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Does your body get really cold when you're in a crash?

CFS_for_19_years

Hoarder of biscuits
Messages
2,396
Location
USA
I notice that when I don't sleep well the night before, or an unplanned activity takes precedence over conserving energy, I stay cold that day or the following day, and it can take hours for me to warm up. Even if I get under the covers with wool blankets and a heated mattress bad, it will still take hours to warm up again.

I just wonder if fatigue (PEM) is interfering with the body's ability to maintain homeostasis, i.e. adequate body temperature. My thyroid levels are fine, but I'm not a good converter of T4 to T3. With my current test results, I doubt if any doctor would recommend thyroid meds, but I might ask at the next visit.

I know there's a LONG list of symptoms that occur when someone gets PEM. I would appreciate it if people could just focus on the issue of being cold, and not all the other countless symptoms, because I've probably had them at one time or other too.

So who else freezes when they've overdone it or didn't sleep well the night before? Theoretical hypotheses and background regarding why this happens are welcome, if anyone would like to tackle that aspect. Thanks.
 

taniaaust1

Senior Member
Messages
13,054
Location
Sth Australia
At least one ME/CFS specialist says that our body temperature actually often drops when we start to crash or just before and that we can use body temp as a warning sign. Maybe we are recognising this too by feeling cold?

When I felt icey cold, I had that symptom not just when I crashed but over months when I had relapsed far worst. Now I get feverish again instead.
 

drob31

Senior Member
Messages
1,487
I know it can be more complicated than simply HPA-axis related, but do you think in some cases, the crash the caused by too much or too little cortisol which brings on hypothyroid symptoms and the cold feeling?
 

CFS_for_19_years

Hoarder of biscuits
Messages
2,396
Location
USA
Thanks everyone for your replies. My own hypothesis is that the body is trying to recuperate from the crash and the only way it can do that is to restrict blood flow to the exterior, and save blood flow that is going to internal organs. I suppose it's one mechanism for the body to rescue itself. Not only that, being cold restricts movement and forces us to rest under the blankets.
Whatever the mechanism, I appreciate knowing that others are experiencing the same things I am. The cold feeling goes away when I've had a chance to recuperate, which can often be an entire day spent under the covers in bed.

There was one time in my life when I was clinically hypothyroid and I know what that feels like. Believe it or not, the fatigue from being hypothyroid was even worse than the fatigue from CFS/ME. On top of that, I HAD to stay in bed in order to stay warm. Getting out of bed at noon felt like I was getting up in the middle of the night, I was so tired. I don't have that disoriented feeling during these other icy crashes I'm talking about, but I wanted to at least bring up the hypothyroid issue because it does seem a bit similar. However, the crashes are brought on by exerting myself too much or not sleeping well at all. Maybe that affects cortisol which then affects the HPA axis.

I think our thermal regulation goes out of whack when we crash, and thermal regulation might be a low priority for whatever the body has to do to right itself. The following makes the most sense to me:
At least one ME/CFS specialist says that our body temperature actually often drops when we start to crash or just before and that we can use body temp as a warning sign. Maybe we are recognising this too by feeling cold?
 

SDSue

Southeast
Messages
1,066
When I crash, I get so cold that I have to crawl in bed with a heating pad to try to stay warm. It sounds as if this must be common?
 
Messages
18
Location
Big Island, HI
I experience the same thing. I live in Hawaii, where it's normally pretty warm, but I get really chilled, especially before/during a crash. Doesn't help that I have almost no bodyfat. I think there must be a connection to my other symptoms. I like the 'body is warning us' theory.
 

L'engle

moogle
Messages
3,196
Location
Canada
I do get very cold, particularly at night. It's a strange kind of coldness that can take a long time to go away even after I've turned up the heat and put on extra clothes and blankets. If I don't turn up the heat I will not be able to gt back to sleep and will just lie awake for hours being cold. Seems to be worse during crashes. Keep warm everyone!:hug:
 

drob31

Senior Member
Messages
1,487
I notice that I'm cold when my cortisol gets too high and causes cellular resistance to thyroid hormone.
 
Messages
1,082
Location
UK
I'm the same, (currently living under duvet while typing)

Sometimes it almost feels like going into shock. If ive ever been pushed to my limits in the presence of others where i'm not able to stop or rest as soon as i start crashing, i'll become rapidly covered in goosebumps and my teeth will start chattering together.

This actually happened to me after doing a tilt table test in hospital, i became freezing and teeth started chattering. The doctor looked at me like he was looking at a strange, obscure, alien who was clearly putting it on for attention. I felt really embarassed!
 
Messages
84
Yes. Currently crashing out on the couch, lying covered in clothes and blankets.

I know a crash is incoming when my feet and hands start to get freezing for no reason. Throughout the crash both also remain cold.

Anyone also get really sleepy through crashes?

When I am not crashing I might sleep 7 hours a day, I have trouble falling asleep and sleeping in and I never feel refreshed.

Whereas when I am crashing out I can easily sleep for 11 hours (although I still have trouble falling asleep at night).
 
Last edited:

hellytheelephant

Senior Member
Messages
1,137
Location
S W England
I notice that when I don't sleep well the night before, or an unplanned activity takes precedence over conserving energy, I stay cold that day or the following day, and it can take hours for me to warm up. Even if I get under the covers with wool blankets and a heated mattress bad, it will still take hours to warm up again.

I just wonder if fatigue (PEM) is interfering with the body's ability to maintain homeostasis, i.e. adequate body temperature. My thyroid levels are fine, but I'm not a good converter of T4 to T3. With my current test results, I doubt if any doctor would recommend thyroid meds, but I might ask at the next visit.

I know there's a LONG list of symptoms that occur when someone gets PEM. I would appreciate it if people could just focus on the issue of being cold, and not all the other countless symptoms, because I've probably had them at one time or other too.

So who else freezes when they've overdone it or didn't sleep well the night before? Theoretical hypotheses and background regarding why this happens are welcome, if anyone would like to tackle that aspect. Thanks.

Yes- it is one of the first signs I have overdone it. I can wear layers of warm clothes and be under the bedclothes and I just can't get warm. My legs and feet are particularly icy, As my energy level rises again I warm up.l