I have really been affected by the hot weather this year. Most of the time if the temperature reaches above twenty-four degrees Celsius I am just mildly uncomfortable. But this year I have found myself feeling quite unwell. On further investigation with our home blood pressure monitor, we found my blood pressure fell to 99/60, with no postural drop, and at worst it was 70/54. I admit my fluid intake is compromised when I am unwell but I have made an effort to drink more with no effect in these instances.
When I am cooler my blood pressure reverts to 120/70, so I haven’t sought any medical input into these bouts of hypotension, as they are reversible and I feel well afterwards. When I am hot I am unable to concentrate and this has severely affected my reading this summer as I have fallen uncharacteristically behind on my review reading list.
I suppose this mild inconvenience reinforces I am not a robot and although I feel like pulmonary hypertension only slightly affects me day to day, it is lurking in the wings making me physiologically more vulnerable to adverse conditions.
I find myself feeling militant about these bouts of unwellness and this week despite feeling awful, I went to all my appointments and obligations, because I couldn’t let pulmonary hypertension win again and limit my life. I already feel I have lost so much from my avoidance issues.
I may not have been on top form but I was at least present for events and not curtailed at home. This for me is a huge psychological battle with not just pulmonary hypertension but also my OCD, which heavily influences me to avoid anything adversarial. In my opinion this aspect of my OCD has been the most damaging as I have limited experience in trying to overcome adverse situations because of my huge avoidance issues.
This limitation has affected my self-confidence hugely, not just in the past but now in my present too. Knowing this I am trying hard to push myself more, within reason physically, and more frequently mentally to take on situations I would habitually avoid. I’m reserving judgment on how this is going until after summer ends, but I will post about the activities I have undertaken against the shackles of my OCD soon.
Ajoobacats Blog 
I was so hot and uncomfortable too, even my ankles and feet swelled. I went to bed with a cold filed hot water bottle, a damp face cloth over my head, a desk fan blowing, I had showered and didn’t dry off with a towel, just wrapped one lightly around me and allowed the air drying to take some of the heat leaving me with a cool damp towel to lie on – not a great look but it eased my discomfort. Take care of yourself you are not alone.
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All sounds very familiar, Rosie. I think I have three showers by midday on Wednesday and the fans have been on constantly. I am never going to moan about being cold ever again.
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I sympathise, high temps don’t do for me either…so uncomfortable. Our houses aren’t designed for the really hot weather, there’s nowhere to cool down. I have thought about getting an air conditioning unit if we start getting prolonged spells of intensely hot weather. Take care.
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I have been in discussions with my husband over installing an air con unit in the bedroom, which is inevitably, the hottest room in the house, but as he pointed out, it’s only too hot for a week. However, looking back on how unwell I felt I am erring on the side that it would be worth it.
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Yes, I think if it makes you very unwell as opposed to just uncomfortable it might be worth checking them out.
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I’m on the case now.
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Good luck.
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I live in southeastern Virginia, and the summer is so hot and humid and sticky. It’s miserable. I’ve never appreciated air conditioning so much this week. We lost power during a crazy thunderstorm and my husband and I were absolutely miserable, trying to sleep with no air flowing! Luckily, it was restored within 8 hours, so we were able to sleep for roughly 2 hours in comfort.
I appreciate your openness. Take care of yourself!
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I have two fans on me at the moment but they are only effective since it’s been cooler. We are currently discussing the best place to position a unit in the bedroom.
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Good luck and God bless you, Doc–that hot weather is hard on everyone.
I used to wonder about the Battle of Gettysburg, July of 1863, fought in three days of punishing heat by men wearing wool uniforms. Why didn’t they succumb to heat stroke?
And then I learned that hundreds of them went down from the heat, some fatally, on every day of the battle.
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Thanks Lee, I’ve always thought I would love to live somewhere warm but I now stand corrected. Heat definitely is a killer, those poor men, as if going to battle wasn’t gruesome enough.
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