Question:
Is anyone else constantly freezing?
I am almost 14 mos post-op and down 145lbs from 415. I am miserably cold all the time. I am going to go broke from the heat and the water bills this winter. I constantly need to put on more clothes, take a hot shower or use a blanket. I have even needed to wear gloves at work. I know fat acts as an insulator but this is absolutely nutty. I was always a person who was never cold. I didn't even own a long sleeve shirt until this year. I wore a spring jacket for the last 5 years through the Chicago winters because I was always hot. Now I just can't get warm. I used a fan at work when everyone else complained of the cold. Please help....anyone? What could this be? Signed, Michellescicle — Michelle B. (posted on November 18, 2004)
November 17, 2004
Well get bloodwork, you might be anemic:( But this is very common, and at
least for me hasnt improved. I HATE WINTER!! I have to get a hot shower
every morning to get warm. MO our bodies with all that extra insulation
grew lots of extra blood vessels in our skin to help keep us cool. loosing
the weight doesnt get rid of the extra cooling:(
<P> I am planning a trip to florida in january. I would love to live
there, just to be comfy.
— bob-haller
November 17, 2004
HI THERE,
I WEAR DANSKINS UNDER MY CLOTHES. ONCE I HAD ON THREE LAYERS UNDER MY
JEANS, AND I WAS BUMMED BECAUSE MY PANTS WERE TIGHT. THEN WHEN I WENT TO
BED I SEEN ALL THE CLOTHES I HAD ON UNDER MY CLOTHES....IT WAS COMICAL.
HAVE A BLESSED DAY,
LORIANN
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/ChristianWLSJourney/
— Loriann J.
November 17, 2004
I'm pre-op (surgery date 12-6-04) so I haven't had to experience the
freezing yet, but have read about several posts saying that post-ops stay
cold all the time.
But just so ya know, I'm in Florida and it's COLD here right now! or at least what the
natives consider cold...lol
have a great day...
— Porkchop's Girl
November 17, 2004
yeap - it has to do with the fact that you are getting in less calories
therefore lowering your metabolism. That is why you need to do aeorbic
exercising to increse your metabolism.
— ChristineB
November 17, 2004
Sometimes this is also a sign of vitamen b deficiency. Best Wishes
— Shell G
November 17, 2004
BRRRR...... I'm always cold! Poor
hubby had to live with no a/c this summer since I'm never hot. I hate the
winter. I want to cry sometimes because I'm so cold. Its a good tradeoff though. I
hated being so big and sweaty! Good luck to you.
— KellyL
November 17, 2004
I am just like you, I'm always cold,
even during the summer. I never used the A/C all summer, the family was
ready to kill me. I'm happiest when the temperature is about 80. I never
leave the house without bringing an extra sweater or jacket.I keep a
blanket and heating pad in my office for when I get really cold. My surgeon told me that some people
get very cold after WLS, why some of
us are bothered alot more than others is a mystery. I had labs done and I'm
not anemic, but anemia can cause you to be freezing. We all should be able
to spend the winters in Florida to keep warm.
Best Wishes
Amy O
— goldroses
November 17, 2004
Me, too! Sometimes it is worse than at other times. Usually right around
when my period comes, it's much worse. Please make sure you have current
blood work and that everything is OK there. If it's real extreme, you
could be deficient in something. My friend's surgeon told her that it can
take us up to 5 years to readjust to this, and that we will probably be
colder than everyone else around us.
All I can advise is to dress in layers, get yourself a puffy, down coat,
and some heavy gloves and scarves. I use a little space heater near me
when I'm at home, so hubby doesn't "roast" while we're watching
TV together. I also have an electric blanket that I turn up really high
about a half-hour before bedtime, and then the sheets feel good when I
climb in. I drink lots of warm drinks in the colder weather. I have also noticed that
I seem to be a little colder before
it's time to eat a meal, so I usually try to snack on something small in
between meals, just to stay on an even keel. What I really did like about
it this summer, though, was that when everyone else is complaining about
the hot weather, I was just loving it. I don't even think I broke a sweat
all summer - what a delightful change from when I was MO, and could sweat
just sitting in the sun for 5 minutes!
— Carlita
November 18, 2004
Just make sure your labs are okay. Sometimes inability to get warm is a
vitamin deficiency or a thyroid problem. If your labs are okay--buy a
sweater.
