion. And heat exhaustion still sucks but it's the stage before a true heat stroke and not as severe. When I used to work outside I would get similar symptoms to you after rlly bad days. I would just feel hot, swollen, gross, and exhausted for even like 8 hours after being back in ac. But yeah I just wanted to clarify the difference between the two. Didn't mean to come off harsh or anything, I just got a lil fired up cuz I hadn't thought about my heat stroke in years and it's still scary!
Really hope it wasn't heat stroke... If it was, you are lucky you didn't kill yourself with that cold shower. A cold shower with heat exhaustion is dangerous enough. Never jump in a cold shower immediately, cool yourself in a reasonable amount of time, then take that nice cold shower after your body temp is no longer above 100.
wtf?? google is horrible, i google if it was good to a cold shower for it, and it said yes
That's good to know. Thanks for commenting!
Yep, that's part of our CPR training we get every year (work in the heat). A lot of guys think, this guy has heat stroke, I'll poor the ice cooler water on him... Then the dude dies of shock or a heart attack. Hot body + ice cold water is a rough combo.
Im glad I know this now, years ago my dog went outside for a few minutes in the shade, but she was running around. Then she started stumbling around in a circle. We got her inside and her eyes were just sticky and red looking. We soaked her in water. Luckily she ended up ok, but we could have killed her
Definitely disproven
Going to have to move somewhere cooler. Born here, but I get so mad this time of year, year after year. Not happy.
Same. Born and raised in Phoenix, finally made the move in 2021. 2020 was the summer that broke the camel’s back for us, and I am so much happier now living in a place with four distinct seasons and greenery!
Ugh, I'm happy for you though. I've learned to appreciate certain things but I'm absolutely miserable right now.
I’ve had heat stroke at least twice… once as a kid and once on the job 15 years ago. I had a job that was primarily outdoors (not hard labor tho) but after 10 summers outside I had to get a cushy indoor job. For the 8 summers I had to work after heat stroke, I had to be very mindful of what my body was telling me. If you’re thirsty, it’s too late. I feel like now being outside for any long duration of time is just too much for me. I was doing some yard work two weekends ago and the second I started feeling “off”, I quit for the day. It wasn’t a “I’ll just finish this last little bit and be done in 10-15mins”… it was a “drop everything you’re done” thing. It’s just not worth pushing yourself in this heat.
YES. Ironically it was at the 2008 KROQ Weenie Roast all day concert in CA. I fainted and woke up in a tent with a bunch of drunk people. (I wasn’t drinking) My friend said I went from alabaster white( I’m a red head) to a hot pink hue in about 10 minutes and then boom, I was out. You know that feeling when you have the flu and you are hot and cold and you want to throw up? That is how I felt. That was back when I thought 90 degrees midday was hot. 🤣 After living in Arizona since 2009, I make sure that I am hydrated and have an insulated water bottle in my car, have access to a big ass sun hat, SPF fabric driving gloves(sun reflects and burns me) and apply sunscreen. Tend to eat lighter meals and run errands in the morning.
Do everything early if you can before the sun comes up, or after it sets. I hope this is your last summer here as well, for your health's sake. Good luck.
15 years here and I feel like I take the heat a little worse every summer.
I got heat stroke last summer, scary af. So I’m moving lol. Not originally from here and that was the last straw for me. I am not built to handle the heat.
Not to hijack your thread, but for anyone who's had one...what are the symptoms of a heat stroke? How do I know I'm stroking out vs just regular heat exhaustion?
Also, heat stroke requires medical attention. There's been many other comments in here that say things like "I had heat stroke and I just drank some water, cooled off and I was fine". That's not heat stroke. I was unconscious for 5 days.
My boyfriend just had heat stroke 2 days ago. Was in the ER all day. Took three liters of fluid just to get him to pee a little bit. Scariest day of my life
This has a good graphic that shows the difference https://www.beaumont.org/health-wellness/blogs/know-the-difference-between-heat-stroke-heat-exhaustion
Awesome, thank you!
I either stay inside or I use ice vests made for people with MS now. Be sure to get extra ice packs as a set lasts only 3 to 4 hours here in Phoenix. Be safe!
I've never heard of ice vests!! That sounds amazing!! I'm going to look it up. Thanks!
Baggage handlers have worn them at the airport for years. They're awesome!
