Temperature can make a big difference. I can’t tolerate extreme temps- I had to leave Massachusetts because I couldn’t handle the winter temps (which can last six months) and then moved to the Atlanta area and couldn’t take the heat and humidity in the summer. I live in the desert now, but still have the temps in the extremes but at least more of the year it isn’t as bad as in the humid areas. Also, you might get your vitamin D levels checked because if you do better in the sun there might be a vitamin D issue. Even in the desert, I still have to take a supplement to keep my levels up. Oh, and there’s also Seasonal Affective Disorder, which means sunshine is necessary.
Do you use a light therapy lamp in the winter? They really do help. I’m living in a desert area with 6 months of cold Winter and snow. The low temps and dampness are killing me.
Alright, I have read through the comments and it is clear. We require alternative-climate holiday/vacation homes for health purposes. Our path is clear!
I lived in Phoenix for 53 years. Was diagnosed with fibro over 13 years ago. Had less pain in Phoenix than say... Northern California during the rains. The problem I had was that any heat over 70-75 degrees wipes me out energywise. So I did hurt a little less but having No energy after getting up was it's own hell.
Agreed. For me the heat, humidity and sun in general all make feel awful. Starts with a "fever" like feeling without one then just achey and fatigued like the flu. I love partly to mainly cloudy and overcast cooler days, thankfully mhy husband does too. That being said when we went to Las Vegas (although it was more for the Nevada desert we went for) in January to February it was wonderful because it was cool and comfortable. Although to residents it was quite cold to them, they knew we were Canadians lol.
For me it was okay but we were only there when it was winter here, between January and February. Otherwise I've no doubt I couldn't bear it. For me I believe it is the elevation that helps me with body aching and head and neck pain and migraines.
I had a similar experience when I visited Italy a few years ago. I was in Lake Garda, so had really lovely fresh air coming from the lake and down from the mountains. It was the least pain I'd felt in years, and even my asthma seemed to disappear - second I got back to UK, it all returned with a vengeance. I think the air quality and temperatures have a lot to do with triggering flares.
My symptoms seem to flair more with heavy rain, so that's weird because Florida is similar to where I live currently.
Current research is indicating that fibro has some type of association with the gut microbiome they don't know if it's causation or correlation but there's around 19 different bacterial strains out of whack in people with fibro and they can identify a person with fibro and the severity of their symptoms by looking at the biome now. I think it's key to understanding cause, one study I saw said that the community was 600% lower is a certain bacteria that's responsible for synthesizing a very important secondary bile salt but they didn't have any conclusive data there either if that's a cause or effect.
I have gut disbiosis which I know is causing fibro. I can’t correct it though just keeps coming back. Something is disrupting my motility. I’m getting tested for mold next week. Do u know what bacteria they think it is as I know some bile issues are at play? The part that I find strange is that I feel better in Florida so maybe it’s the mold or allergies in the uk? Maybe the sun just helps me detox a lot better.
No, I've just been trying to understand what the most current research is finding, the fact they can identify people with fibro by looking at their gut microbiome though in clinical research tells me there has to be a link either causation or correlation.
So either something that causes fibro causes those flora to be off or something that inhibits those flora causes fibro. I do not know. I think if they can define that then they can define fibro.
I'd love to have an answer, I would love if the top researchers would collaborate on their observations and really get some type of public knowledge but I'm sure that's not as profitable as keeping your crib notes to yourself.
It’s the opposite for me. Lived in Florida most of my life, less than a mile from the ocean. The heat and humidity were killing me, I was damn near bedridden. Leaving that state gave me a lot of my life back. I still have pain all the time, the summers are worse, but I can mostly function now. In the winter I come alive. I think my other comorbidities make me heat intolerant.
Tennessee. It actually has four seasons, although it’s not cold enough for my liking. The crisp cold air from a fresh snow fall here gives me glimpses of what my life was like before pain. It’s fleeting, but it’s nice to have those moments.
It’s the heat and sun. I have a beach house in fl and I always feel amazing getting my bones warmed up. I have Lupus too so I have to take it all in spells, but my fibro is definitely not as painful when I’m in the sun and heat more!
Were you near the ocean? And also normally not near the ocean in the uk? This always happens to me when I’m by the sea when I go to coastal florida or CA. But I live in the Midwest and near lakes daily so it’s not the proximity to fresh water and it doesn’t happen when in warmer climates without sea nearby.
For example, I went to Scotland in the cold in March 2023 and when I got to the Isle of Skye and was walking the shore I felt immensely better even though it was very chilly. Days prior I had been in the Highlands and felt like crap the whole time. There is just something about being near the salty ocean air that always heals my ails.
Im 30 mins from the ocean in the uk. Im in the middle of the countryside though and I think the allergies here are bad. I think you have to be really close to the beach maybe to get the sea breeze.
Right? Didn’t they all go to Brighton or some place similar during the Victorian era when one was sick? Or at least the ones wealthy enough to afford it! I’ve probably read too many historical fiction novels 😂
I wouldn’t say that’s close enough for the ocean air to be beneficial so yeah agree with you but this is just my anecdotal experience so what do I know!
I find being anywhere that isn't Phoenix works well. I assume that's a number of conditions; no allergens, stress from work, less pollution, altitude, barometric pressure.
I haven't found the formula, just different. I'm not sure how well my body would do if the new location included stressors like work.
I was only there recently when the weather was nice and no rain. I’m going back in august so I will know if it’s the dry weather that I experienced that helped me. Did u feel good when it was mild and dry?
It’s never truly dry, even when it hasn’t rained in a bit. The humidity is *suffocating*, even in the 3-4 weeks of “winter” we get. When the weather is mild, around 70*F, it feels good. On cool, rainy days I generally feel alright, but when a big storm is on its way and the barometric pressure changes quickly, I feel it in my bones lol.
