Many of us struggle with the heat tending to feel lethargic and washed out!
One problem is that heat causes the blood vessels to expand and combined with your medication you may experience a degree of hypotension. Perspiration can make this worse if you start getting dehydrated. The key is to stay well hydrated. If you are fluid restricted check with a medical professional before increasing your fluid intake - it may be allowed temporarily. To compound this you will also lose minerals (this is why perspiration tastes salty).
I saw the following tip for rebalancing minerals but it is inappropriate for those on a sodium or potassium restriction. To balance things have half a glass of orange juice and a packet of salty crisps. It is not recommended as a daily "treat" but on the odd occasion we have a heat wave.
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MichaelJH
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Thanks for the tips Michael.... I felt so tired today, packet of crips, good idea for taking to work. I sweat buckets in our restaurant kitchen when it's so warm. Glad I wasn't in work today. I like the warmth but after the cool spell, difficult to deal with this heat all of a sudden.
Yesterday went into the walking fridge at work, that was cooling 😂 back into the kitchen it felt like Sri Lanka, humid !!!
Thanks that explains why I’m getting dizzy more frequently getting out of a car in Greece at the moment 😀
I do agree MichaelJH however there is one thing you did not cover - how did the sufferer react to the hot weather before they realised they had a heart condition? If they suffered before, it is a certainty they will continue to suffer after a heart problem. However what ever became of common sense. I used to be a sunshine lover and could lie in it, work in it all day long and with darker pigmented skin have only ever had minimal sunburn. Ironically that has not stopped me developing a small carcinoma on top of one of my ears - luckily benign- the point being there is always a price to pay, no matter who you are - it is how to deal with it that is the real question. Since my operation I have found I no longer have the wish to lay in the sun and the very hot weather does tire me out much quicker. I believe this to be quite natural and lies within the terms of "cause and effect". Because of this, I feel sure this will stay with me for the rest of my life and is a sort of automatic coping mechanism and must get use to it.
Now for diabetics - orange juice and crisps is not really a way of dealing with the heat. Low sugar soft drinks, frozen into a lolly pop are good. Ice cubes in plain water etc etc. It all boils down to common sense. If it's too hot - get into the shade and wear appropriate loose clothing. Drink lots of water and if you feel your salts are low, the chemist can sell sachets that replace essential salts for the body - with no danger to diabetics.
We at least have the benefit of fashion that is no way as restrictive as it was before where rolled up trousers and knotted handkerchief was the dress of the day at the sea side. Even shorts in towns and cities is not unusual now a days.
Common sense should prevail - most will be well versed in the winter check list one needs when going out so why not in unusually hot weather with the consideration that it is only "Mad dogs and Englishmen that stay out in the midday sun" Even Spain have afternoon siesta's where shops shut because it is just too hot and re open when the heat is out of the day and stay open into the evening - what a lovely practise.
As regards diabetics I am a long standing Type I and would expect anyone with diabetes to have enough common sense to know you just cannot add them in. However you could do a carbohydrate exchange or if on Insulin adjust your dose.
Would an occasional sachet of dioralyte help I wonder? It's supposed to balance out sodium/potassium levels when people are dehydrated with diarrhoeas.
I am not medically qualified but would imagine the very occasional one would be OK. It would be best to ask your pharmacist or GP but I know it took me over 24 hours after the weather broke to resynchronise!
Same here. I've never tolerated hot weather well but was shocked at how bad I was during this last spell. Even though I was drinking loads I felt really ill. I keep dioralyte in for emergencies so will definitely ask my GP.
When I worked for the hospital I visited the podiatrist as I was having trouble with numbness in my toes. He told me to go buy dioralyte sachets from the chemist to try to balance my potassium levels. On the way back to my desk my phone was ringing. It was the podiatrist stating he had spoken to a consultant who told him under no circumstances should I buy these sachets but to speak to my GP as they could compromise my potassium levels because of the medication I was taking. At the time I was on Zestril for high blood pressure. That was causing the numb toes so he changed it. This was over 10 years ago as I have been retired for 7 years. I never take anything without checking with the GP. Yep I guess I am a bit of a whimp.
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