I’ve noticed since the bleed/stroke when the weather is cloudy or stormy, my balance is off and I feel weak. My avm stroke caused me to be dizzy, nauseous, and it gave me serious balance issues, as a matter of fact a few days after the stroke I couldn’t sit up without falling over. I can now walk and I still take a cane when I go outside, don’t need it all the time, but it is a safety measure or paranoia LOL.
I was just wondering if anyone else symptoms get worse when it is cloud/stormy ??
I don’t know that clouds or stormy weather play much of a part in my case, but the heat sure does! It can leave me feeling very dizzy and worn-out. Sure, I know that heat does this to pretty much anyone, and it has always bothered me, it’s just more so since my surgery.
Thanks Jake,
It’s not too hot in Philadelphia yet so I don’t know how the heat will effect me since the stroke.
Stormy weather had me off balance and weak all weekend. I told my husband that I thought it
was going to rain or something on Sunday. He said, “No, it’s sunny out”. Two hours later we had a hail
storm with hail as big as moth balls, if you know how big moth balls are LOL. I read about cloudy weather changing the pressure outside, therefore it would change it inside your body as well. If you have a problem, such as arthritis it could cause you pain because of the change in pressure could cause your bones to shift. I knew that my knee bothered me when it rained and I just couldn’t go along with the old wise tale about rain and arthritis pain. I knew it had to be some science behind it. Since I’ve had the stroke, I’ve noticed I am more off balance and weak when the weather is cloudy.
my symptoms have always gotten worse before it rains or is really stormy. I can even tell the people around me over a day in advance if it is going to be a bad one or a small one. My headache always seems to get horrible before, during and after a storm. It gets so OLD!!! I have also noticed that heat also seems to make things much worse too…if only I could handle it in a place the is always cold! lol I’m not a person that can handle the cold…your probably thinking “but you live in Indiana” and that is enough for me. But we did think for a while about moving to Alaska to see if it would actually help me out any. but i decided against it because I love swimming and being comfortable outside…so we didnt move.
Yes Ameenah, I too experience some of those symptoms when it’s stormy. Also for some reason when it rains and storms the plates in my head itch like there’s bugs crawling on my head. It drives me crazy. Good to know it’s not just me!
Hi Amanda and Brittany, It is so good to be here and talk to people that know what I’m talking about.
My husband is probably saying to himself," I always new she was crazy" LOL LOL.
I’m glad it’s not just me. I haven’t had surgery yet, I hope it doesn’t get worst after that.
Brittany, Alaska sounds nice, except for the cold.LOL I wanted to move to Chicago, I’m scared of the cold weather there too.
Actually, I’ve noticed that with heavy storms, I feel a lot more off balance as well. I live in Oklahoma, and it’s approaching tornado season, and that always wreaks havoc with my headaches and dizzyness. So no, you aren’t alone. It happens with the heat as well, like Jake was saying. If I get too hot I get dizzy and lightheaded. I think I’d have to agree with you about the pressure thing.
As you know I’m glad I’m not the only one, we do what we have to for safety or paranoia LOL.
I haven’t had my surgery yet, I was very afraid of it, but after listening to people in the group
and talking to a few doctors, I feel a lot better about it.
I’ll have to wait and see if I will have as many limits after surgery as I have now.
I don’t try to do as much as I use to, but I know I can’t lift or strain so I don’t try. It’s weird, I stopped lifting a lot before I knew I had the avm. I stopped because I was perimenopausal and I thought the lifting was causing me other problems. Thank God I stopped about two years before the bleed.
I was not very active in the street, but I was in the middle of remodeling my house when I had the stroke.
I’ve fixed up a new office for myself since the stroke. Well lets say, I delegated LOL. I’m use to doing a lot in my house, but I have slowed down since the bleed. I tell people I don’t complain about what I can’t do, after what I went through, I’m glad to be here to do anything:)
Hey Cassie,
I think it is better to know that weather plays a role in how we feel so
it won’t make us too nervous. We can say, "Oh it’s just the weather:)"
I use to think I was about to have another bleed or something.
Every day it seems I notice something about myself and my limitations since my bleed/surgery. The whole thing has been fascinating to me in a warped sort of way. It’s so good to have others experience what I experience and to be able to relate to them. No one else truly understands, much as they may want to.
That is so true, I took my daughter to the open house at Howard U. and I couldn’t keep up with her and my husband going up a hill. It took me so long to get to the top.
I thank God for my children and my husband, they are my main source of help.
If I talk about what’s going on with me too much, most people shy away.
I’m thankful for this site, you can talk about it and find people who have
experienced the same thing too.
Ameenah,
Chicago is pretty nice…i go to the headache clinic there…it gets a lot cooler up there. But I jsut love the sunshine too much and being able to go outside and be comfortable! I dont think I would ever want to live there, the people there are so hateful and rude. If you stop at a yellow light they almost jump out of their cars and they cuss at you and flip you off. It is nuts. Lol…but i’m from a VERY small town less than 6000 people in the entire county.
Hello my sister…
Weather channel would be out of business if I opened a shop. Your husband should ALWAYS listen to your words-about everything including weather. Pressure changes and movements and on and on…
Eight years later I can still call the days coming up to changes in weather. It is a gift-I think…
Hey Brittney, I’ve lived in New York City, so the people in Chicago are a piece of cake to me.
When I moved to New York, I was the only person saying “excuse me”. LOL People would almost knock me down and they would just keep walking. LOL That was a long time ago, I was in my early twenties then, I know I can’t live in NY now.
Dear Ameenah,
I hope you are feeling well today (despite the weather). I too had an AVM bleed and I must say that I have become a walking weather forecaster. I totally feel off balance, weak, speech is effected and I don’t feel like I do any other day when it’s about to rain, snow or damp out. I was told by a PT that it had something to do with the swelling in our head that has an impact on these issues. I discovered I developed vestibular after the surgery which unfortunately hasn’t really subsided. I had to use a wheelchair and walker too. I also could not sit up for quite sometime after surgery so all this is normal. Thank G-d your alive to talk to us all. Good luck!
Susanne
Thanks Suzanne, Thank God we are all still here. Right before we had the hail storm, I was holding on to the walls when I was walking around. I guess April will be a little rough because it rains a lot. I’m going to look up vestibular, I don’t know what that is.
I’ve was in rehab after the stroke and had to learn to walk again, I have to go again after the surgery.
My bleed stopped on its own, but embolization and craniotomy is the treatment that is recommended.
I live in Florida and I can always tell if a serious storm is going to roll through or just an everyday-in-the-summer shower. The change is pressure always throws me off and brings discomfort. Thank you for posting this discussion because now I know I’m not the only one. It’ll be easier to tell myself, “It’s just the weather, it’ll pass” and actually believe it.
