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Can't seem to get warm enough
Can’t seem to get warm enough unless I’m lying directly in the sunlight, the more of me in the sun the better. I should mention that we live in snow country in an old steel sided farm house with a tremendous cold wall effect, especially in the room that I can use without taking a trip up our hazardous steep staircase (haven’t been up that staircase since I can’t remember when).
Husband has addressed this particular problem by jerry-rigging a clip on light that looks to me like a chick-warming lamp I once bought to keep my elderly stallion warmer in his run-in stall when he wanted to stand under it. It does seem to help some as long as it’s shining directly on me. It doesn’t really warm up the rest of me, however.
Pertinent medical information is that I was diagnosed a few months ago at age 73 with an inoperable pancreatic adenocarcinoma, and am currently being treated with Abraxane - Gemcitabine. My oncologist has adjusted the dosage down and prolonged the treatment interval thanks to various blips encountered - veins tended to “blow” soon after what seemed a successful phlebotomy (I now have a port) and my “elderly” bone marrow tended not to bounce back very vigorously.
I’ve now developed a somewhat unusual symptom of a sensation of having “tight feet.” I think this might be related to “chemo feet” since the first time after chemo I felt as if I had no idea where my feet were.
To stop this rambling trip down memory lane here, my questions are
(1) how many of you do experience difficulty in staying warm enough.
(2) if you’ve solved the problem to your satisfaction
(A) was another treatable cause identified? [I had thyroid testing at my last appointment and the result was WNL (within normal limits)]
(B) if you are dealing with this complication what are you doing that seems to work?
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Thank you. I thought I had seen something on such a topic, but couldn't remember the initials. Maybe this is it. I too thought it might be nothing more than quackery, but thought I had found a more scientific reference to how skin responds to light (the vast majority of internet "hits") relate to preventing sunburn and other skin damage.
I was diagnosed with iron deficiency anemia, due to an allergic reaction to antibiotics, my ferritin was very low for months and I recently got 5 iron infusions, however I am still very cold. My red blood cell count went down also from this.
This has been going on for a year now, and I’m not able to work.
Is there anyone that can help me with this? Or refer me to a good doctor.
Thanks
Adam
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2 ReactionsWelcome, Adam. Feeling warm on the inside is a real struggle with anemia. Members like @susan159 @ajh5285 @loribmt and many others know this first hand.
That's why I moved your question to this existing discussion:
- Can't seem to get warm enough https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/cant-seem-to-get-warm-enough/
Click the link to see previous helpful posts and connect with others who have also dealt with keeping warm while anemic.
You might also be interested in this related discussion:
- Iron Deficiency Anemia: At what ferritin level do you get infusions?
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/iron-deficiency-anemia-is-terrible/
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2 ReactionsI often wear a jacket inside our house, even though we keep the thermostat set at 77. I also carry a jacket when I go to a grocery store. The odd thing is that I get hot at night and have night sweats.
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2 ReactionsFirst time in recent memory, I actually woke up warm enough to take off covers & layers. Not sure what was key - I did have a protein-heavy "snack" at midnight, which meant that I had little appetite for breakfast abt 8:30 AM; I also slept with my head covered since the conditioner I'm using for my scalp smells so attractive & 'tis the season for flies to keep coming in the house!
I wonder if you have any other symptoms than being cold. Any tingling or burning or ??? Have you had chemotherapy?
Ooops - missed the beginning where you were talking about chemo. Gemcitabine is not a high risk for Peripheral neuropathy, but Abraxane has a higher risk. I am a 3x Ovarian Cancer survivor. I've had carboplatin and paclitaxol and then the Gemcitabine the 3rd time. I had the same "freezing all the time" and the cold became painful for me. I had some neuropathy after each of cancers/chemos but in January of 2021 PN "blew up" in my whole body. A neurologist did EMG testing for large nerve fiber damage and a skin biopsy for small nerve fiber damage. I have small nerve fiber damage and take Cymbalta which helps, but not cures, as there is no cure for PN. Just a thought that PN might be part of the sensitivity to cold issue.
Have yoy beem tested for HYPOTHROIDISM?
Gina5009