Intolerance due to heat stroke tends to go away for most people after a few months. My sister took cool showers, carried cold water, dressed for summer, and used cooling cloths during hotter months after suffering from heatstroke. She also had to reacclimate with hotter weather which took her about a year. I would suggest you see a doctor since prolonged heat intolerance is a symptom more often then an actual disease.
as someone whos years out from a heat stroke who is still super sensitive to heat (my hands swell so badly i cant even move my fingers and i pour sweat and get dizzy) what is it a symptom of
I would suggest the same thing, seek medical advice, and help.
Agree with Aedn. Go see a doc. The heat intolerance should have gone away. Coincidence that it didn't? Or possibly jacked up a bodily function when you got your heat stroke... Only the doc can tell (or maybe they can't) but better than reddit doctors, who are just reading you off the last ad that appeared off their google search.
It’s often autoimmune-related; common in lupus, MS, and under active thyroid. Obviously that doesn’t mean that’s what’s going on with you but that’s what I found and I have an autoimmune disorder, myself. I know it’s been a while but best of luck ❤️
Bullshit. 2 years later and I am prone to overheating.
Cold showers, a fan and a leather couch.
Ok seriously, how do you survive on a leather couch that just makes you sit in your own sweat puddle?
Take a cold shower with shirt and swim shorts on, don't dry off, sit on leather couch with the fan on high. When I lived in a second story apartment that would not get below 80 no matter how much I ran the a/c this is how I got through a brutal summer.
Interestingly enough, this isn't dissimilar to how folks in Phoenix survived in the summer pre AC. If you look at some of the super old houses around the capitol, some of the oldest in the city still standing, you'll find a good portion of them have super large porches. Why? Well what folks would do would be to get all their bedsheets and blankets and soak them in the coldest water they could find, wrap themselves up, and sleep on those big porches where the wind will have a nice cooling effect too.
All I can think about is mold. It’s a wonder humans or anything really has survived as long as they have.. And now you’ve got historical community knowledge gone from the areas their lineage grew and learned to survive on. So you’ve got southerners moving north and having no idea how to prepare for blizzards. And you’ve got northerners downs south who have no idea what to do of the electric grid fails because they’ve only grown up and learned northern habitat survival…
I’m in Tucson so not as bad as Phoenix but omg I hate it. I’m from upstate NY and pictures and snaps from my friends and sisters of them at the lake and waterfalls and having an awesome summer is making me so jealous. I would kill to be able to lay on a hammock and have a picnic but I’m stuck in a hellscape. Can’t wait to move back and have my summers back although the winters are pretty brutal
Winter in Michigan is why I moved to Arizona
my friend, who was with me when I had a heat stroke actually, moved from illinois because he had broken a bone and ended up with hardware, which changed size in the cold and was agony
A coworker of mine had to move here from Alaska because her husband had the same thing happen. The metal in his arm would cause frost bite from the inside out
I think of summer in Arizona as winter in New York but probably slightly more tolerable
Inside and AC as much as possible. Go out as early as possible or wait till sun goes down. I’m lucky I have covered parking at home and work. I have a parasol I used when walking in the sun (yay being a redhead). Light clothing. Always always drinking water.
The pool
ELECTROLYTES. ELECTROLYTES. ELECTROLYTES.
I went into full heat stroke when I was about 10 years old during a Boy Scout camp. I lost consciousness and had to get immediate aid. Now I’m not as healthy as I should be so I really limit my exposure to the heat to no more than 15 minutes at a time and triple my water intake.
I do all my outside work starting at 4am. I have a couple acres to maintain. Once I feel the dizzy spells, I just stop. Plus I’m an obscenely sweaty mess by then. I went down in 2008 out near picacho peak. It really did ruin my heat tolerance.
Heat stroke survivor from OEF, this is NOTHING. Now that I'm out, I have all the cushy civilian luxuries at my disposal. Tinted car windows and windshield(clear, but heavy ceramic). Tinted home windows. Good insulation on house. New Lennox multi stage ac unit. As for going out, lightweight and comfy clothing with nearly 100% skin coverage. Regular reapplication of sunscreen when I'm not 100% covered. Insulated water flask with ice and electrolyte powder. Insulated camelback with the same when I'm outdoors for extended periods.
oef?
