Has any one been in a sauna since the MS

[farmwife]

My hubby purchased one for his aches and pains and thinks I should try it a little bit heat has not been an issue for me yet. Does heat affect every one the same. Is there any hope that it could help me even a little bit or will it really set me back.
One year check up after using copaxone showed less lesions on MRI.

[Cat Dancer]

My hubby purchased one for his aches and pains and thinks I should try it a little bit heat has not been an issue for me yet. Does heat affect every one the same. Is there any hope that it could help me even a little bit or will it really set me back.
One year check up after using copaxone showed less lesions on MRI.

Heat (and humidity) don't affect everyone with MS. Just many of us. Some folks actually find that heat makes them feel better, at least in the short run, and they might have a problem with cold weather!

Just be careful to not use it unless your husband is around, should indeed you be affected (he'll need to help you get out!). As for "really setting you back" --

generally what happens for those of us who areaffected by the heat -- once we're out of the hot setting, and cooled back down (and our core body temperature is cooled back down), any symptoms that might have flared up,

like weak legs, or dizzyness, or disorientation, or whatever...

lessen dramatically, back to whatever is "normal" for us. So if you try the sauna and are adversely affected, it's not that you'll do yourself any long-term damage; just that for the next few hours you might be dealing with some increased symptoms.

[newone]

I used to get facials and have stopped because of the steam and heat. Should I try one again? It certainly made me feel good afterwords!

[Harpist]

My hubby purchased one for his aches and pains and thinks I should try it a little bit heat has not been an issue for me yet. Does heat affect every one the same. Is there any hope that it could help me even a little bit or will it really set me back.
One year check up after using copaxone showed less lesions on MRI.

Hi farmwife,

I concur with Cat's assessment. Some people with MS find heat to be helpful. Start slow (maybe lower temperature and shorter times), but have someone around to help you if you experience weakness, vision problems, etc...

When I moved back to the States after living in Sweden for seven years, the first thing I did was build a sauna in the basement of our house. After was diagnosed with MS, I still took saunas for a half dozen years. But starting in 2002, I started having problems with neurogenic pain (often triggered by heat) and had to stop taking saunas.

Darn, I miss a good hot sauna on a cold, snowy winter day!!!!!

Good Roads

Harpist

[Pegakafarmgirl]

hi farmwife,, crops out yet ?,, we are, us Iowa farmers, getting soybeans out this week, weather permitting,,

a sauna,, I am the odd duck,, heat does not bother me,, so I can sit in a sauna, for a bit,, but pace yourself with this,, no sense getting to much, and over dueing it,,

[memedabeme]

There was a time when even heat was my enemy. But for the past couple of
years, I have found that I can deal with a bit of heat, so long as I'm not
sitting directly in the sun and the humidity is low. A lot of the meds I take also dictate that sunlight is to be avoided. Needless to say, I am the palest
thing you have ever seen.

Once I start to sweat, I know I have reached the limit, and need to get somewhere it's cool. For years and years, we kept the AC set at 72 degrees
all summer for my benefit. These past two years, I've been able to survive
with the temp bumped up to 76. This pleases my energy-conscious spouse
who always wants to do the "green" thing. I'm happy he finds those 4 degrees a major contribution to keeping the ozone alive and well. :)

[BBS1951]

A sauna would do me in. Just walking around in the 90 degree heat in Florida is enough to make my legs rubbery

[lady_express_44]

Cold is my biggest enemy, and it causes a lot of pain for me. I have been known to boil my blood in a hot shower (well, not really ;) ) just to help relieve the pain. I now have a house with a hot tub. :D

I would never be left alone anywhere that I was purposely heating my body, as the heat most definitely causes more fatigue (numb patches and weakness too). Those symptoms are much better then pain, but not good to experience when alone.

Cherie

[jendie]

A sauna would render me useless. My arms and legs go weak, I would get double vision. It's the same with a "hot tub". It hasn't always been this way for me, but it has been more than 5 years since I've been able to even take a hot bath and still function properly immediately afterwards.

[farmwife]

The Sauna is the infrared type of sauna with lower more even heat and not a moist heat, it has different light settings and a stereo system in it. We have heard good things about them but I am skeptical. I hope it helps out my husband but as for myself well nothing is going to make me healthy again and I think he has some false hopes. It is going in our bedroom so he will have a better chance of using it. I am going to give it a try and I will start out very slow with it as any one who gets one should according to what I have read.
I am just afraid of making my condition worse in the long run maybe damaging nerve endings I am just a year into this whole thing and doing pretty well most days I do not want to mess things up by trying to do something all the books say to avoid. But, I am also a do what you can if you can as long as you are able, don't let the MS take things away from you type of person right now and want to try it.

[Cat Dancer]

The Sauna is the infrared type of sauna with lower more even heat and not a moist heat, it has different light settings and a stereo system in it. We have heard good things about them but I am skeptical. I hope it helps out my husband but as for myself well nothing is going to make me healthy again and I think he has some false hopes. It is going in our bedroom so he will have a better chance of using it. I am going to give it a try and I will start out very slow with it as any one who gets one should according to what I have read.
I am just afraid of making my condition worse in the long run maybe damaging nerve endings I am just a year into this whole thing and doing pretty well most days I do not want to mess things up by trying to do something all the books say to avoid. But, I am also a do what you can if you can as long as you are able, don't let the MS take things away from you type of person right now and want to try it.

You will NOT "mess things up", or "make your condition worse in the long run", or "damage nerve endings". What MIGHT happen is that you become overheated, and that may cause a TEMPORARY worsening of your symptoms. As soon as you cool down, the worsening will subside, back to however you were before you went into the sauna.

Like, when I get overheated I get dizzy, disoriented, my face turns bright flaming red, then very very pale, my legs can no longer support me at all, my arms get weak...

then when I get cooled down, and maybe take a nap ... all that goes away and I'm back to "normal", or whatever "normal" is for me.

Try it. As some folks here have indicated, not everyone with MS is affected by the heat, and you might find it enjoyable. I hope it helps your husband, who of course has a different health concern than you do!

[DBG]

I am one that is very heat sensitive. I went in the jacuzzi about a year ago and when I got out my legs were like noodles and I couldn't walk. That did it for me.