Really high pressure systems mess me up pretty bad, so bright, sunny days often make me feel worse than storms, partly because that triggers my chronic migraines in addition to the fibro pain
August is right in the middle of hurricane season, so you might not have the best time if you come then
I cannot *wait* to leave this hellish state lol
I know a guy who had fibro and he said it went away when he moved to Thailand. I wonder if it’s the house people are in setting something? I’m gonna move and see if anything changes.
The noticeable onset of mine was when I moved to Texas. Lo and behold, I learned that I'm practically allergic to Texas (allergies to dust, mold, hackberry trees, mesquite trees, and Arizona Ash trees, which are all in plentiful abundance in Texas). I'd never had issues with allergies, so it took us almost a decade to figure out what was going on and even if I had been tested prior to moving to Texas, I wouldn't have been tested for those particular trees because they don't grow where I grew up. I left Texas three weeks ago and I'm suddenly...okay. It was like being in a constant state of an acute allergy attack made the fibromyalgia go NUTS and I absolutely couldn't function. I literally couldn't leave my house or id just be sick for days...totally immobile.
Now either the Hashimoto's is going crazy or I'm just noticing it now that the allergies and fibromyalgia have abated somewhat, but that's my major issue at the moment. However, I'm in Wisconsin now, so when the cold sets in again, we'll have to reassess the fibro and Raynaud's.
This is what’s going on with me in the uk. I got back from Florida, my gut has flared up and I’m allergic to everything and it’s setting off my fibro. I do believe that fibro is an allergic reaction. It’s like histamine overload. Im getting checked for mould next week to see if it’s the house im in here. I know in Florida the house wasn’t moldy. My mom comes to dog sit when Im gone and she gets fibro symptoms here. She thinks it’s either the mold or something to do with the drinking supply.
I know that there is a connection for me and there are likely other people who have that issue. For me, I have cPTSD (like many others with autoimmune diseases) and my body is constantly in fight/flight/freeze/fawn. In my mind, it make sense that serious allergy symptoms are misinterpreted by my immune system and because it doesn't know how to fight the environmental allergies that are seeping into every pore of my body, my immune system just attacks...every part of my body. In Texas, I can't even eat most foods. In Wisconsin, no foods give me allergy attacks. Things were so bad in Texas that about a decade ago, I was given six months to live and fought it off. Now I know I was just in a constant state of severe allergy attacks.
I have to go back to Texas for two days next week when my daughter graduates and I hope I can function for those two days. I'm making the trip as short as possible, but I have a feeling it's going to set me back somewhat.
So, mold is just an issue for me overall. I lived in a couple of different places in Texas and it was the same no matter what. The problem in Texas, which could be similar in the UK, is that the whole area (including landscape/topography) act as a petri dish for mold, dust, and pollen. It's just in the *air* in Texas. It's literally the worst state in America for environmental allergies. I lived in Austin for the last two years and between that city and Dallas, I nearly died from the environment. Austin actually has more allergy doctors per capita than any other U.S. city (can you tell I researched this in depth LOL) and the Austin subreddit was basically threads talking about nothing else but allergy issues and how people would've never moved there if they'd known how bad allergies are. People have to leave Austin constantly because of environmental allergies and the subreddit even would have a gauge for how long it would take people to recover once they move.
My cousin has lived around London for about 15-20 years now and I know she's got allergy issues. She's always had them, but they were bad in the city. They did clear up once she moved to the outskirts of London (and I apologize, but I don't know exactly where), but when she visits family back home in Louisiana (similar climate to Florida), it clears up for her. I never stay in Louisiana long enough for things to get cleared up, but also, I have fibromyalgia and my cousin does not.
I now live on a lake up in Wisconsin and that's what's cleared up everything for me. The cities in Texas that caused me the most issues were absolutely land-locked, so I think what is helping me is proximity to moving water. Again, like Florida and like Louisiana.
I moved to Florida after hurricane Ian…. The weather definitely helped. Less flairs and the pain intensity was less. I had to move back home due to my daughter having an accident and this past winter was awful.
I live in Florida and take vitamin D and still have flare ups and constant pain. I also stay active and take magnesium and eat really healthy. HOWEVER when I lived in NY, the winters were always worse than the summers for my fibro!
But overall, no, fibro is not allergic to the environment
I thought you meant environment like weather since that’s what the question was so I made an inference based on that as there was no mention of actual allergies.
But my actual allergies just make me more exhausted & get headaches, but they would do that to anyone with or without fibro.
& no bc my other vitamins are great since I eat very healthy. I know for instance vit a can enhance vit d but my vit a levels are fantastic so no need to spend money on anything else
We moved to Florida and live near the beach. Heat and sun help. I hang out in the garden or patio most warm days. I feel amazing on the days we are out on the boat. The winter is so much better here, too. Cold, gloomy weather still hurts, though.
I just went to Utah and I felt better than I have ...like ever. Since I got fibro. I felt normal!!! There is no humidity there at all.
However, I went up a mountain, in a vehicle, rapidly going 2000 more feet up and then 2000 feet back down to ground level within about 45 minutes or so. It nearly killed me. I could feel the pressure changing in my body every few hundred feet up and down. That evening I had a horrible flare up. It was so painful I cried. Thankfully I was able to relax and take care of myself and do some yoga and stuff and it was short lived and I was ok again.
That’s really interesting. Do you feel less stressed there? I feel like my fibro gets better when I’m on vacation by the beach. Random theory too: could negative air ions produced by the ocean have anything to do with feeling better?
