Heat, MS, Illness what worked for you last year...?

[jackiesj]

If there are links for cooling vest etc im unsure but are they on the MS site?Your ideas that worked from last year are so helpful to all.Heat is my big enemy.I use the shiny window reflector up against my chest while husband drives to deflect heat while he drives.I am Xena warrior princess as i sit there feeling stupid.Ideas!

[RoyceNewton]

msAA cooling vests are great have had them & used them for several years, recommend them to you do not see a brand name, I have had to replace the ice blocks due to my error, live at 73 F though I push it to 72 for a few hours at night, and fans on when I exercise.

Royce

[melack01]

mymsaa.org/msaa-help/coolin... This is a link to apply for a cooling vest. You can download the application or do it online. If you qualify, it is free.

[jimeka]

Sit in a deck chair, feet in a bowl of cold water and dream of some Caribbean island 🌴

[Raingrrl in reply to jimeka]

Very creative jimeka !

[jackiesj in reply to Raingrrl]

love it!

[Raingrrl]

Hi jackiesj !

Love your description of you in the car as a Xena warrior princess!!

Heat is my nemesis and if its accompanied by humidity, I'm a mess. I turn the a/c in my car up so high that I have to keep a blanket in my car for passengers that freeze! I don't use the vests because of the weight. I do use neck wraps a lot. The ones I have you soak in ice water for awhile, wring out a little and then tie around your neck. Their cooling affect doesn't last very long so I use them just outside my home. I carry a small battery-operated fan with me and a bottle of ice water when I have to go someplace and be outside for a bit. On the hottest days, I only do things that are in air conditioned spaces if I can help it. Another little trick I use is to run really cold water over the undersides of my wrists if I get too hot outside.

[CalfeeChick CommunityAmbassador]

jackiesj Here's a link for you! mymsaa.org/msaa-help/coolin...

I got my vest last year and used it frequently when I was a support driver for my cycling group, grocery shopping, gardening and a couple of fishing trips. Depending on how long you will be out in heat, take extra ice packs in a small ice chest so you can replace the ones in the vest when they start losing their cool. I got some different looks when shopping, but I didn't care. Because I got the khaki colored one, I thought about adding a khaki fishing hat with lures, etc. 😋 😀😀😋

[Kenu in reply to CalfeeChick]

Cute with the fishing 🎣 hat👍😉🐾 Ken

[Jesmcd2 CommunityAmbassador]

These are all great ideas jackiesj ☺ you can make your own neck wrap with a bandana and small ice packs also. Just wrap them up in it,.😉

🤗💕

J🌠

[CalfeeChick CommunityAmbassador in reply to Jesmcd2]

We used to have a wrap that had some sort of granules that you could soak, then freeze for wrapping around our necks one hot day rides. Even soaking in cold water, then wearing really helped.

[Wizardsmom]

You just gave me a much needed chuckle, thinking of you as "Xena"!

[Kevin_McMillan]

Hi JackiesJ, I'm sorry you battle the heat too! I got the MSAA Vest about 5 years ago and it has been a life saver! The first Summer I had it my cousin got married outside, it was 99 degrees! You will like it!! Take care!

[hairbrain4]

MSAA has a lot of different cooling items you can use. I have gotten a couple of vests from them over the years. I really like the last I got last year. It has strips of ice packs that go on front & back on both sides. It really keeps me cool. A lot of the times I just put the ice packs in the back due to weight because they can be heavy if you doing very much moving around. I also use the neck coolers with the little beads in them that you soak in cold water. I take them one step further and freeze them once they are completely soaked. **Freeze them in the shape of your neck because they won't bend after they are frozen. You can also put them in your hat to keep your head cool. You can buy those beads at a hobby store like Michael's or Hobby Lobby and make your own neck and head coolers with material that you like.

[purpletustin]

For the last 3 years I've used a 10.00 cooling pad I buy from Ebay. I believe the search criteria on Ebay was Cooling Pad.

In warm weather, I use it at night when trying to fall asleep. Also, when sleeping. If I wake up, which I usually do, I just flip this thin, firm pad over and it's immediately very cool. Uses no water, ice, refrigeration. It's my miracle A/C. When I have a headache, or whatever where cooling would be helpful, I use it. Guess it weighs about 6 ounces. Measures 11.5 x 14 inches. It folds in half. I've used it in the car on hot days even though we have A/C. I've sat on it, leaned against it and held it to my neck. It's not flexible, but someone innovative may come up with a way to use it when you're moving. It's definitely not a cooling vest.

Main thing I love about it is that it's always cold, needs no ice, refrigeration, etc.

Hope this info is of some use.

[CynthiaS in reply to purpletustin]

Sounds wonderful. I'm looking it up right now.

[CalfeeChick CommunityAmbassador]

jackiesj We just finished 3-4 days of temps over 100 degrees. One was over 105! I survived by staying hydrated, Keeping spray bottle of water close by.

[jackiesj in reply to CalfeeChick]

Unless I leave a glass out I forget water totally!Definitely a need....xoxoxojj

[kdali]

I have all of the wearable ice items and like most of them for different things. I use to wear them to work and changed it out before getting in the hot car. My house is pretty cool, but the heat use to get me when cleaning or even drying my hair, so the neck wraps were great for that (or just not drying my hair).

My MD wrote a prescription for my cooling vest so insurance would reimburse me.