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Cold Weather and Fatigue for IPF Patients.
While it is no secret that frigid temperatures impact our lungs, it is important for those of us living with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) to protect and shield ourselves as much as possible from breathing in the cold air. In the midst of our Canadian winters, this usually means hibernating inside for me when temperatures drop well below freezing. One good thing about frigid temperatures though is that it might mean they kill some of the germs/bugs/viruses floating around. Apparently a polar vortex is headed for areas of Canada, so bundle up and stay safe friends!
I thought I’d just post a quick reminder about a social clip I wrote back in January of 2018 titled 7 Tips for Protecting Your Lungs in the Frigid Temperatures. While the topic of how difficult it is to breathe in cold air has come up on these forums before, I wanted to run another symptom past you that I think might be related to the cold weather.
Has anyone experienced increased fatigue or exhaustion when it is particularly cold outside?
I’m curious to hear if you’ve experienced this and how you handle it.
Charlene.
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18 Replies
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Hi Charlene, I too have been hibernating haven’t been out in two weeks between the snow storms and icy cold.I have been trying to keep as busy as I can by cleaning my clothes cupboard with many breaks and knitting. I have made some small blankets for the animal shelter near bye. We are supposed to have a bit of a break weather wise wonder if this change will play havoc with breathing.I have to say Charlene, that I appreciate you so much you really help.
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Hi Sheila,
Can you believe in the two days between your writing to me, and my reply, the drastic difference in temperature? I went outside today and couldn’t believe how “warm” it felt. I also came down with a terrible head cold, which doesn’t surprise me given the temperature changes. Wow! I hope you’ve been able to get out of the house a bit more now that it is nicer, I know it is so hard having to stay cooped up inside due to the ice, snow and terribly cold temps. Have you found the change in temperature has impacted your breathing much so far? I hope not!
I love that you knit blankets for an animal shelter, that is amazing and I am sure it is so appreciated 🙂
Thank you for your kind words, I love being part of this forum and so glad I can be here. Talk to you soon and enough our more mild winter temperatures while they last.Take care,
Charlene.
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Hi Charlene,
As you know, I’m really doing VERY well. But that doesn’t mean I still don’t have a cough. It’s better than when I was first diagnosed with IPF, but I still have it. I live in the mountains in California and though it was nice enough to go out fishing a week ago, the snow is on it’s way. I live just 20 minutes from a ski resort. I love to ski. So glad I’m not dealing with the vortex like so many of you….. I have found though that the cold air makes my cough MUCH worse. I need to make sure I keep my chest warm all the time. I always thought it was just me…. but it seems that this is very common with IPF patients. Anyway, know that you are always in my prayers along with everyone else on this forum. Stay warm!
Blessings,
Andy
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Hi Andy,
Thanks so much for your reply to this topic thread! I am always so envious of those in California, as depending on the location, it seems as though you get the best of both worlds: snow, enough sometimes to ski and the beach within a few hours away. Would you say this is accurate of where you are? If so, what an amazing place to live!
I love the ocean, it is my favourite place to be in the whole world … could spend hours just watching the tide and exploring the sand for shells and other ocean treasures.
Yes, it does sound like the cold air poses difficulty for a lot of people, unfortunately. This is true for me in extreme heat as well. I tend to do well in spring-temperatures where there isn’t so much of an extreme and then of course, consistency helps me too. The cough tends to get worse in too hot/too cold temperatures, and then its all downhill from there. Thankfully, the polar vortex has ended and now we’re in plus temperatures so such a drastic change. Unfortunately right now, my cough is due to a wicked head cold I picked up. Bummer!
Hope you’ve had a nice weekend 🙂
Charlene. -
Yes, Charlene,
I feel very blessed to live where I live. I live on the ridge overlooking the Stanislaus river canyon, with a million dollar view. All I see is mountains and I never tire of the view I have. It’s pretty wild right where I’m at. I’ve always had a deep appreciation for the wildlife, criters of all kinds. I have bears that come visit several times a week from May to October. I don’t mind a bit having them visit as long as they are not destructive. We live in a tiny little house, but I had a huge house with a lot of property when I lived in the valley and don’t miss the upkeep, especially when I had horses and a pool. LOTS of work! I can deal with the snow here, the summers make up for it. I was out with the snowblower today, and shoveling. I don’t mind it but my chest really doesn’t like the cold air. We had forest fires very close again this summer though, and the smoke was terrible. There came a point I told my wife we have got to go to the beach for a few days to help my lungs. There were times the smoke was like fog, very dense and thick. I still love it here, and the commute to the office ‘down the hill’ to Sonora is only 12 minutes.
At least it’s cool here in the summer, beats the 100 degree heat in the valley. I do feel very blessed.
I’m so glad the vortex is over for you. I think about you a lot with all the work you do on this site, and having your hands so full with your pending transplant and everything. You are AMAZING! I honestly don’t know how you do it…………
Bless you Charlene
Andy
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Good day Andy,
I seem to remember your Tuesdays are quite full, so I hope you’re having an okay day and not working too hard! Where you and your wife live sound beautiful, I’m so glad you enjoy your home and have such a wonderful view. I’m going to google where you are, so I have a bit of an image in mind, I always like doing that. I can imagine the upkeep of a large home with property can be tough, especially with a pool and horses. So glad you have a short commute too, this makes such a difference for me as I recently moved closer to my place of work to reduce the commute and exhaustion that comes with driving long hours to/from work.
Thanks so much for your kind words – all the work is totally worth it when you love what you do, which I know you can relate. I feel so blessed to be part of these forums.