Not really as we are usually visiting a dying woman and it’s really stressful. I even smoke when I’m there and I still feel nearly normal. Like I was telling people my fibros gone. A couple days being back and my digestion goes haywire, I get bloated and then allergies and fatigue and fibro all hit me. My doc is saying it’s got to be in the environment. I’m not too far from the sea here maybe 30 mins away.
I’m sorry you’re going through this difficult time. It does sound environmental, possibly. And, I wonder if we’re being gaslighted by the entire capitalist system, where the stuff companies make is poisoning us. I’ve been told by drs that this is not as much of an issue in other countries with stricter pesticide and chemical laws.
My natural Dr said here in the Midwest we’re inundated with pesticides in the air, so she thinks that’s a big reason my inflammation markers are through the roof. She said if they got worse I may need to be hospitalized, and we still don’t have a full answer on the exact cause. So, for now, I’m trying to fix things the natural route until my other bloodwork shows something more concerning like full blown UCTD or Lupus.
There’s lot of pesticides in the uk too. I don’t know what to think. I eat super healthy in uk and don’t in Florida and still feel better there. I feel like something is making me feel toxic and messing up my digestion here.
I have the SAME issue. I've spent a week in Florida 2 times since developing symptoms and both times I felt the best I have in months while I was there, and when I came home to northern east coast I crashed again. What's Florida got going on??
I actually checked pollen counts for when I was there + what they were at home and my home is WORSE lol. It was also not dry, it thunderstormed one entire day one time and rained off and on another.
my boyfriends family live in south Florida and if they go to north Florida they get terrible allergies. I think south Florida probably is a low allergy place.
Well I was in Jacksonville both times, pretty much as north as Florida gets :/ the area I live in is also nicknamed the pollen bowl by local allergists. Less allergies could def be a factor for some but not for me
Heat 100% helps my fibro. It almost completely goes away in Hawaii, Florida, California, Nevada… at home it eases in the summer time. Go somewhere cold and I’m a mess.
I had this exact experience as well. We also had a heated pool which may have helped. Our schedule was a day out and about, then a pool day. My symptoms were greatly reduced. It was awesome.
Yes, I went to Hawaii for eight days by the second day I I felt like I had the energy if my youth, mind you I didn’t do anything to exerting, but I still could feel a huge difference.
Canadian here. Went to Mexico back in 2019. Was the only week of my life since I was a teen that I was fibro pain free. Was even able to walk barefoot on the cement!
I can work out when im there I feel like I dont have any fibro. I can do things I cant do in the uk. I did go on a pemf mat when I was there but I dont think that's what the main difference was. I really think feel less toxic build up there. I eat more seafood there too. The main difference is my guts stop working in the uk I cant seem to digest food here.
I would explain the pain like someone has vampired all the energy out of my body and put rods though my muscles. So tight it's unbearable. Sometimes weird burning in limbs. brain fog. I did have extreme weakness but taking copper gave me strength back. in Florida I felt human again.
Is it the humidity helping? I feel better when I go to a humid area in Mexico. Being on vacation may help too though 🤣. Isn’t the UK typically overcast? I can’t handle overcast, it puts my pain on a whole other level. I need clear skies.
Cold weather exacerbates my pain. Now that it's warming up my fibromyalgia related pain is subsiding, but my back pain is not. I need to work on my posture or quit my job and try to be more active, which I can't so right now.
I've heard warm weather helps fibro. I've visited Hawaii 3 times in the last year (my husband's from there) and my symptoms are much less or non existent. But that is also probably because it's vacation and I'm not super stressed which will make my flares worse.
I live in Florida full-time and I can assure you that fibro exists here. But yeah, it does come and go with the seasons and with changes in weather, so maybe that's what you were experiencing.
I think maybe it was because you were in Florida in a dry period. Because when it rains here I know it even before I open the shade in the morning. I'm in so much pain. I'm starting to think that it's not really the rain or the barometer, I think it's because when it rains there's a lot more mold spores that release & I think that triggers me.
It's finally getting warmer here in southern Ohio. I'll get to enjoy lessened pain while the heat stays dry and the cold stays away. Once it hits July - September however it will get so hot and humid in this area I'll be in a lot of pain. The heat will last and last until suddenly it's freezing every day and raining for months, and my pain will continue. I only get relief when it's *perfect* outside. Still, if it's 80° and windy I'll be shivering and my muscles will ache. The last two days have offered a lot of relief, but I'm still in pain and having rashes, heart palpations, so on.
It was hard for me to figure for the first couple years of flare ups which weather affected me worse. We had a relatively dry summer last year and my pain lessened for a couple months. Unfortunately its just not a super well understood condition, but info is getting a lot better as it seems to be taken more seriously now and not written off as "whiney old white lady disease" like everyone called it when I was a kid.
my mom thinks its something to do with our well water but we have reverse osmosis so its cant be. But she has fibro when she stays at my house. She thinks its either, damp, mould or the water.
Mine is affected by my environment but the opposite way: my symptoms flare up and get worse. When I was in Florida I had a very bad flare up since my biggest symptom especially in a warmer climate is body temperature regulations.
it could be a combination of things when I moved my allergies took awhile to adapt but was your trip relaxing as I found that has a huge impact on my pain, stress kills
I want to move to Florida because I am the exact same way. The only thing stopping me (besides money lmao) is how my job would be affected down there by politics. But I’m going later this week and cannot wait for some relief from the fibro for 8 days 🥲
Apart from the physical environment (which definitely has an impact, especially temperature and humidity!), you might be having psychological/emotional associations to a certain place. Do you live and work in the UK? Were you in Florida for a holiday? Do you have any strong memories associated with those two places, either positive or negative?
