I can’t take the heat anymore

[zekmoe]

I used to be a mule in the summer, being able to work in the heat seemingly without end. Now 7 months past valve replacement and when it’s hot and humid, I begin sweating profusely, then become exhausted. No amount of water seems to matter. Burst of sweat, then basically need to get cooled down and rest.
Does anyone else experience this? I’m limited to what I do outside because of this.

 

[harrietW]

Zekmoe
Hello l experience the same thing now since my Jan5/16 surgery. I sweat profusely sweat and then cold clammy skin it's gross I also have pulmonary hypertension which I think is a symptom of that but maybe it's strictly from the heart valve replacement I can't say for 100%
l too used to bake in the sun and heat and could never get enough of it . Now l hide out can't do anything 5 minutes outside and on ill. Blood pressure is very low usually around the 71/64 on a good day quite often 66/54 ish

Your blood pressure may have something to do with how your feeling.

Stay cool and for me it's a new normal which l have a hard time with. Rest is all l know anymore.

 

[tom in MO]

I was 55 when I had my OHS and it did not affect my ability to regulate my body temperature. My heart valve drugs (pravistatin, lisinopril, amidolopine besylate, asprin and warfarin) don't have any side effects related to sweating.

Your profile doesn't say how old you are. Both men and women can suffer from hormonal changes in the middle years that can cause the to sweat profusely and have trouble regulating body temperature (menopause and andropause) that will cause sweating.

 

[Superman]

I’ve always been a sweater. Once the water works get started, there’s no hope. Humidity and activity are the drivers. I think I’m in decent shape at 6’ 4” and under 200 lbs. I can run 3 miles in a half hour.

I’ve tried looking stuff up on it, but everything on sweat refers to sweaty palms and such. I don’t get that during periods of inactivity, but I can easily lose 3 lbs or more of water in a workout and soak my clothes.

If anyone knows a fix, I’d love to hear it.

 

[LondonAndy]

I have never been good with the heat, and assume that, in my case, it is because I am overweight. Like many places this summer, London has had a sustained period of hot weather, and I have used the only guaranteed cure:

Stayed home in air conditioning
:Smile:

 

[epstns]

I do OK in heat, up to a point. Once it gets to near 90F, with high humidity, my interest in strenuous outdoor activity diminishes. My wife, though, seems to be impacted even more heavily than I. Maybe it is because I am better-conditioned than she.

That said, once it gets hot, I get WET! At my fitness center, the ventilation is sub-standard in the cardio area. They seem to send all the cool air to the weight lifters who never break a sweat anyway. After doing 2.5 to 3 miles in 30 minutes on the elliptical machine, I can literally wring out my shirt. I can still do the exercise with no issues, and can go on to do my weight-lifting routine after the cardio work, but I am soaked.

I guess I'd rather be able to do the stuff even though I sweat, as opposed to not being able to do the exercise and not sweating. . .

 

[DDT77]

I used to be a mule in the summer, being able to work in the heat seemingly without end. Now 7 months past valve replacement and when it’s hot and humid, I begin sweating profusely, then become exhausted. No amount of water seems to matter. Burst of sweat, then basically need to get cooled down and rest.
Does anyone else experience this? I’m limited to what I do outside because of this.

No correlation here. Describes me a year ago, but i think more tolerant of heat ~ 7 months post AVR. Still sweat like always - profusely, endurance is better than a year ago. Early this summer / spring with first heat, had similar to your experience. Finally learned to avoid the heat of the day and build endurance during activities in early morning / evening when heat is not as intense. My rehab was running around with my 10 and 12 yo boys baseball teams during practices, usually a few hours each night, and many nights each week. Let's say the first weeks i had worst throws on the field, which raised eyebrows with those who did not know about my fresh zipper.

My guess is your body's capabilities do not yet meet your mental expectations. My surgeon noted that 'full' recovery for active person would be at least six months, and more likely near a full year.

 

[KatherineA]

I was wondering about this outside today. I had OHS January 7, 2020 with a biological aortic valve and an aortic aneurysm fix. I cannot handle the heat this summer. Today is the hottest and most humid that I have tried to do a few light things in the garden. And I lasted maybe an hour.

I wasn’t doing anything heavy, Mosley spraying anti deer stuff and fixing my deer barricades p. It is 92 ish and very humid. My pulse rate went up super fast with anything much, like pulling hard on the water hose or carrying 3-4 gallons of water in a bucket any distance at all.

anyway. Glad to find this thread. And know this is not an uncommon experience.

I think I’m in pretty good shape for 70. Back to yoga most every day and walking 2-3 miles etc.

Once back in the house my pulse dropped quickly back to Normal. It is disconcerting though.

 

[slipkid]

I can't take the heat either, get deathly ill at work (parts of the factory I work in are over 100 degrees). I got like this even prior to my valve replacement (had a heart attack, double bypass, & AVR in 2014). Post all that was hoping I would do better but I do not.