Take care,
Charlene.-
Hi Charlene,
Yes, Tuesdays are crazy. But the snowstorm has been crazy. They were calling for a ‘blizzard’, but I wouldn’t call it that. I have about 3 feet of new snow and it’s still snowing. Most roads are impassable this morning and had to reschedule my entire day today. I’ve been out using the shovel and snowblower for over 5 hours this morning, but snow is falling so fast it’s hard to keep up. It is supposed to finally stop late this afternoon.
Not working at the office today will give me time to catch up some more on correspondence. The numbers of IPF patients looking for laser doctors has been astounding and nearly overwhelming. But I’m not complaining. This is really a dream come true for me… I just want to see people get better and have the numbers of patients we need for the study. It’s amazing the numbers of doctors getting in touch, some for more treatment protocol but many due to IPF with themselves or loved ones.
Anyway, the snow plow just went by again……. another big berm to take care of………
Blessings Charlene!
Andy
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Hi Andy,
Oh my gosh, what a terrible few days it sounds like for you! Have you dug out thus far and kept safe? After our polar vortex here last week, the temperatures warmed up to +8 over the weekend and Monday but today (Wednesday) everything is closed here, including my office, due to freezing rain. There is thick ice on trees, lines, etc. so I am just hoping I don’t lose power. What a wild winter! Has the snow stopped falling for you yet?
Glad to hear the number of folks reaching out is positive, and here is hoping something helpful can emerge out of the correspondence on this forum. Wouldn’t that be wonderful? When will you be able to start the study if you reach the desired number of patients for it?
With our offices closed too, it’ll give me some time to catch up and schedule content on the forums as well. I’m glad to be staying inside and keeping warm today as opposed to risking my safety on the roads!
Take care,
Charlene.
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Charlene –
I have trouble breathing outside when the temperatures are extremely hot, humidity levels are high and during extreme cold. I am in Ohio and it is chilly here right now in the 30’s plus it has been very windy. By the weekend we are expecting temperatures back in the 60’s and perhaps 70. My last PFT tests were stable. I am still on OFEV and tolerating it well. Checkups and PFT’s every 6 months. Blood work every 3 months. Coughing is getting worse as temperatures get colder. Hope you are doing well.
It has been awhile since I have posted.
Marianne
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I live in Texas so we don’t get below 45 degrees hardly ever. But I feel better when its cold. But here we are averaging 70-75 so far early Nov and thats ok better than 100+ like we get in the summer ..
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Hi @samgilmore
Nice to hear from you, I hope you’re doing okay!
I loved visiting Texas (last year at this time actually) and would like to live in a warmer climate than here sometimes. However, I know the heat waves can be bothersome for patients like us as well… 70-75 sounds like a beautiful average. Enjoy it! Thanks for writing, Char.
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Thank you I do better in cooler temps. When I first came down the IPF the cold really bothered me but know the warmer temps do. Texas is good place for us, most of the time. Y’all take care.
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Has anyone considered or researched the effects of atmospheric pressure on us IPF’rs? In the Northern climates it can be clear and cold or clear and hot when under a high pressure situation but the increased barometric pressure seems to help my breathing a little. It is of course like being at sea level rather than up a very tall mountain.
Bob
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Hello Charlene! I am one of those that dread the wintertime. Not so much because of my compromised lungs and the cold temps, but because here in western Pennsylvania, we have a whole LOT of cloudy, dreary days and it just seems to suck the energy out of me. I seem to be tired, have brain fog, loss of ambition, and quite lethargic on those days and when they last for a week or more, it is really bad. It is a struggle. I’ve discussed this with my doctor and my husband has installed the “daylight” light bulbs in the rooms I tend to be in the most during the day. I take vitamins and use the lights all day on those days. All this in turn, is bad for my lungs because it is such a chore to try to even walk around the house extra steps and get some exercise. Then, when the sun comes out, I feel fine and the energy picks up. So it seems like a vicious circle. Short of moving south, does anyone else have this problem? Any ideas or tricks to “wake up the brain”?
Thank you, have a warm blessed day. Hugs to all.
Dijano
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Hi Dijano ( @burma )
Thanks so much for writing! I also wanted to touch on the “dreariness” of winter months, which lacks the sun and is very grey in my column but ran out of words. I agree with you completely, that deeply affects my mood also. Have you tried the light bulbs/sun light lamps before? My friend uses them (she has been diagnosed with Seasonal Affect Disorder) and finds them very helpful actually! I hope they work for you this winter 🙂
I’m just about to make a post about it actually, but I’ve noticed significant brain clarity this week when I’ve switched my diet around and in particular, cut out dairy. It seems weird, but I swear its helped! Stay tuned.
Char. -
Hi Bob,
I haven’t done any formal research on this topic, but I did visit Colorado a few years before my diagnosis and I was a lot more short of breath due to the elevation, I think. I’m not sure if this is what you meant, but I was so short of breath (of course, I knew nothing about IPF at that time) that I thought I was coming down with pneumonia or something…. it was strange! I think @renehakkenberg has looked into elevation as well, as we were talking about the difference in AZ as I plan to visit there early next year, pending COVID. Rene have you looked into any relationship between atmospheric pressure and IPF at all?
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You too, Sam! Stay safe 🙂
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Hi @marianne
So nice to hear from you, thanks for writing and providing us with an update on how you’re doing!
I do admittedly have trouble in both hot and cold temperatures, but I find cold bothers me more because I have pain in my chest when breathing in the cold air, but not the hot. Sounds like temperatures in Ohio are just as confused as up here in Canada, we had snow (a full weather warning last Sunday and -10 C temps overnight) and today it’s shorts and sandals weather with sun. So weird!
I’m glad to hear you’re tolerating the OFEV well and that your PFTs have been stable, that is great to hear! Thanks for writing and stay safe this winter! In addition to the cold weather, cold/flus and now COVID this year, freak me out every winter season.
Char.
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