My Recent Heat Crisis

Summary

• The air conditioning failed on a hot day.
• I became irrational and pre-suicidal in the heat.
• Hospitalization helped my body but not my mind.

The Story

Several weeks ago the air conditioning failed on one of those super-hot days. I noticed this in the morning when the indoor temperature read 79F/26C. The repairmen were swamped with other calls and only promised to come as soon as possible. Throughout the day the temperature rose slowly; by late afternoon it was 90F/32C indoors.

I expected to be uncomfortable in the heat. What took me by surprise was the dramatic effect of the heat on my psyche. By about 5:00 pm. the last bits of my rationality were fleeing and I was pre-suicidal.

A crisis counselor felt it was best I go to a hospital. At that moment I resolutely and irrationally made it my goal to get to the closest hospital. As I no longer drive, my determination to get help took the form of marching 2.5 miles / 4 kilometers through the 106F/41C weather to that nearest hospital. Calling for an ambulance or taxi never entered my mind.

The events of the next 24 hours are confused: questions about insurance, blood tests, IVs, queries regarding my intents to harm myself or others, and a midnight ride in an ambulance when a government hospital reached out and grabbed me, claiming jurisdiction.

At the end of the forced march to the first hospital my suicidality had drowned in exhaustion. Tests indicated I was suffering from both kidney and liver stress, and some pains down my left side in concert with the heat and certain medications I take raised concerns over possible muscle breakdown (rhabdomyolysis).

Beyond the irony of possibly injuring myself or worse in an attempt to get help to avoid suicide, the hospital experience itself was counter-therapeutic. Oh, they rehydrated me, but in the process enclosed me in an environment that drove my agoraphobic, depressed, anxious self back to the brink. My blood results eventually returned to the acceptable, and I put on my best act, supplying the “right answers” to make sure the medicos had no reason to hold me longer than necessary.

The repairmen couldn't address the a/c problem for a few days, but they left a cooling unit sufficient for the bedroom as a stopgap measure. I hid myself in that room for the next few days until the repairs were completed.

Lessons Learned (applicable to me, not necessarily anyone else)

• Heat is a threat not only to my body but also to what remains of my rational mind. In the future I will have to treat similar mechanical failures as emergencies.
• I need to find ways of dealing with psychological crises that avoid hospitalization. My psychiatrist is right; institutionalization would probably not be beneficial for me.

(((Rohag))) - so sorry to hear your recent health/psychological problems made worse by the stifling heat. Unfortunately air conditioners fail when they're over worked and its too bad they're so busy. Are you drinking enough fluids? Usually there are cooling centers set up in towns who don't have air conditioning - can you spend the day at one of these? I agree walking only made it worse but you probably weren't thinking clearly. I pray you get it fixed soon and make sure you rest as much as possible.

Rohaq,
I'm so sorry to hear about your struggles! Sounds like an incredibly difficult experience. Prolonged, intense heat is such a difficult thing.

We recently had a long stretch in the upper 90's and 100's where I live. My apartment is minimally air conditioned (one little window unit), so I was sweating buckets all the time. I ended up going to urgent care because my feet/ankles ballooned up to double their normal size, and I was really dizzy... I was worried that it had something to do with my lithium level getting too high due to dehydration. No increase in psych symptoms for me, thankfully. The doc never did figure out what caused it. I have wondered, though, if those of us on psych meds might be especially vulnerable to the heat for a number of reasons.

I hope you can find ways to stay cool... it has been a really hot summer!

peace,
Garden Gal

Thank you, Garden Gal. I'm finding sources indicating psychotropic medications may affect the body's heat regulation. Based on my experience, I'd have to say there's something to this.

Just so glad you are feeling better!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(((((((((((Rohag)))))))))) Wow. What a terrible ordeal. Even though I knew the gist of what happened, I'm blown away by the details. (Walking 2.5 miles in that terrible heat is just one for a start!) The hospitalization, the midnight ambulance ride......the suicidal urges!! How terribly frightening. I'm glad that you wrote about your experience. It alerted us all to the possible dangers of becoming terribly overheated. (I can't believe that you'd be the only one.) And I think this was a way to further process this yourself. I'm so thankful that you came through this, my friend. Hugs......grey

the heat can really mess with you. we can do things we wouldn't normally when we're too hot.

I'm so glad you came through this, Rohag, but it was hardly "unscathed,"--was it? You've been through the wars, my friend.

I can emphathize to a degree.It's the combination of heat and humidity that's really dangerous for me. It has been since I was a child here in Florida. My mother accused me of being lazy when I wouldn't work with her out in the yard, but when I tried I ended up in the hospital--sunstroke and dehydration in really just a few minutes! No tolerance, not even a little bit.

There's a mental factor too, because I feel like my body is just shutting down. The doctor even now doesn't really explain it--just tells me to avoid the heat.
Now the dry heat I can take a lot better than this with humidity. Dry heat, as long as I stay well hydrated, I can tolerate right well. Strange.

I hope with time you recover from most of the residual trauma.