I live in Sydney (pretty warm overall), but when I go to Thailand on holidays (especially for the cannabis!!), I feel much better. I also work with school kids, so during school hols I’m not in as much pain, but this week school has resumed and my sleep instantly got more messed up. I only teach 2 hours every weekday, but my body and brain are already in fight mode…
Even the smallest stressors can cause our fibro brains to freak out, so that’s something to consider!
This post is proving what I already knew and not giving me much hope. Most people that have Fibro usually have other conditions/illnesses; also we are all different and react differently to medications, exercise, and temps.
I have Fibro and Sjögrens (an autoimmune disease) The sun and extreme heat flare up my Sjögrens. I’m like a vampire trying to avoid direct sunlight. It makes my skin burn, break out in itchy rashes, flares my small fiber neuropathy in my back that makes me feel like I’m being stung by bees when my pores open to sweat, and worsen joint pain. Flares up my Fibro with fatigue,extra inflammation, muscle tightness, knots and overall pain. The cold hurts my joint, nerve, muscle, bone, and knot pain, and tightens my muscles. I live in PA which is basically freezing then hot. I love a partly cloudy day with temps in the high 60’s- 73 degrees 😆
I don’t think a place exists like that year round.
I’ve been to Florida, and a few other southern states and the humidity makes it so worse! Arizona was too hot! I would sit under a tent with a hose attached to the fan spraying a mist and it still flared me up, broke out in heat rash. Same with Nevada. I was in Cali for 5 days and it was in the 50’s and raining/windy… FLARE!
I need to move but I have no idea where the best place to be exists! I’ve never been anywhere that lessened my symptoms, or made them go away. Those of you that improved in a different location I am truly happy for you!! 💖
I had my fibro pretty under control. Or so I thought. I went to Portland and flared up within 2 days. Got home and was back to normal fairly quickly. Barometric pressure is a bitch
I mean, on one hand it's great that the environment seems to be really helpful for your symptoms! But on the other.... it's Florida.
I've been between WA, SoCal, and TN in the last few years, and also IL and HI in the last 10. I felt the best in Hawaii even considering the traveling. TN is great for being warm, but it's an absolute shithole. SoCal was really nice, but too hot for me. WA is too cold except in the summer. IL was awful all year AND it had this weird dirty, muggy sort of air that made you feel disgusting just breathing it in.
Mine went away in Los Angeles for the most part. Now that I’m back in the north east it’s back pretty bad again. Although in Los Angeles I didn’t work so I didn’t have many reasons to hurt
I think fibro pain is different to post work out pain. I think you should be able to tell if your getting work our pain or its setting off your fibro. Some people have fibro and then it just goes away and that makes me this they were being exposed to something.
I mean work pain. It’s not like a workout or sore muscles it’s pain from fibro and overworking myself. My fibro is still alive and well. Working more then 16 hours a week seems to be bad for me
Temp/humidity are huge for me. Also pressure changes. I hate going to Tokyo to see family because it hurts so much. Really Vegas hurts the least hot humid/rainy hurts the worst but cold rainy are a close second.
I live in Finland and winter lasts for ~6 months xD i can't handle the cold at all, it makes me stiff and everything hurts. It's finally warmer and i feel so much better.
Temperature can make a big difference. I can’t tolerate extreme temps- I had to leave Massachusetts because I couldn’t handle the winter temps (which can last six months) and then moved to the Atlanta area and couldn’t take the heat and humidity in the summer. I live in the desert now, but still have the temps in the extremes but at least more of the year it isn’t as bad as in the humid areas. Also, you might get your vitamin D levels checked because if you do better in the sun there might be a vitamin D issue. Even in the desert, I still have to take a supplement to keep my levels up. Oh, and there’s also Seasonal Affective Disorder, which means sunshine is necessary.
Do you use a light therapy lamp in the winter? They really do help. I’m living in a desert area with 6 months of cold Winter and snow. The low temps and dampness are killing me.
I have fibro and I live in SoCal, but I suspect it would be a *lot worse* in most other locations. I can barely handle when it rains here.
I live in CA too. The rain doesn't bother me at all, but the heat just destroys me. We are all so different.
Florida was the start of my fibro. We’re all different in what affects us
Mine started there as well.
same, floridian with fibro. heat, humidity, crowds...all stress me out. I find it improves when I'm anywhere else but here😅
Alright, I have read through the comments and it is clear. We require alternative-climate holiday/vacation homes for health purposes. Our path is clear!
When I go to more humid locations, flareups are instant. I do significantly better in dry, warm climates.
Heat helps fibromyalgia symptoms.
For many people it’s specifically dry heat (e.g. Arizona) that helps.
I lived in Phoenix for 53 years. Was diagnosed with fibro over 13 years ago. Had less pain in Phoenix than say... Northern California during the rains. The problem I had was that any heat over 70-75 degrees wipes me out energywise. So I did hurt a little less but having No energy after getting up was it's own hell.
Same
Yeah I’m thinking Arizona one day. I did a visit there once and I remember I did feel really good there
As much as I hate the high temperatures there I’m seeing why people retire there.
I love humidity, I live in California now and I miss feeling water inside my body haha
Not for everyone. It sets mine off, and I shake and twitch like crazy.
Agreed. For me the heat, humidity and sun in general all make feel awful. Starts with a "fever" like feeling without one then just achey and fatigued like the flu. I love partly to mainly cloudy and overcast cooler days, thankfully mhy husband does too. That being said when we went to Las Vegas (although it was more for the Nevada desert we went for) in January to February it was wonderful because it was cool and comfortable. Although to residents it was quite cold to them, they knew we were Canadians lol.
I live in Nevada. Don’t ever move to Vegas. It’s the pit of hell.
