can heat intolerance be a symptom of cancer?

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arabiansrock
arabiansrock Member Posts: 98
edited September 2021 in Not Diagnosed With a Recurrence or Metastases but Concerned

Quick history, BC diagnosed last July. Lumpectomy, radiation, and on Anastrazole. Last year starting in late Apr/early May, I started having heat intolerance. Have NEVER had that before in my life, I am a sun bunny, love the heat. Then we found the cancer. I ALWAYS wondered if the heat intolerance was my body telling me something was wrong. This year, no problem with heat intolerance all spring and summer up until yesterday. And I am in Cali so LOTS of hot days here. I have been riding my horse and having a great summer, finally starting to feel normal again.

Fast forward to yesterday, and I did my normal ride, but really felt like passing out after. Today, was starting to feel dizzy, woozy before I even got on. Vomited 2x while on (and only on 15 min, mostly walking). Had to have hubby and daughter come get me. This is EXACTLY like what I had last year. By the time I get horse groomed and tacked up ready to go, I was feeling so bad some days I could not even get on. Today I forced myself. But this is exactly the same as it was last year. And today was not even nearly as hot as some of the days I have ridden in.

I haven't changed anything, diet, meds, am hydrated. Should I be worried? Has anyone heard about heat intolerance as a symptom of cancer? My wonderful (not) PC blew me off and said "its menopause". NO its not that was done years ago. I asked every doc I saw and no one could explain it. Now its happening again and I am scared they will just blow me off and what if it really is a symptom?

Has anyone here experienced heat intolerance when they had cancer?

thanks for listening

arabiansrock

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  • LivinLife
    LivinLife Member Posts: 1,332
    edited September 2021

    I've suffered with heat intolerance of a handful of years now. I don't know about any relation to that and cancer. If there is no suspicious areas (if someone follows up on this for you...) then it could be autonomic dysfunction related to another medical issue. I don't know what cancer treatment you had and whether it could be a side effect of that??? I know it's a time after the fact so that might be a stretch though I know peripheral neuropathy can show up even years after radiation, not sure about chemo. autonomic dysfunction is often (not always) related to small fiber neuropathy. they're seeing a lot of this with long-haul COVID as well..... Hoping you get some answers....

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  • Krose53
    Krose53 Member Posts: 148
    edited September 2021

    I have never heard this related to cancer. I have heat intolerance because of Addison's disease which is an autoimmune disease causing your adrenal glands not work. I had episodes of fatigue, nausea, vomiting, heat intolerance and very low blood pressure. Those are just a couple of symptoms. It's easy to check your cortisol levels with an 8 am blood test.

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  • arabiansrock
    arabiansrock Member Posts: 98
    edited September 2021

    LivinLife - do you have any idea what brought on your heat intolerance? Mine started before cancer was found so it would def not be a side effect, but maybe a symptom.

    MO said I;m fine, recent mammo was clear. I sent back "I know mammo was clear, was worried about met". No response to that. Oh well.

    I hope you find some ways to mitigate the heat intolerance so you can enjoy summers!

    arabiansrock

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  • arabiansrock
    arabiansrock Member Posts: 98
    edited September 2021

    LivinLife - do you have any idea what brought on your heat intolerance? Mine started before cancer was found so it would def not be a side effect, but maybe a symptom.

    MO said I;m fine, recent mammo was clear. I sent back "I know mammo was clear, was worried about met". No response to that. Oh well.

    I hope you find some ways to mitigate the heat intolerance so you can enjoy summers!

    arabiansrock

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  • Cowgirl13
    Cowgirl13 Member Posts: 1,936
    edited September 2021

    Arabiansrock, from one horse gal to another...do not ride when you feel like this, it's not safe, no matter how gentle your horse is. It's dangerous. I have had problems with heat for a number of years. The first time I felt it was when I was 13 and in a riding lesson and I just remember waking up on a couch inside. No way I can ride in heat but do enjoy just grooming a horse in the shade. Please be careful.

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  • LivinLife
    LivinLife Member Posts: 1,332
    edited September 2021

    My heat intolerance is likely related to Sjogren's disease. I have autonomic dysfunction though was not positive for small fiber neuropathy (barely normal limits). Autonomic dysfunction is a symptoms of Sjogren's and often related to small fiber though it does not have to be small fiber related. I have other symptoms of autonomic dysfunction - heat intolerance is just one. My rheum just tested my cortisol levels - normal so theory remains autonomic dysfunction....

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  • Murfy
    Murfy Member Posts: 342
    edited September 2021

    A common cause of heat intolerance is hyperthyroidism. Lots of info online. Even subclinical hyperthyroid (normal thyroid hormone levels) can elicit some intolerance that can be worsened by taking an AI. That's what happened in my case.

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  • Elle2
    Elle2 Member Posts: 71
    edited September 2021

    I too started having heat intolerance after my radiation treatments for DCIS and that was 13 years ago. I ride as well and summers are unbearable for me. It began to be an issue after the radiation treatments but also could be related to the Tamoxifen I started taking after radiation, and for the next 5 years.My husband knows that my internal temperature controls never worked right after that. I’ll probably never know exactly what started it. It’s just something I’ve learned to accept.

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  • arabiansrock
    arabiansrock Member Posts: 98
    edited September 2021

    Thank you everyone for your thoughts and stories. It sounds very much like everyone has had this issue as either a side effect of treatment or a different medical condition. I fit neither of those criteria. Mine started before treatment (or even discovery of cancer), then went away, and now is back. They did do blood test for endocrine disorders and I was fine, so I guess I will just have to assume it can happen anytime I am in the heat and be prepared. I had bought cooling neck wraps and a cooling vest to prepare for this year. I have been using the neck wraps routinely but only needed the vest once. Guess I will just use it every time on warm days for the rest of this summer.

    For those of you who have heat issues, there are many companies that make cooling vests that may help keep you cooler on hot days. I bought one for riding, it does seem to help, but be warned, they are heavy when wet. And your shirt will be wet when you take it off! They also make a "cooling cap" which I bought but does not fit under my helmet so... but it would certainly fit under a baseball cap.

    take care everyone

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