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OMG.. Heat intolerance after chemo!

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  • kicks
    kicks Member Posts: 319
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    WalMart has some 'inexpensive' (cheap -under $20) eletric bankie/ throw that I have for laying on the couch. I use mine yr round watching TV on the couch.

  • GoldenWay
    GoldenWay Member Posts: 2
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    Me too...heat intolerance since Dose Dense ACT chemo. I told my Oncologist about it last summer, and she agreed it was the chemo. I asked her if I would always have it and I was told "sometimes it goes away and sometimes it is permanent". At least she admitted that it can be a common problem related to chemo. I don't think my body is sweating properly, almost no sweating from my good underarm. The cancer side doesn't sweat at all. I seem to sweat most through my face and neck. I am now in my second summer since Chemo, it is a tiny bit better. I used to feel like I was going to faint as soon as I was outside. We are going to sell our houseboat because I can no longer be out on the lake. We have had it for 15 years and I'm heart broken that this will no longer be a part of our lives. Cancer has changed my life in so many ways.

  • minustwo
    minustwo Member Posts: 13,090
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    GoldenWay - Are you still on hormonal therapy? Once that's done things should get better.

    I didn't have hormonal therapy but it still took me 3 years to get my heat control back. I too don't sweat under my arms anymore, but I'm sweating other places now. I'd hold off selling the house boat unless you absolutely have to do so.

  • GoldenWay
    GoldenWay Member Posts: 2
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    Minus Two, Thanks for the kind reply. I've been on Tamoxifen for one year. I have at least 4 years to go, possibly more. I do get hot flashes from the Tamoxifen, but it is much better than is was. However, it seems different than the heat intolerance.

  • castigame
    castigame Member Posts: 336
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    As soon as I started chemo, my own body thermostat broke. Hot and cold every other second. My heat tolerance level went up by 5 degrees plus. My DH tries his best to accomodate wifey even if that means him sitting in a sauna like temp in the house. Now I am done w chemo. I am crossing my fingers to have old mimi back.

    Mimi





  • pixiemuse
    pixiemuse Member Posts: 20
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    definitely not alone. I live in Arizona, The only place I sweat is on my head since chemo and bi lat mast. The foobs stay ice cold since no blood supply tissue etc... and I gush head sweat. Ended up buying heaps of cold towels and cooling headbands as I love to hike and of course headlamp so I can hike before sun up. But if I'm in direct sun for more then 10 mins my head is like a garden sprinkler and I can't regulate body temp without cold towels. And the foobs remain like ice...

  • shellsatthebeach
    shellsatthebeach Member Posts: 50
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    I was never one to tolerate heat for long periods, but while on chemo, I had very little tolerance. During one bout of a heat wave, I came out of my air conditioned bedroom to do a few simple chores. While doing dishes, I could feel my bald head start to sweat and felt very dizzy and weak. I thought I would pass out. I was alone and knew I needed to get back in a cool area. I started toward the stairs, which felt like I was climbing Mount Everest. By the time I reached my room I literally collapsed on the bed and the bed felt like it was spinning. Within a few minutes the feel of the cold air conditioning and ceiling fan brought me back to life. It was unsettling but happened twice until I decided no house work during the day in the heat. Now I'm experiencing chills every now in again in this fall weather. Seems my body is having a hard time regulating itself.

  • Lola10
    Lola10 Member Posts: 1
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    I am 4 1/2 years out from my last chemo and still have that horrible and painful feeling of ants stinging me when my body starts to warm up. Being outside in the Texas heat makes it even worse. It absolutely makes my skin crawl and on occasions, like today, just walking the dog ... I felt like I could not breathe. I first told my Oncologist about this in 2016 and she told me that she had never been told that by a patient. Trust me , the feeling is real. I used to love being outside and now can’t. I finally found others that experienced the same. My only relief is to stick my hands in very cold water once I get inside.

  • OnTarget
    OnTarget Member Posts: 124
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    I had heat intolerance last summer during chemo. I would just get extremely weak when I got too hot and I'd feel almost like I'd pass out at times.

    It went away after chemo ended (and after the hot weather went away).

    This summer, I'm back to normal and I don't seem to have any heat issues.

  • Woodangel3
    Woodangel3 Member Posts: 1
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    I just sent a message to my doctor about that. I just finished my 11 months treatment, 3 weeks ago and I am feeling the same thing after chemo. My doctor said sometimes chemotherapy may just make you feel more sensitive to the heat. and she recommend just trying to keep cool and monitoring for now.

    God bless you!

  • sarahsmilesatme
    sarahsmilesatme Member Posts: 53
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    Hello ! I’m so glad I saw this post; not sure how I never saw this previously. I have no solutions, but will offer my experience to-date. I finished Cytoxan & Taxotere in Dec 2019 & started Letrozole in March. I’ve always been cold natured; but this past winter was worse than usual. I actually bought a portable heater, positioned it to blast right at me, and carried it from room to room. When I mentioned that I thought the chemo impacted my body temp, I was met with a blank stare. Now fast forward to summer... I sweat like crazy (water running down my face, off my (now) short hair. And the creepy-crawling skin! When I’m hot, my skin feels so strange. I mentioned this to my MO, and she suggested that I use more lotion (huh?). She also is not familiar with this side effect (from chemo or Letrozole). Hopefully, one of us will have a solution one day. In the meantime, thanks for listening!

  • msphil
    msphil Member Posts: 185
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    hello all chemo treatment took me into early menopause period stopped too that was a good thing. So yes i was hot all the time and period came off and on till it finally stopped altogether. But Praise God im now this yr a 26yr Survivor so with Hope and Positive thoughts got me thru. msphil idc stage2 0/3 nodes 3 mo chemo before and after Lmast got married as planned and then 7wks rads and 5yrs on Tamoxifen.