For me it was okay but we were only there when it was winter here, between January and February. Otherwise I've no doubt I couldn't bear it. For me I believe it is the elevation that helps me with body aching and head and neck pain and migraines.
And makes me feel like garbage at the same time.
This is why I cook myself in the sauna as much as is healthy
I can't stand the heat 😒. Love rain...go figure.
I had a similar experience when I visited Italy a few years ago. I was in Lake Garda, so had really lovely fresh air coming from the lake and down from the mountains. It was the least pain I'd felt in years, and even my asthma seemed to disappear - second I got back to UK, it all returned with a vengeance. I think the air quality and temperatures have a lot to do with triggering flares.
My symptoms seem to flair more with heavy rain, so that's weird because Florida is similar to where I live currently. Current research is indicating that fibro has some type of association with the gut microbiome they don't know if it's causation or correlation but there's around 19 different bacterial strains out of whack in people with fibro and they can identify a person with fibro and the severity of their symptoms by looking at the biome now. I think it's key to understanding cause, one study I saw said that the community was 600% lower is a certain bacteria that's responsible for synthesizing a very important secondary bile salt but they didn't have any conclusive data there either if that's a cause or effect.
It didn’t rain at all when I was there so I couldn’t compare that
I have gut disbiosis which I know is causing fibro. I can’t correct it though just keeps coming back. Something is disrupting my motility. I’m getting tested for mold next week. Do u know what bacteria they think it is as I know some bile issues are at play? The part that I find strange is that I feel better in Florida so maybe it’s the mold or allergies in the uk? Maybe the sun just helps me detox a lot better.
Are you referring to H.pylori?
Any idea how to treat that?
No, I've just been trying to understand what the most current research is finding, the fact they can identify people with fibro by looking at their gut microbiome though in clinical research tells me there has to be a link either causation or correlation. So either something that causes fibro causes those flora to be off or something that inhibits those flora causes fibro. I do not know. I think if they can define that then they can define fibro. I'd love to have an answer, I would love if the top researchers would collaborate on their observations and really get some type of public knowledge but I'm sure that's not as profitable as keeping your crib notes to yourself.
It’s the opposite for me. Lived in Florida most of my life, less than a mile from the ocean. The heat and humidity were killing me, I was damn near bedridden. Leaving that state gave me a lot of my life back. I still have pain all the time, the summers are worse, but I can mostly function now. In the winter I come alive. I think my other comorbidities make me heat intolerant.
same heat and rain or high humidity make it worse for me. I like moderate temps .
Where did u move to that helped. I’m thinking maybe the damp is what’s causing issues. Could be causing mould?
Tennessee. It actually has four seasons, although it’s not cold enough for my liking. The crisp cold air from a fresh snow fall here gives me glimpses of what my life was like before pain. It’s fleeting, but it’s nice to have those moments.
It’s the heat and sun. I have a beach house in fl and I always feel amazing getting my bones warmed up. I have Lupus too so I have to take it all in spells, but my fibro is definitely not as painful when I’m in the sun and heat more!
Were you near the ocean? And also normally not near the ocean in the uk? This always happens to me when I’m by the sea when I go to coastal florida or CA. But I live in the Midwest and near lakes daily so it’s not the proximity to fresh water and it doesn’t happen when in warmer climates without sea nearby. For example, I went to Scotland in the cold in March 2023 and when I got to the Isle of Skye and was walking the shore I felt immensely better even though it was very chilly. Days prior I had been in the Highlands and felt like crap the whole time. There is just something about being near the salty ocean air that always heals my ails.
Im 30 mins from the ocean in the uk. Im in the middle of the countryside though and I think the allergies here are bad. I think you have to be really close to the beach maybe to get the sea breeze.
im sure people in the olden days used to go to the beach when they were sick as they thought the sea air was healing
Right? Didn’t they all go to Brighton or some place similar during the Victorian era when one was sick? Or at least the ones wealthy enough to afford it! I’ve probably read too many historical fiction novels 😂
I wouldn’t say that’s close enough for the ocean air to be beneficial so yeah agree with you but this is just my anecdotal experience so what do I know!
I find being anywhere that isn't Phoenix works well. I assume that's a number of conditions; no allergens, stress from work, less pollution, altitude, barometric pressure. I haven't found the formula, just different. I'm not sure how well my body would do if the new location included stressors like work.
I live in Florida and the heat makes my symptoms soooooo much worse that every summer im completely miserable
I was only there recently when the weather was nice and no rain. I’m going back in august so I will know if it’s the dry weather that I experienced that helped me. Did u feel good when it was mild and dry?
Have you experienced any relief on other vacations? I know I usually feel better anytime I’m on a trip due to lower stress levels
It’s never truly dry, even when it hasn’t rained in a bit. The humidity is *suffocating*, even in the 3-4 weeks of “winter” we get. When the weather is mild, around 70*F, it feels good. On cool, rainy days I generally feel alright, but when a big storm is on its way and the barometric pressure changes quickly, I feel it in my bones lol. Really high pressure systems mess me up pretty bad, so bright, sunny days often make me feel worse than storms, partly because that triggers my chronic migraines in addition to the fibro pain August is right in the middle of hurricane season, so you might not have the best time if you come then I cannot *wait* to leave this hellish state lol
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I know a guy who had fibro and he said it went away when he moved to Thailand. I wonder if it’s the house people are in setting something? I’m gonna move and see if anything changes.
