Bipolar Support Group

Hello,

I work in for an employer that stores records (millions and millions of boxes) and often have to work 6-7 stories high in a building where the temperature can get well over 100 degrees. The other day I was sent home after throwing up profusely, shaking, sweating, and became very confused. Others who I work with have an issue with the heat but not to the extreme I do. I am becoming convinced the meds have a lot to do with my problem and am starting to think it's becoming bad for my health. I ended up in the hospital on Thursday night with heat exhaustian and have an appointment with my psychiatrist on on Tuesday. Below are all of the meds I take. If anyone can shed any light on the effect of meds in extreme heat I'd greatly appreciate it. Not only am I in an extremely hot warehouse even when it's 85-90 degrees out but I'm lifting very heavy pallets, building pallets, moving them, etc... My psychiatrist wrote me a note saying I'm clear to work after coming off of disability but then this happened. So now I have to go back to him and want to know about this before hand so I can bring it up. Your advice, thoughts, and knowledge would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for your time.

What an awful job to have. No wonder you are getting sick. That's too hot to be working and lifting heavy boxes. I read that with Cymbalta that you can have night sweats, but am unsure of the other medications. Do you drink enough water while you are at work? You could be getting heat stroke. You need to be hydrated. I hope your psychiatrist can give you some answers when you see him.

Hi Tbh,

I'm not sure about antidepressants raising your heat level ( I can't take them they make me manic.) But it sounds like they may be making you dehydrated or possibly just not aware of your own body's signals that you are overheating. I work outside. (This week it was in the 90's and muggy) If you are not sweating, you are in trouble. You need to be drinking water, water, water. You should have to stop and pee every 2-3 hours if you are staying hydrated. ( I've been so dehydrated that I haven't had to pee for like 12 hours- NOT Good)

Another trick is to make sure your body has enough salt. A small bag of pretzels works for me. I don't know if you drink alcohol or lots of diet soda, both of those can dehydrate you as well. Be super careful, heatstroke is not something you want to fool around with. I hope this helps. Take care, Maria

I get lots of dehydration. I would see if your doc would write you a note to have ice cubes or gatorade near your workstation. Gatorade works best. Forcing fluids works best. I think any of those can cause it. Can they move you to a job like driving a forklift or inventory.

my work is all about numbers. how many boxes you did in an hour etc... so if i'm constantly coming down from a higher floor to get water my numbers will go down and they'll want to know why. i'm going to lay it on the line for my doc on tues. i don't just want a note saying i'm clear for work which happened before because then i ended up in this situation. if i can't work in these conditions because of my meds i can't work in these conditions because of my meds. it was very scary. i was in bed all day yesterday. and today whatever i am eating is going right through me. not to be graphic. i almost ended up in the crisis until this morning because all of this has become too much for me to handle. but i had enough of a support system to calm me down. i just want to be as educated as possible when i talk to him.

in a single day i may have to walk up and down to the sixth floor 5-6 times a day and i'm not just up there for a second. sometimes hours on end.

hey capecod,

we have a digital management services division that scans documents all day and i think i'm going to ask to be transferred to that division. if i have to go back on disability or unemployment i will. it's not my fault the conditions are so harsh. i show up to work on time and do my best and get sick from it. i'm not putting my health at risk. the icecubes would melt the second i got up to the 6th or 7th floor. i'm telling you it's that hot.

Post edited by: tbh8644, at: 06/11/2011 04:47 PM

Also, have you thought about using a camel.back dehydration system? You wear it on your back with a drinking tube that extends around to the front. You could drink all day while you are working.

I was on seroquel and it raised my body temp. I love the heat but would probably pass out from it too. Talk to pdoc about getting some reasonable allowance at work.

Actually most of the antipsychotics do the opposite for me, I am always cold and wear sweatshirts when in the 80's (I have had to stop risperdal because I couldnt get warm), cymbalta gives me night sweats going on and coming off so its very possible that anyone of your meds is doing something with your thermostat.

It's the Seroquel, particularly given your dose. I found a lovely link that explains it all:

http://bipolar.about.com/od/generalhealth/a/040624_heat.htm

Antipsychotics generally pose a risk.