Hot And Cold Flashes (or Wacky Body Temperature In General)

[afuneralinmybrain]

I know that hot flashes are linked to anxiety. I carry around spray bottles. (Try spraying yourself in the face with water in a college class and not look completely nuts, I dare you.) But there are times when I get really hot and cold at the same time. Like right now, I'm sitting in front of a fan and covering myself with a towel. The worst part is that it scares me.
What is up with PTSD and really wacky body temperature?

 

[Chava]

I don't have an answer, but have noticed this too. I overheat with mild panic symptoms but get really cold when really stressed, like numbing out or shutting down...sometimes just certain parts of my body, like my feet or my arms are very chilled, even if covered fine. It's often one of the ways I'll realize I am entering panic or am really stressed, even if I am not having any particularly stressful thoughts or any obvious causes. I do have some hormone issues too, but the quick swings between hot-and-cold seem more stress related. All that endocrine stuff I don't understand.

 

[JEKBreatheandBelieve]

I get really hot with anxiety sometimes and sometimes have hot flashes. After a really intense bout of panic or some intense emotional release, I get really, really cold. I am not sure that I've had the hot and cold at the same time though. Sometimes on my way home from a therapy appointment, I have to turn the heat on full blast and I know that it is sweltering hot, but I am still freezing.

 

[Chava]

My body also doesn't adapt to temperature changes well sometimes...like 74 indoors vs 72 can make me feel sick and over-heated, particularly if my body is just tired. That part is ridiculous. Thyroid and seemingly related things have checked out fine. My body just over-reacts to simple cues or changes and poorly regulates sometimes. That's different than the hot-cold thing, but there's I assume there is some underlying autonomic nervous system dysregulation I can't seem to get around.

 

[whserenitynluv]

I've noticed body temperature flux as well. I had my heater all the way up and still was cold, then I was super hot and opened the window. Along with body aches from being tense. I'll literally sweat, then have to put on several layers, a hoodie and turn the heater on. Your not alone.

 

[once normal]

I've had the problem of hot/cold most of my life. If it is any help, I can tell you that it is only a symptom and, at least for me, I don't worry about it anymore. From the body's perspective, after a stressful event, what is happening is you are experiencing a mild case of shock. It's nothing that will hurt you and it will go away but itself. It just happened to me yesterday after a traumatic experience (psychiatrist misdiagnosed me as suicidal and called for a 5150. Fortunately police disagreed). By the time I got home, even in the hot desert I was really cold. Knowing it was shock, I simply laid down for a little while, put my feet in an elevated position, covered up and began some meditation. As it always does it went away.

I don't want in any way to make light of the symptoms. These heat changes can be very, very scary. I'm hoping that the information I have shared here will help alleviate your anxiety.

 

[Smile]

I can totally relate but don't have an answer to why :(

Had anxiety all my life but never a hot flash... Until a year ago when PTSD was discussed. Now I live with hot flashes on a mostly daily basis. For me, I always feel as though the cold comes because the body sweats, you turn the ac on full blast and so the sweat turns to cold water (kind of). So you get cold when the body starts normalizing back to regular temperature.

That's just my experience and yes, it's anxiety ridden. Makes me constantly wonder whethe I'm getting early menopause or wen cold, if I'm getting iron deficient again.

Sorry you're going through this :(

 

[franciemarnie]

I read that the hot flashes are from a flood of stress hormones typical to PTSD.

For me, when I am cold inside my body and environment is not a factor and putting on a sweater or blanket does not help - then I know the Freeze of Fight/Flight/Freeze or Collapse has been activated.

I like when the cold comes. It doesn't feel good, but then I know I have the chance to release trauma energy with shaking, etc. Just before I have somatic release in therapy, I get very cold, deep in my chest especially, so I associate a positive with that now, though it isn't pleasant to be cold inside.

The hot flashes do not last long for me. Seconds mostly, rarely longer than a couple minutes.

 

[Smile]

@franciemarnie , stats very interesting about the hot flashes coming from stress hormones. So why would I not get the cold/freezing part?

 

[franciemarnie]

Hi @Smile. If you think it might be related to early menopause - the sweats, etc. -- those sweats often come before "cessation of menses". At least they did for me in my 40's and it's a common symptom of peri-menopause. People can get menopause in their 30's too so it could conceivably happen in your 20's. A doctor could take blood and tell where you are at estrogen, etc. wise.

I did not get the cold/freezing part until I got off all drugs (anti-depressants, etc). They numbed me. The trauma energy came up with a vengeance then and they came with the coldness.

I can't remember if I felt the coldness in my 20's before I got on meds.

S'no fun.

They also say if angels are near, you are flooded with warmth. That would be a nice reason for it!!

 

[Smile]

@franciemarnie , your response was awesome in so many ways :)
Yeh I asked my doc about early menopause but my menses has no cessation :)

Very interesting about the cold coming after meds. Makes sense as I am definitely in the place of "pretty much having my own pharmacy". Not close to getting off them yet but good to know in advance... Thanks!

And good for you for getting that far in your journey :)

 

[franciemarnie]

Thanks @Smile!! You brought a smile to my face and encouragement. For whatever reason - probably bodywork - the buried energy is coming up fast and furious now. It's there when I wake up and I feel like vomiting. No memories are attached. Just pure feeling. Ugh. Then I release and oh the relief (not that I always can always immediately release!)

If I wasn't on meds for 25 years, I couldn't have made a living. I do not regret taking them. Not a bit. When I was ready to my core, I quit. Not to mention they stopped working pretty much at the end.

If the day comes you get off meds, for sure know there is a possibility buried energy awaits. But then again, you may have released it while on meds. It's quite the journey - this healing with and from PTSD.

Thanks @Smile!