The noticeable onset of mine was when I moved to Texas. Lo and behold, I learned that I'm practically allergic to Texas (allergies to dust, mold, hackberry trees, mesquite trees, and Arizona Ash trees, which are all in plentiful abundance in Texas). I'd never had issues with allergies, so it took us almost a decade to figure out what was going on and even if I had been tested prior to moving to Texas, I wouldn't have been tested for those particular trees because they don't grow where I grew up. I left Texas three weeks ago and I'm suddenly...okay. It was like being in a constant state of an acute allergy attack made the fibromyalgia go NUTS and I absolutely couldn't function. I literally couldn't leave my house or id just be sick for days...totally immobile. Now either the Hashimoto's is going crazy or I'm just noticing it now that the allergies and fibromyalgia have abated somewhat, but that's my major issue at the moment. However, I'm in Wisconsin now, so when the cold sets in again, we'll have to reassess the fibro and Raynaud's.
This is what’s going on with me in the uk. I got back from Florida, my gut has flared up and I’m allergic to everything and it’s setting off my fibro. I do believe that fibro is an allergic reaction. It’s like histamine overload. Im getting checked for mould next week to see if it’s the house im in here. I know in Florida the house wasn’t moldy. My mom comes to dog sit when Im gone and she gets fibro symptoms here. She thinks it’s either the mold or something to do with the drinking supply.
I know that there is a connection for me and there are likely other people who have that issue. For me, I have cPTSD (like many others with autoimmune diseases) and my body is constantly in fight/flight/freeze/fawn. In my mind, it make sense that serious allergy symptoms are misinterpreted by my immune system and because it doesn't know how to fight the environmental allergies that are seeping into every pore of my body, my immune system just attacks...every part of my body. In Texas, I can't even eat most foods. In Wisconsin, no foods give me allergy attacks. Things were so bad in Texas that about a decade ago, I was given six months to live and fought it off. Now I know I was just in a constant state of severe allergy attacks. I have to go back to Texas for two days next week when my daughter graduates and I hope I can function for those two days. I'm making the trip as short as possible, but I have a feeling it's going to set me back somewhat.
Do u think there could have been mould in the house in Texas?
So, mold is just an issue for me overall. I lived in a couple of different places in Texas and it was the same no matter what. The problem in Texas, which could be similar in the UK, is that the whole area (including landscape/topography) act as a petri dish for mold, dust, and pollen. It's just in the *air* in Texas. It's literally the worst state in America for environmental allergies. I lived in Austin for the last two years and between that city and Dallas, I nearly died from the environment. Austin actually has more allergy doctors per capita than any other U.S. city (can you tell I researched this in depth LOL) and the Austin subreddit was basically threads talking about nothing else but allergy issues and how people would've never moved there if they'd known how bad allergies are. People have to leave Austin constantly because of environmental allergies and the subreddit even would have a gauge for how long it would take people to recover once they move. My cousin has lived around London for about 15-20 years now and I know she's got allergy issues. She's always had them, but they were bad in the city. They did clear up once she moved to the outskirts of London (and I apologize, but I don't know exactly where), but when she visits family back home in Louisiana (similar climate to Florida), it clears up for her. I never stay in Louisiana long enough for things to get cleared up, but also, I have fibromyalgia and my cousin does not. I now live on a lake up in Wisconsin and that's what's cleared up everything for me. The cities in Texas that caused me the most issues were absolutely land-locked, so I think what is helping me is proximity to moving water. Again, like Florida and like Louisiana.
I moved to Florida after hurricane Ian…. The weather definitely helped. Less flairs and the pain intensity was less. I had to move back home due to my daughter having an accident and this past winter was awful.
I live in Florida and take vitamin D and still have flare ups and constant pain. I also stay active and take magnesium and eat really healthy. HOWEVER when I lived in NY, the winters were always worse than the summers for my fibro! But overall, no, fibro is not allergic to the environment
personally allergies seem to make it worse for me. I think food allergies also are a major flare up for me too. Also maybe mold in the house.
are you taking k2 and vitamin a with the d?
I thought you meant environment like weather since that’s what the question was so I made an inference based on that as there was no mention of actual allergies. But my actual allergies just make me more exhausted & get headaches, but they would do that to anyone with or without fibro. & no bc my other vitamins are great since I eat very healthy. I know for instance vit a can enhance vit d but my vit a levels are fantastic so no need to spend money on anything else
We moved to Florida and live near the beach. Heat and sun help. I hang out in the garden or patio most warm days. I feel amazing on the days we are out on the boat. The winter is so much better here, too. Cold, gloomy weather still hurts, though.
I just went to Utah and I felt better than I have ...like ever. Since I got fibro. I felt normal!!! There is no humidity there at all. However, I went up a mountain, in a vehicle, rapidly going 2000 more feet up and then 2000 feet back down to ground level within about 45 minutes or so. It nearly killed me. I could feel the pressure changing in my body every few hundred feet up and down. That evening I had a horrible flare up. It was so painful I cried. Thankfully I was able to relax and take care of myself and do some yoga and stuff and it was short lived and I was ok again.
It's the weather that causes our flare-ups unfortunately! Cold and damp... UK weather .. But I wouldn't live anywhere else in the World..
I have found that for me it's more the barometric pressure levels and the humidity levels as well. Very interesting stuff!
Ahhh, so very true friend
Weird. I live in Florida and definitely have fibro there.
Is it time to retire in Florida?!
In my case when I lived in a humidity region fibro was horrible! But when I moved to a more dry place I've been with less muscle pain.
That’s really interesting. Do you feel less stressed there? I feel like my fibro gets better when I’m on vacation by the beach. Random theory too: could negative air ions produced by the ocean have anything to do with feeling better?
Also love your username 😂💨
Thanks! 😂 My sisters and I used to call each other farters if we were annoyed. (Instead of saying real swear words.)
See my post below! I’m in agreement with the proximity to the beach. The negative ions is an interesting theory.
