I forgot one more thing. Medications can make you feel cold. My sister is on a blood thinner and she FREEZES every time she visits. (I keep my thermostat between 62 and 65 in the winter.) Comfortable for me cold for her. So when she visits I will turn up the heat. Sometimes I forget to turn it down when she leaves then find myself ROASTING in a 70 degree house!
DbThomas, Good question! Why? I looked this up because my loved one is experiencing cold.
Humans with cancer are more susceptible to feeling cold in “normal” temperatures, especially after receiving treatment. The researchers suggest that cancer cells possibly induce cold stress in order to secure and promote their own survival. Internet, Nov 23, 2013
So, next question, what can be done about it? I don't know. But there is a vitamin that causes hot flushes, called Niacin. Ask his doctor if that would work.
I feel like the older people get the thinner their skin gets and this makes them colder. They lose that insulating layer of fat and start freezing all the time.
Have his thyroid checked. When my aunts thyroid is off balance she suffers cold sensitivity. In the mornings her extremities are cold. A warm washcloth to wash her hands and face seems to help the blood start flowing. I notice this because her O2 and Pulse are checked each morning before her bp meds are given. If the oximeter won’t register her numbers, the wash cloth usually works. She loves her clothing warm from the dryer and her towels as well. The fleece lap blankets that flooded the market the last few years are a favorite as well. We also use down filled comforters on her bed. They are lightweight but work to keep the body heat close.
My DH's thyroid is out of whack and they can't get it 'normalized'. He freezes all the time. He dresses warm and I keep the house at a miserable (to me) 72 degrees and wear shorts and short sleeve shirts.
He will take really hot baths and stay in the tub for HOURS until his core temp rises.
Sleeps with 2 blankets on top of a down comforter and bedspread. Still freezes all the time.
My husband for the last 5 years or so of his life was cold ALL the time, and we live in NC where it's warm to hot 8 months out of the year. I refused to sweat in my own home, so he wore a hooded sweatshirt, with the hood up around his face, and either flannel pajama pants or sweatpants 12 months out of the year. And once he became bedridden, I had to put extra blankets on him too. My husband had poor circulation which of course didn't help matters any either. It sounds like the fact that your husband has heart disease, that his circulation probably isn't that good either. Just keep him bundled up best you can, and if you're really concerned about this you can always talk to his Dr as well.
Sorry you and your husband are going through this, Dbthomas.
Besides Grandma1954’s good advice I would add you might want to try warming a blanket in the clothes dryer for a few minutes. My dad has a problem with staying warm due to his spinal cord injury and he loves a warmed blanket (sometimes I throw his fleece hat and muffler into the dryer, too). We joke that it’s like being at the spa!
The fact that your husband has heart failure means that his blood is probably not circulating as well as it should. My Husband began getting colder as he declined with dementia. This was for several reasons, he was not moving as much so the blood flow was compromised. This caused extremities to get cold. Toes and Fingers first then Feet and Hands then the Legs and Arms. Layer clothing. Polar Fleece and clothing like that help. Thermal underwear if possible . A cap will keep the head warm. A lot of body heat is lost through the head. Lap blankets. Be cautious of electric blankets and heating pads. They can get so hot that they can burn. This is a real problem if he is loosing sensation in legs, arms he may not be able to tell if it is getting over heated. This is particularly important because of the Diabetes, that can cause a loss of sensation as well. And if he is undergoing treatment for the cancer that may well effect how his body temperature is regulated. Discuss this with his doctor make sure they are aware of decreased circulation.
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Medications can make you feel cold.
My sister is on a blood thinner and she FREEZES every time she visits. (I keep my thermostat between 62 and 65 in the winter.) Comfortable for me cold for her. So when she visits I will turn up the heat. Sometimes I forget to turn it down when she leaves then find myself ROASTING in a 70 degree house!
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Good question! Why?
I looked this up because my loved one is experiencing cold.
Humans with cancer are more susceptible to feeling cold in “normal” temperatures, especially after receiving treatment. The researchers suggest that cancer cells possibly induce cold stress in order to secure and promote their own survival. Internet, Nov 23, 2013
So, next question, what can be done about it?
I don't know. But there is a vitamin that causes hot flushes, called Niacin.
Ask his doctor if that would work.
In the mornings her extremities are cold. A warm washcloth to wash her hands and face seems to help the blood start flowing. I notice this because her O2 and Pulse are checked each morning before her bp meds are given. If the oximeter won’t register her numbers, the wash cloth usually works.
She loves her clothing warm from the dryer and her towels as well. The fleece lap blankets that flooded the market the last few years are a favorite as well. We also use down filled comforters on her bed. They are lightweight but work to keep the body heat close.
He will take really hot baths and stay in the tub for HOURS until his core temp rises.
Sleeps with 2 blankets on top of a down comforter and bedspread. Still freezes all the time.
Besides Grandma1954’s good advice I would add you might want to try warming a blanket in the clothes dryer for a few minutes. My dad has a problem with staying warm due to his spinal cord injury and he loves a warmed blanket (sometimes I throw his fleece hat and muffler into the dryer, too). We joke that it’s like being at the spa!
Best wishes to you.
My Husband began getting colder as he declined with dementia. This was for several reasons, he was not moving as much so the blood flow was compromised. This caused extremities to get cold. Toes and Fingers first then Feet and Hands then the Legs and Arms.
Layer clothing.
Polar Fleece and clothing like that help. Thermal underwear if possible .
A cap will keep the head warm. A lot of body heat is lost through the head.
Lap blankets.
Be cautious of electric blankets and heating pads. They can get so hot that they can burn. This is a real problem if he is loosing sensation in legs, arms he may not be able to tell if it is getting over heated. This is particularly important because of the Diabetes, that can cause a loss of sensation as well.
And if he is undergoing treatment for the cancer that may well effect how his body temperature is regulated.
Discuss this with his doctor make sure they are aware of decreased circulation.