Does climate affect autoimmune disease?

[Wabi Sabi Bee]

Hello! I would like to know if anyone experiences an exasperation of symptoms due to climate change - and, if so, is it the humidity, the cold, what?

I am a 54 year old woman who, after having several miscarriages 15 years ago, received a diagnosis of antiphospholipid antibody syndrome. I never had any other symptoms until recently. I also have had Raynaudes syndrome all of my adult life.

I have lived in California for 20 years but my grandchildren are in Minnesota. I recently bought a house in Minnesota in order to be close to them but my rheumatologist said (after the fact) that the cold weather could be a big problem for me and recommended that I sell the house and return to California in order to avoid having any vascular issues.

So, I decided to divide my time between the two states and to spend most of the wintertime in California. But, before I left for California, in mid-January, I found that my body had become very stiff and that it would take me three hours in the morning, in order to get moving. It got worse and worse. If I sat for two hours to watch a movie, I could not walk out of theatre. Then, I had an episode in which I could hardly walk, my body felt large and lumbering and out of control, and my feet were in pain.

When I told the rheumatologist about it, he said that he had been hoping to avoid such an onset and that it probably happened because of the weather. He said that I absolutely could not be in Minnesota in the cold weather and that if I do, I will end up disabled.

But, it is summer in Minnesota now and I am having extreme fatigue, difficulty getting up and moving, etc. Summers are humid in Minnesota and they are dry in California. So, I am trying to sort all of this out. I cannot find anything on the internet related to weather.

Has anyone experienced anything similar? Does anyone know about this? I would appreciate anything anyone has to say on this topic since I have been wrestling with my decision making all alone. Thank you.

[bandrews]

Hi,

This is a good post and I'm really glad you brought it up. I hope others will chime in here and give their opinions on this also.

I have been told by doctors that for Myasthenia Gravis ( MG ), both extreme heat and cold can exacerbate symptoms. Although I have never noticed extreme cold making me worse, I have noticed extreme heat causes flare ups. ( It could be that living in NC, we don't have too much "extreme" cold here. ) Personally, I think it's more the humidity combined with heat that is really bad, with humidity being the more evil of the 2. I don't have any way to validate that theory other than my own personal history.

Probably living in a mild climate with a low humidity would be ideal for folks with autoimmune illnesses. The ideal climate for me is probably 40-72 F with 50 dew point or less year round. That's my 2 cents.
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Barry Andrews
Forum Administrator

[Laura3walsh]

Hi there; I have dermatomyositis and accompanying psoriatic arthritis. As a child, I was told by a top pediatric rheumatologist that any major shift in my environment could contribute to pain and flare ups. Less than specific weather (minus sun aggrevation and cold weather pain) changing my environment rapidly frequently lead to flares.

I live in Northern Nevada, where we get both hot, dry summers and cold, wet winters. My pain and stiffness seems to be related to changes in barometric pressure rather than specific weather as well. I've frequently been called a walking weather station.

I can only offer you my opinion based on my illness and experiences, however I do notice a direct connection between climate and flares. Primarily, a shift for the worse in flexibility with cold, but also generally speaking in any large changes in weather (for example, hitting northern California on the coast in the summer, my symptoms tend to improve).

Try tracking your symptoms in relation to location, temp, humidity, and if you can access a barometer, try that as well. I've managed to adjust to rapidly changing climate in Nevada, however I do know winters are much harder than summers for me. Once you learn your patterns, it may be easier to adapt and control your symptoms.

[bandrews]

Hi,

That's interesting about the barometric pressure. I'm bit of a weather buff anyway, so it will be interesting to track that for myself.

Thanks for the post!
_________________
Barry Andrews
Forum Administrator

[alcyon73]

Yes, cold weather definitely can and will trigger raynaud's. Not only that, there are autoimmune disorders that are affected severely by cold weather.

I have essential cryoglobulinemia and when it is not in remission, cold weather will cause arthralgia, weakness and vasculitis.

If you live in a cold climate you need to get cryoglobulinemia treated and kept in remission or you will be very sick, if not disabled. It's bad news and not fun.

I hope this info helps.