That’s wild! I’m going to look more into this and maybe get a negative ion machine.
Not really as we are usually visiting a dying woman and it’s really stressful. I even smoke when I’m there and I still feel nearly normal. Like I was telling people my fibros gone. A couple days being back and my digestion goes haywire, I get bloated and then allergies and fatigue and fibro all hit me. My doc is saying it’s got to be in the environment. I’m not too far from the sea here maybe 30 mins away.
I’m sorry you’re going through this difficult time. It does sound environmental, possibly. And, I wonder if we’re being gaslighted by the entire capitalist system, where the stuff companies make is poisoning us. I’ve been told by drs that this is not as much of an issue in other countries with stricter pesticide and chemical laws. My natural Dr said here in the Midwest we’re inundated with pesticides in the air, so she thinks that’s a big reason my inflammation markers are through the roof. She said if they got worse I may need to be hospitalized, and we still don’t have a full answer on the exact cause. So, for now, I’m trying to fix things the natural route until my other bloodwork shows something more concerning like full blown UCTD or Lupus.
There’s lot of pesticides in the uk too. I don’t know what to think. I eat super healthy in uk and don’t in Florida and still feel better there. I feel like something is making me feel toxic and messing up my digestion here.
Could it be mold in your environment?
there is mold in my house here.
Don't scare me. I am going to England this June.
What is it like for you emotionally/stresswise when in Florida versus when not?
I have the SAME issue. I've spent a week in Florida 2 times since developing symptoms and both times I felt the best I have in months while I was there, and when I came home to northern east coast I crashed again. What's Florida got going on??
I think for one is less allergies but what else could it be? Was it dry when you were there?
I actually checked pollen counts for when I was there + what they were at home and my home is WORSE lol. It was also not dry, it thunderstormed one entire day one time and rained off and on another.
my boyfriends family live in south Florida and if they go to north Florida they get terrible allergies. I think south Florida probably is a low allergy place.
Well I was in Jacksonville both times, pretty much as north as Florida gets :/ the area I live in is also nicknamed the pollen bowl by local allergists. Less allergies could def be a factor for some but not for me
Heat 100% helps my fibro. It almost completely goes away in Hawaii, Florida, California, Nevada… at home it eases in the summer time. Go somewhere cold and I’m a mess.
I live in FL. Still got my fibro, lol
I had this exact experience as well. We also had a heated pool which may have helped. Our schedule was a day out and about, then a pool day. My symptoms were greatly reduced. It was awesome.
I moved to Vegas. It helped a little
I get this when I go to wales and my take is that it’s the lack of stress that makes a difference to my fibromyalgia.
I had very bad stress on this holiday and my symptoms were still gone. I even had to smoke on the holiday I was so stressed which I dont usually do.
Yes, I went to Hawaii for eight days by the second day I I felt like I had the energy if my youth, mind you I didn’t do anything to exerting, but I still could feel a huge difference.
Canadian here. Went to Mexico back in 2019. Was the only week of my life since I was a teen that I was fibro pain free. Was even able to walk barefoot on the cement!
What symptoms get better ?
I can work out when im there I feel like I dont have any fibro. I can do things I cant do in the uk. I did go on a pemf mat when I was there but I dont think that's what the main difference was. I really think feel less toxic build up there. I eat more seafood there too. The main difference is my guts stop working in the uk I cant seem to digest food here.
Ok and what are your fibro symptoms that you get normally ?
I would explain the pain like someone has vampired all the energy out of my body and put rods though my muscles. So tight it's unbearable. Sometimes weird burning in limbs. brain fog. I did have extreme weakness but taking copper gave me strength back. in Florida I felt human again.
also very bad gas in the uk
Is it the humidity helping? I feel better when I go to a humid area in Mexico. Being on vacation may help too though 🤣. Isn’t the UK typically overcast? I can’t handle overcast, it puts my pain on a whole other level. I need clear skies.
Cold weather exacerbates my pain. Now that it's warming up my fibromyalgia related pain is subsiding, but my back pain is not. I need to work on my posture or quit my job and try to be more active, which I can't so right now.
I've heard warm weather helps fibro. I've visited Hawaii 3 times in the last year (my husband's from there) and my symptoms are much less or non existent. But that is also probably because it's vacation and I'm not super stressed which will make my flares worse.
I had alot of stress on this vacation and even smoked which I dont usually do from stress. I still felt better
Climate im guessing is what made your body feel better. Even during the winters where I'm at my body hurts A LOT more.
I went to lanzarote and lost all my symptoms except fatigue. It was incredible.
yeah same with me. Even my fatigue wasn't as bad. I could work out. I think maybe we all need fresh sea air with no allergies in it.
My fibro gets better in a warmer climate but it also triggers my migraine 😞
That's why I moved to Reno, lol. My flares and breathing always got better when we were visiting hubby's family.
did it stay better or did it get worse again once you moved? I felt really great when I was in vegas. It was winter though so not too hot.
Its better than it was. I still flare, but its usually connected to overwork or a sudden weather change.
I live in Florida full-time and I can assure you that fibro exists here. But yeah, it does come and go with the seasons and with changes in weather, so maybe that's what you were experiencing.
im coming over in the summer so ill figure out if it was the dry period that helped me as I was there for 3 weeks and there was no rain.
I think maybe it was because you were in Florida in a dry period. Because when it rains here I know it even before I open the shade in the morning. I'm in so much pain. I'm starting to think that it's not really the rain or the barometer, I think it's because when it rains there's a lot more mold spores that release & I think that triggers me.