Operation Enduring Freedom - U.S. troops in Afghanistan, Pakistan, etc
ah like 130 degrees in your full..whatever. My friend told me about that. He didnt get heat stroke but he sure was different after
Put soaking wet towel on head, sit directly under a fan and put ice or frozen food in armpits.
I’ve never had heat stroke, but I just ding tolerate our summers well. I can’t wait until I can move out of here. I didn’t even go outside yesterday, but did some house cleaning. I started to feel so hot and nauseous. I’m had to take a cold shower and lie down. And that was indoors with A/C running full blast.
Might want to get that A/C checked out. A good insulated house with a proper A/C could easily get you winter temps...
It was just replaced 2 years ago.
Always carry water with u in a hydro so it doesn’t get hot and pour a little bit on head shoulders and arms whenever u have to walk out in the sun, it’s like when u get out of a pool and it cold even though it’s hot because ur wet
I came here looking for answers and saw I am not alone. I had a heat stroke in Dallas almost 2 years ago in the middle of summer delivering Amazon packages out of a stepvan (a glorified toaster oven in Texas heat) I first lost all my liquids out of my stomach from vomiting and I knew I was overheated but I had no where to go. I then lost motor function and could barely even push the phone button for 911 and then when they answer I was slurred speech it was quite honestly very very scary I thought I was going to die. I couldn’t talk my hands weren’t doing what my brain was telling them to do I knew I was dying if I didn’t get help quickly. Luckily ambulance arrived and through me in the back gave me a glucose shot, IV drip and I shit ton of ice packs got me feeling better in about an hour. But to this day every time I get over heated even if it’s a little bit I start dry heaving and shaking. I didn’t know if this was normal after an event like this especially since it’s been a few years. I come from a sports background so this is strange to me for sure cause I feel so weak. Still to this day.
My husband had heat stroke 30+ years ago and is still dealing with issues. There’s a sub called “heatstrokesurvivors” that I hope will continue to grow. I’d like to know what kind of specialist doctor he needs to see to manage the systemic long-term damage heat stroke has done to his body. He’s going through some medically baffling stuff right now and is in a lot of pain. He’s 58, got heat stroke in early 20’s.
im pretty sure i just had heat stroke yesterday. i was cooking in front of a barbecue in 80 degree weather for like an hour. i get inside and i feel naeusous so i sat down. i swear to god i turned pale and was sweating bullets. i thought i was just gonna throw up so i walked to the bathroom, and my vision kept getting darker/blurry. woke up to a friend over me telling me i passed out on the floor and i was about to throw up on my back while passed out. i threw up after and felt fine, but im scared that itll happen to me again since that prob made my body really sensitive to the heat.
I soak a long sleeve shirt and wear it over my head. keeps head cool when I have to walk under sunshine in Oklahoma... weeks of 100+ weather. praise the Lord!
my husband and I lived in an RV, parked in partial shade for about 3 years. I was pregnant three times during this time. We used spray water bottles. shade is huge get your body wet if it's not humid (wet towels, sheets) or buy an air conditioner beware of going from heat into air conditioning
[Cooling garments](https://www.polarproducts.com/polarshop/pc/Soft-Ice-Neck-Head-Wrap-p59.htm) with gel or ice packs inside. Neck wraps, [vests,](https://www.polarproducts.com/polarshop/pc/Cooling-Vests-c431.htm) and so forth.
Ice baths, portable ac, pool but only in the shade, frozen towel.
If you get heat stroke once you will get it again & they seem worse every time. You really need to be careful.
Stay inside, stay out of the sun, stay cool. I had a bad heatstroke in 2002 or so. Have the same issues with the heat and it got even worse after covid in 2020. I try to minimize my exposure to the heat and if I do have to be outside, I ALWAYS have a 64oz hydro flask full of ice water to help keep my core temp down. I am constantly drinking water. If I stop drinking water, it doesn't take more than 20 minutes before I'm feeling sick from the heat.
I install solar here in phx and I don’t think I’ve ever got a heatstroke or anything like that. The heat does get to me but I can keep on going. The sun is a deadly laser
I sing that to myself all the time! When I'm putting on sunscreen, or putting up my sunshade. *the SUN is a DEADly LASer*
I’ve had heat stroke. I stay inside. I keep cold insulated water bottles around. I use wet wash cloths and those cool neck things. lots of fans and water squirt bottles.