— Cathy S.
November 18, 2004
Here's the scene... Aruba...on a beautiful 'winter' day...it's 90 and sunny
with a light breeze...crystal blue water...blindingly white sand
beach...beautiful girls in bikinis sun bathing... all other people under
unbrellas to get out of the sun or in the water to cool off...even the
lizzards are catching a corner of shade wherever they can get it. Pan
right to see...one WLS patient with a long sleeve T-Shirt up to her knees
in the water...because it's too cold! LOL. I've learned to live with it,
I guess. It can just be normal...everybody makes fun of me. My family
nickname is The Ice Queen (well, I always wanted to be queen of
something...)I GUESS they mean that in a loving way... Just prepare
yourself and always dress warmer than you think you need to. layers help a
lot! So do electric blankets. Someone told me that WalMart has a lap
sized electric blanket under $30. I'm getting one of those to use at work
this winter.
— LMCLILLY
November 18, 2004
i am exactly the same i never needed a coat until know either always
freezing. probally due to rapid weight lose Im not sure. but your not alone
— amanda K.
November 18, 2004
I'm 3 years post-op - all labs normal - and I'm ALWAYS cold. They bought me a space heater at
work and I'm always in sweat pants, heavy socks and a long sleeve shirt at
home (under my blanket, of course!!). I don't think it will ever go away.
— Patty H.
November 18, 2004
Dear Michellescicle, I don't have an answer but I can feel your pain since
I am now a Donnascicle. I went to work last year in a tank top and shorts
when there was snow on the ground. I have always loved winter and playing
in the snow. I always thought summer was too hot and miserable but not this
year, lol. Well, yesterday I went out and bought two sets of long
underwear, two winter coats, and a pair of 400 denier Thinsulate lined
Rocky boots because I just can't seem to get warm. I guess that 125lbs I
lost was providing some insulation. I hate to think about how cold I will be when I lose the remaining
45 pounds. Brrr... I have to get my labs done later this month so I am
anxious to see if everything is okay. I just wanted to say thanks for
asking the question. I just figured I lost a few layers of insulation but I
never considered my labs may be abnormal. I'm glad I have an appointment
with my surgeon soon. Best of luck keeping warm. Just remember, we are
closer to summer today than we were yesterday.
— Donna F.
November 18, 2004
How long were you at 400+ pounds. I was just like you. I was 329 lbs down
to 140 lbs. Always warm. You lost your body fat. Exercise will really
help. It gets the engine going. As soon as a little air conditioning hits
my hands they get cold. This is
normal for many who had this surgery. I wear gloves at work also. If your
blood work comes back normal I think your going to have just deal with it.
— Linda R.
November 19, 2004
I am not a doctor but people who are anemic stay cold. One year I tried to donate blood
and they would not take it because I was anemic and I was always cold until my blood was stabilized through
iron supplements. I would talk to your doctor about this. Best of Luck
— JerseyGirl
November 19, 2004
My daughter had the surgery on 3-6-02. She went from 346 to 144, size 28
to size 2-4. She's always freezing. It turns out that her iron is way below
what it should be. She takes B-12 shots and double doses of her iron. I
hope this helps you.
Evelyn
— scaryreader
November 20, 2004
might be a good idea to have your thyroid checked also, hypoactive can make
you feel cold also
— kim B.
November 20, 2004
I was told that by another post-op that when your weight leveled off and
you were at the same weight for a while (months) that the coldness would go away. After 2 years I
am still waiting!
I live in Wisconsin and freeze 10 months out of each year. I wear the
brand "Cuddle Duds" under my clothes about 8 months of the year.
They are thin weight thermal undershirts (and they have pants also). You
can get the same thing at Wal-Mart. (Not the cuddle dud brand but the same
thing.) I usually wear the undershirt, a turtle neck and a sweater most
days. At night I sit with a heating pad between me and the blanket
covering me.
I freeze in the winter now but would not trade it for all the weight to
come back.
Warm thoughts, Diane
— dianehanson
November 20, 2004
Have to say i'm in the same boat. Had bloodwork 3 weeks ago and everything
is FINE but i'm still cold all the
time. I say its just because i'm missing that blubber layer..don't really
know if that's the truth or what..
dress warm
— FaithMills
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