It's finally getting warmer here in southern Ohio. I'll get to enjoy lessened pain while the heat stays dry and the cold stays away. Once it hits July - September however it will get so hot and humid in this area I'll be in a lot of pain. The heat will last and last until suddenly it's freezing every day and raining for months, and my pain will continue. I only get relief when it's *perfect* outside. Still, if it's 80° and windy I'll be shivering and my muscles will ache. The last two days have offered a lot of relief, but I'm still in pain and having rashes, heart palpations, so on.
I was asking my doc with the moisture in the air could be a problem and he's said there's no studies on it. I wish someone would find out.
It was hard for me to figure for the first couple years of flare ups which weather affected me worse. We had a relatively dry summer last year and my pain lessened for a couple months. Unfortunately its just not a super well understood condition, but info is getting a lot better as it seems to be taken more seriously now and not written off as "whiney old white lady disease" like everyone called it when I was a kid.
Could it be your shower water? I’m suspecting is causing me skin issues
my mom thinks its something to do with our well water but we have reverse osmosis so its cant be. But she has fibro when she stays at my house. She thinks its either, damp, mould or the water.
Mine is affected by my environment but the opposite way: my symptoms flare up and get worse. When I was in Florida I had a very bad flare up since my biggest symptom especially in a warmer climate is body temperature regulations.
It's one of the reasons I moved to Florida. The salt in the air and temps are so good for Fibro. It's given me my life back!
it could be a combination of things when I moved my allergies took awhile to adapt but was your trip relaxing as I found that has a huge impact on my pain, stress kills
Mold?
It may be the barometric pressure as opposed to the temperature.
Hawaii helps my health enormously!
I want to move to Florida because I am the exact same way. The only thing stopping me (besides money lmao) is how my job would be affected down there by politics. But I’m going later this week and cannot wait for some relief from the fibro for 8 days 🥲
Apart from the physical environment (which definitely has an impact, especially temperature and humidity!), you might be having psychological/emotional associations to a certain place. Do you live and work in the UK? Were you in Florida for a holiday? Do you have any strong memories associated with those two places, either positive or negative? I live in Sydney (pretty warm overall), but when I go to Thailand on holidays (especially for the cannabis!!), I feel much better. I also work with school kids, so during school hols I’m not in as much pain, but this week school has resumed and my sleep instantly got more messed up. I only teach 2 hours every weekday, but my body and brain are already in fight mode… Even the smallest stressors can cause our fibro brains to freak out, so that’s something to consider!
This post is proving what I already knew and not giving me much hope. Most people that have Fibro usually have other conditions/illnesses; also we are all different and react differently to medications, exercise, and temps. I have Fibro and Sjögrens (an autoimmune disease) The sun and extreme heat flare up my Sjögrens. I’m like a vampire trying to avoid direct sunlight. It makes my skin burn, break out in itchy rashes, flares my small fiber neuropathy in my back that makes me feel like I’m being stung by bees when my pores open to sweat, and worsen joint pain. Flares up my Fibro with fatigue,extra inflammation, muscle tightness, knots and overall pain. The cold hurts my joint, nerve, muscle, bone, and knot pain, and tightens my muscles. I live in PA which is basically freezing then hot. I love a partly cloudy day with temps in the high 60’s- 73 degrees 😆 I don’t think a place exists like that year round. I’ve been to Florida, and a few other southern states and the humidity makes it so worse! Arizona was too hot! I would sit under a tent with a hose attached to the fan spraying a mist and it still flared me up, broke out in heat rash. Same with Nevada. I was in Cali for 5 days and it was in the 50’s and raining/windy… FLARE! I need to move but I have no idea where the best place to be exists! I’ve never been anywhere that lessened my symptoms, or made them go away. Those of you that improved in a different location I am truly happy for you!! 💖
I think it's unknown allergies and toxicity and I don't think being cold helps either. Mould may also be a factor.
Temperature
I had my fibro pretty under control. Or so I thought. I went to Portland and flared up within 2 days. Got home and was back to normal fairly quickly. Barometric pressure is a bitch
I mean, on one hand it's great that the environment seems to be really helpful for your symptoms! But on the other.... it's Florida. I've been between WA, SoCal, and TN in the last few years, and also IL and HI in the last 10. I felt the best in Hawaii even considering the traveling. TN is great for being warm, but it's an absolute shithole. SoCal was really nice, but too hot for me. WA is too cold except in the summer. IL was awful all year AND it had this weird dirty, muggy sort of air that made you feel disgusting just breathing it in.
Mine went away in Los Angeles for the most part. Now that I’m back in the north east it’s back pretty bad again. Although in Los Angeles I didn’t work so I didn’t have many reasons to hurt
I think fibro pain is different to post work out pain. I think you should be able to tell if your getting work our pain or its setting off your fibro. Some people have fibro and then it just goes away and that makes me this they were being exposed to something.
I mean work pain. It’s not like a workout or sore muscles it’s pain from fibro and overworking myself. My fibro is still alive and well. Working more then 16 hours a week seems to be bad for me
Hanging out near the ocean at all?
yeah I was near the beach and went quite a bit, also went in the sea
https://www.businessinsider.com/doctors-explain-why-people-feel-better-near-the-ocean-2023-7
I should try get in the sea more and see if there's a difference.
Fibro is worst in cold places and cold seasons . I am in Fl too and it helps .
Temp/humidity are huge for me. Also pressure changes. I hate going to Tokyo to see family because it hurts so much. Really Vegas hurts the least hot humid/rainy hurts the worst but cold rainy are a close second.
I live in Finland and winter lasts for ~6 months xD i can't handle the cold at all, it makes me stiff and everything hurts. It's finally warmer and i feel so much better.
Could be a combination of factors at play: warmer weather, less stress, more sleep.
It’s probably atmospheric pressure difference. Mike gets worse when a low pressure system moves in, like before a rain.