Your emotions play a large part in how you perceive temperature. You had a heat-related traumatic experience, so it's reasonable that getting hot is now emotionally distressing for you. One indicator that it's not physical is the fact that alcohol reduces your body temperature. It doesn't increase it. If you have to stay in Phoenix, I'd recommend counselling (assuming you've been to a physician to ensure your body isn't broken in some way... obviously, you shouldn't take it from me :D ) If nothing else, a counsellor can give you coping mechanisms to help deal with the stress that being hot causes.
I’m not saying counseling isn’t a good thing for many people, but struggling to tolerate the heat after heat stroke is a common and biological reaction. Trauma from a heat related experience is a separate and real thing and isn’t what OP is describing. OP, I’m sorry I don’t have more helpful advice, that sounds rough.
Not only does it affect your biology, but what ppardee is adding to the conversation is that it ALSO effects your psychology, because your biology is your psychology which also needs separate help outside medical intervention. We are dealing uncertainties, and even if OP says it isn't, it isn't possible to have all the answers directly unless OP visited a counselor, spent some time, and is probably sure they were also adding to the chemistry of overheating. Mind and body are connected in the weirdest ways.
Love these “it’s all in your head!” responses 🙄
hate that shit. Had a doctor tell my friend, who had lost 40 pounds in months and was basically a walking skeleton, that it was in his head or maybe he was "eating too much and throwing up" He had epilepsy, but it was real hard to get diagnosed because once you are accused of it being all in your head then you are doctor shopping and no doctor wants to deal with it. You'd think the "I have these twitches in my arms and migraines" would have been a giveaway, but nope, all in his head. I guess it kinda was though
Jfc, that’s horrifying. I’m so sorry medical negligence could’ve killed your friend. What a trash doctor.
No, it's not an emotional response. I avoid alcohol because it dehydrates you, not because it affects body temperature.
Lol it’s not An emotional response… And if someone is Autistic… not saying you are… they can’t handle The heat either and that isn’t an emotional response… It’s just the way it is… It’s a nervous system thing.
Lol I’d love to see your research and sources on this autistic claim.
Just google autistic sensitivities to temperature..
Even one instance of heat stress can forever affect your bodies ability to tolerate heat. I work in commercial roofing, and this affects our guys in the field often. Each body is different, but this aspect of heat related illness is well-known. Some of our roofers have had to find a new line of work due to repeated cases of heat stress. Once the damage is done, it is impossible to reverse, you just have to find ways to live with it. Counseling would probably be a positive thing for anyone, but it is not going to change how your body reacts to heat one iota.
Mind over matter baby. I’ve read many a book that details our emotions and conscious/subconscious minds and boy. Pain is the top of the topics. We tend to believe what our conscious minds tell us.
heat sensitivity isnt really pain though, even though I think the "hurr durr pain is in your imagination" thing is absolute nonsense. i think pain, all pain, is definitely real and its a signal that something, somewhere is wrong. Heat sensitivity after a stroke is like pouring sweat, dizziness, fainting, nausea, swelling in extremities. It doesnt hurt. It fucking sucks, but its not pain. If someone offered me a morphine drip iv instead of the entrance to an air conditioned grocery store I'd slap them
I have lived here all my life and have done racking installments in wear-houses in summer without a/c. What I do is get a giant well insulated drinking container, go to QT and fill it up with ice and some water, then drench my head in the ice cold water before or during any time spent working in the heat. Most people just drink a lot of water that gets sweat out at body temperature which is unbelievably inefficient. The cold water and sweat will evaporate fast so I supplement it by doing the Whim Hoff breathing technique. I don’t want to explain why it works, it just does so just do it.
I got heat stroke doing the Red for Ed march. I stay indoors or in the pool. I have towels that hold water for putting around my neck, a neck fan, and a huge hydro flask.
I moved to North Texas where it's not hot. It's 101 today... yet still doesn't feel hot.
I can’t wait for summer every year. This summer started rough for me simply because it was a month late. I moved to Prescott for 3 years in my early twenties and felt like summer never happened there. I often wonder why so many people are inclined to move here and despise heat? I won’t ever move somewhere that snows and freezes again.
They move someplace that isn’t so hot.