Roadie

Rohag

((Rohag)) - how are you feeling today and is it still hot today. Did the company fix your central air yet?

Yes, all is repaired.

yeah, you do just lose your mind in the heat. i'm so sorry this happened to you. i'm surprised the hospital didn't realize it was just heat. I have a largish Vornado brand fan, they really twirl the air around. but I finally had to turn the AC on, it wasn't enough. This has been a miserably hot summer. Glad you're okay.

Rohag, sorry to hear you went through all this turmoil.

I'm glad that you got through this and things are somehow better now!

Thanks for posting and many warm hugs!

Hello Rohag.....A bit belated here, but I'm so sorry to hear of what you went through....what an absolute nightmare As someone who does not handle heat well at all, and tends to get rather agitated when I am hot and can not do anything about it, I can only imagine how all this felt. I'm happy to hear that your cooling system is back in order.....

that heat is a killer glad you are doing better now

(((((((((((((((( Rohag )))))))))))))))

lesson learned from post. 1 . suicide is worthless. 2 . hosp is a place we go to be fixed n to die or are dead. 3 . death is seriously overrated (i mean come on , no light, no music, no fun, no sense)....frak that. . 4 the heat is better than freezing.

rohag I am so glad you are ok and that the ac is fixed. I think you handled it really well and kudos to you for your thinking at the end of it to prevent in the future.

I hate the heat as well, it makes me angry!

ty road (rohag) mate......./xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Wow rohag, what an experience. Glad you were able to pull through this. I have too been where you were not because of heat but depression in general. Depression can and will mess with our minds. What ever you may think - you did the right thing. You are still here with us. This I am grateful for.

Does it get hot where you live often? Mybe you could use a backup air conditioner. A window mount is not to expensive and if you put it in a smaller room it should keep you cool while waiting for the repairman.

Rohag - sorry I am late to this has the heat gotten any better? I'm so sorry you went through this, it sounds like such a negative and scary experience!

I'm really glad to see though, at the end of your post what you LEARNED from the experience. anyway, sending hugs and hope you're doing ok

(((( Rohag ))))

Hi, Rohag...Sending you sweet thoughts today as I can relate to heat exhaustion having experienced them 3 separate times throughout my life. Heat (esp. w/ humidity) is a merciless foe for anyone of any age.

Few years back I managed a property and fell & dislocated my knee (excruiating pain as it went in and out of place) , at 6pm closing time. and had to sit, in pain, alone, in a waiting room, for 6 hrs. All they could do was 'wrap' it with an ace bandage & charge me $150.The ambulance ride cost $500. courtesy of the fire dept. I got maybe 3 hrs sleep and had to rise and shine to work, and walk around a property of an acre on crutches. If I have to miss work, then I would have to close the business, with the risk of losing new business.

Like you, I sometimes experience the pain and oppression of depression.
It is comforting to have a few others (from the site) who can relate.
God Bless you

Have experienced heat exhaustion 3x too many in my lifetime. The first time I was a young 22 yr old! Becoming lethargic and incoherent is a typical symptom. The fact that you had to 'tell the right answers' breaks my heart for you and all of us. If I should ever (God forbid) have to endure similar circumstances (and I have gone through those) I am trying to 'decide' now...how I want to respond...for instance...the next time they pull me out of my totalled car and I AM semi conscious...I will physically somehow, roll around to prevent the premedics from strapping me to a curney...since the last time this happened I 'came out of' my dazed state on one, and went straight into a panic attack feeling totally claustrophobic! An awful experience!This or either, I will con't to carry some homeopathic globuals I can take sublingually, to prevent panic attack. You...walked to the hospital and you may decide to call a cab next time...and for me, I will NOT call an ambulance...lol...I can't afford it! ...by now it's probably around $700. or more) I live alone, so if no one is around while I'm having a heart attack or stroke, to drive me to the County E R Hospital (don't have health insurance) then I'm praying I will just die peaceably, lol, less trouble, upset and expense for me and my daughters O.k. I'm kidding there, I don't wish to die...but if it's all I have is to 'try' and do things differently, then 'think' I shall! Another lesson I've learned from heat exhaustion...Guzzle...do not sip...reverse osmosis filtered water...more than 8 glasses, every day it is over 90 degrees. Oh, and eat watermelon, if you can afford it. More water. I hope the humor came through here for you, my friend...Sometimes the only sense life makes, is a sense of humor Thank God for the window unit in your room, how wretched after all that to not have an air conditioned refuge. God's mercy comes quietly. Love and Hugs cedartree

Rohag

i feel just TERRIBLE about what you went through.
All summer i have been battling heat illnesses related to topamax and seroquel from a burning scalp to heat rash to inability to sweat and burning prickly skin to intense, painful itching related to nerves...i believe we suffer intensely on top of trying to be well..it is crazy making..
Bless your heart. I am glad you are okay. Please make a back up plan for if this happens again. Holy crap!!, you could have been very seriously hurt, walking in that heat. Sincerely, Facing Chains