This year my heat response has been worse than ever, have gotten ill at a new level, in addition to just "heat exhaustion" such that I cannot walk, and taking 5-15 minutes or so to recover in a cooler environment, 2 out of 4 days recently I was unable to snap out of it & just kept getting worse and worse, very faint, turned completely white, chest tightened up.

Only reason I am able to have time to come up here & typing this is because I am now on a forced leave of absence for at least 30 days, my PCP won't let me endure the ungodly temps there anymore for fear of my heart being damaged & another heart attack coming on. With my already bad cholesterol/advanced atherosclerosis + my other heart history that makes for a very dangerous combination in hot conditions.

I never liked hot weather in the first place but I would say that starting in my 40's it affected me much worse and hasn't gone away (now 20 years later). I have sisters that have same heat probs as me so I wonder if it part of this is some type of genetic component making our bodies less heat tolerant than "normal" people.

 

[KatherineA]

Thank you @slipkid for the information! Mine is not getting worse thankfully. I’ve learned to work at a slower pace outside and thankful that anything I do outdoors or in the heat is voluntary on my part and I don’t have to do it for a job.

 

[dornole]

So sorry to hear of your issues skipkid. Factory floor environments can be brutal. Any chance of looking at a different job in the plant or elsewhere for the remainder of your career? Easier said than done but it sounds like this is getting pretty serious for you.

 

[ginahmk]

Hi, I am 3 years post aortic valve replacement and found that I need to gradually acclimatize myself to the heat. Starting with 15-30 minute walks outside when temps are in the 80’s and working up to more. It takes me about 2 weeks. I am 65 years old now and can’t adjust as quickly. That said, I still can bike 10 miles in 90+ degrees once acclimatized. I also have thyroid issues and find if my thyroid hormone levels are out of normal range, I cannot tolerate temperature extremes. Always worth talking to the doctor about this.
Gina

 

[RJMello85]

I hear ya. I had my AVR and Aortic graft done Feb. 18th of this year went back to work almost 4 months after due to COVID and I'm a commercial plumber, I was outside 100 degree weather hand digging after work got sick exhausted shortness of breath and pale skin for days after to recooperate. A month later walked up a flight of stairs then all of a sudden had a TIA. Didnt know what happened so went home and my wife called my Cardiologist he said to go to the ER right away. That's what happened tho and didn't even realize it. After many test ultrasounds ct's and an mri they said there was a clot that possibly was in my carotid artery not sure if heat had anything to do with it tho. Currently on a cholesterol medicine and asprin again plus my warfarin and metroprolol. I wonder if theres any medical findings on weather temperature issues.

 

[pellicle]

I'm beginning to wonder if this is also a BAV symptom

 

[slipkid]

So sorry to hear of your issues skipkid. Factory floor environments can be brutal. Any chance of looking at a different job in the plant or elsewhere for the remainder of your career? Easier said than done but it sounds like this is getting pretty serious for you.

I've tried but gotten nowhere (job hunting-wise). I did tryasking my current boss about some help for me to avoid the hottest parts of the factory a few weeks ago because getting sick but that didn't work. Things took a way bigger turn for the worse this summer though. Prior to this job I was a white collar worker in airco, sitting at a desk etc for over 20 years. Now I am a blue collar grunt working in a filthy factory, trying to endure the heat in the summer, working 12 hour shifts that are 15 hour days, on my feet walking on concrete most of the day, for half my wages of 20 years ago. Very depressing.

 

[slipkid]

I'm beginning to wonder if this is also a BAV symptom

Interestingly my native aortic valve was bicuspid (relating to your BAV comment). That was replaced with my new mechanical valve though, about 5 years ago. I still have heat problems anyway.

 

[pellicle]

Interestingly my native aortic valve was bicuspid (relating to your BAV comment). That was replaced with my new mechanical valve though, about 5 years ago. I still have heat problems anyway.

well the way I look at it, the underlying issues which created the BAV have not gone away, your genetic code is still the same even though you've had a part exchange.

 

[charlottekaye]

I'm a BAV-er, too - Always had trouble with heat. I have to make sure I drink a LOT of water as the weather gets warm. Maybe you can try pushing fluids, as the docs say??

 

[slipkid]

well the way I look at it, the underlying issues which created the BAV have not gone away, your genetic code is still the same even though you've had a part exchange.

That is what I believe. Have 2 sisters who struggle in the heat as well, but they don't have to work in it, they just get out of it, so don't get to the states I get in of extreme illness.

 

[slipkid]

I'm a BAV-er, too - Always had trouble with heat. I have to make sure I drink a LOT of water as the weather gets warm. Maybe you can try pushing fluids, as the docs say??

I drink so much water my bladder is bursting. Makes no difference. Of course work just insists I need to drink more H2O, which puts the onus on me like I am not following company advice etc.