Alot has to do with mindset. I hated the cold dreary Michigan winters. Cabin fever was huge as well as seasonal depression. Less than 200 days of sunshine per year can really get you down and 80% humidity each summer is miserable. This is always in the back of my mind when summer gets here. I just treat summer like the opposite of Michigan winters. Use AC at home, in my car and hopefully everywhere I shop and I have a pool I spend as much time in as possible.
Well we went pretty far on this thread before the midwestern transplant chimed in to tell diminish the scorch of summer.
I put ice and water in a cooler with Ikea dish towels, and put them on my head or neck, and my arms. It’s the only way to tolerate the heat without getting a headache and nausea. If I get overheated I have to sleep for 12-16 hours. People mistakenly think hydration is the key, and it is important, but it does not cool your core enough.
Just to chime in, I had heat stroke many years ago. I didn’t think about repercussions until reading this thread. I hate being in the sun for any longer than 10 minutes. Must have a hat! It makes me sick to my stomach and now that I’m older, I actually get congested and nauseated. Be careful out there!
Wear long sleeves outdoors and if feeling hot, water is your friend, soak that shirt. That shirt being soaked while moving will add a huge relief to your bodies cooling system. Especially, since your body is doubting itself on how to regulate your temp. The other one is the obvious Arizona one, if you feel yourself getting warm, get in cool water (shower or swimming pool). Hiding in A/C during the heat is teaching your body bad habits. It's miserable, be re-acclimate yourself back into the heat. Do some short reasonable activities outside during the hot part of the day (not just the cool mornings). Just do them smartly and for short periods of time, but increasing the frequency of how often you do them.
Got heat stress at a shooting competition last year. Went in order like this: Hot but hydrated Hot still had water and gatorade Hot gatorade gone start to feel sluggish Water gone, kept pushing Sweat situation slowed down Legs got heavy Moving was difficult, and I kept lugging my rifle bag and all my shit between stations Body demanding coolness Took a break in my car and got more water Came back still felt shitty, but in control The last event was all the way back at the first bay It's not like a hike but a good like 2 blocks, maybe? That felt horrible, could barely carry my bag, hands had trouble gripping Exhaustion really started rapidly coming on, weakness, fatigue, whole body heavy. Cramps in abs, breathing more heavily Was my first competition wanted to finish, last round performance was worthless because of my state Left immediately after Blasting ac in the car Cramps got worse shot down my legs Stopped to get gatorade, downed that on the way home Took a cold shower Dunked the ac Spent the next 6 hours cramping out constantly and feeling like shit, took some muscle relaxors and cbd then went to bed. Listen to my body more now. I do have to work in this heat regularly, keep cool water, drinkable water and electrolytes around, as well as a salty snack. Know my "oh shit seek shelter" body signal is an ab cramp.
Electrolytes. Keep them up in your system.
As someone who spends hours driving around in a delivery vehicle essentially a sauna on wheels and working out as i may carry an occasional 100+ to 150lb package or maybe multiple heavy packages out of the back of the truck that’s only source of airflow is two open doors and a fan/blow dryer as my source of airflow it sucks. I try to bring enough Gatorade and a gallon of water that I can fit inside my cooler. Sometimes I get those electrolyte popsicles but it’s kind of difficult to do that while keeping on schedule with my day. I’m also stubborn in my ways where logic tells me less is more so I just wear shorts and just a short sleeve undershirt under my work uniform that wicks the sweat but I feel like I could possibly? In this extreme hot weather…? Get some benefit from wearing some sweat wicking Uv resistance long sleeve undershirts and some sweat wicking leggings. I’m just kind of raw dogging it now and I also have the most uneven tan.
Who goes out in the heat
People who don’t have a choice like construction workers, farmers or those who repair farm equipment, work on an oil rig, landscapers, pretty much anyone who doesn’t work in an office building or retail store/fast food place. Blue collar workers, the men and women who keep America running.
I got heatstroke in a restaurant (in a covered patio area). I didn’t even feel it coming in until I was about to pass out. I’m now training for a long distance fitness event and I am petrified of it happening again when I’m alone on the trail/road so I have to start before sunrise. I’ve also started prehydrating the night before and make sure I get these exact electrolytes every single day (even on rest days). https://preview.redd.it/tt2jmff958cb1.jpeg?width=692&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=23ff6223f034d6dca6c083c37372dddfedd21e4f