barometric pressure

Sojourner · Post by **Sojourner** » Thu Oct 04, 2007 3:34 am

I know there have been many posts reporting "leg pain" or worsened rls symptoms with weather changes. Me tool Recently, I have had three extremely bad nights bordering on an ER visits. Anyway, I have decided to keep a log/record of what the barametric pressure is on days when things are bad and there is an obvious change in weather--particularly rain. I started doing this during my last two episodes and the pressure was 28.3 steady) and 30.6 (rising). I'm going to try to get a reading from weather.com or some other source when things begin to get bad or are bad and perhaps when things start to get better. Wondering if anyone would like to join in. I know we are all different but maybe something interesting will surface. Don't know is there is some way to do this as a poll or some other way that is easier on the eyes especially if there are a fair (no pun intended) amount of posts. I'd like to try to keep this going for a while just to see if a trend develops. Maybe this has been done before but it did not turn up in a search.

dogeyed · Post by **dogeyed** » Thu Oct 04, 2007 12:49 pm

Hey Mark,
Yup, when bad weather comes, I can awful. I feel it in my bones, RLS kicks up, depressed, definitely makes it worse. The thing is, when the weather comes from the north, it's a gonna be a lousy couple days. When it comes from the south, doesn't bother me. I like your idea of barometric pressure, which would explain those differences. I'm like a three year old when it comes to reading those dials, but the big hand is at the 1:00 position today, raining like crazy, but the weather is from the South, so I don't feel so bad. GG

Sojourner · Post by **Sojourner** » Thu Oct 04, 2007 10:55 pm

D, I don't have a barometer so I have/will go to weather.com and just get the pressure from there. Gosh wonder if pressure is just pressure of if it matters which direction it is coming from. Mmmmm. I'll have to do some reading on the subject. Think I will also call the local news and see if I can talk to a meterologist. If you care, save your reading and see if you get a pattern. Maybe we can compare notes. Thanks.

Neco · Post by **Neco** » Thu Oct 04, 2007 11:54 pm

The best way to do this is to record the pressure every day, as opposed to only when it happens. Any patterns will become more apparent much easier, and will also help keep the numbers "credible" to an outside observer you are explaining the theory to.

becat · Post by **becat** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 12:02 am

Mark, Yes, yes, yes......I'm not sure if the experts believe this, but my legs go crazy before it rains or snows.
Even a slight change in the weather can make my RLS tighten up a bit.

You know if you ever have been around little kids and don't know the weather report, just watch them......kids get more active, whiny, emotionaly, etc...before the weather changes. Rain is the worse.

I always tell myself that our bodies are made up of alot of water, pressure changes on that can effect it in strange ways.

Your not crazy and if you are, me too! LOL

Hugs
Lynne

jan3213 · Post by **jan3213** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 2:22 am

Hey you guys!

All I can say is I could possibly make some $ being a barometer for a TV station. My back AND my legs tell me when the weather's going to change. So, none of you are crazy!

Janet

SquirmingSusan · Post by **SquirmingSusan** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 3:33 am

Sorry to hear you've been having a rough few days, Mark.

I hope you get feeling better soon.

My symptoms do seem to get worse with changes in the weather. And the weather here changes a lot. When we were in San Francisco this summer my RLS was much better, and the weather there is pretty consistent - Cool and windy. When we got back my symptoms got much worse again. Heat and humidity makes me feel ill in general, but it seems to make the RLS worse as well.

It sounds like a great idea to track this stuff, Mark. I'm supposed to be keeping a journal for the sleep doc anyway, it wouldn't be hard to print out daily forecasts from the National Weather Service and write my sleep journals on the back of those. You can even get graphs from them of the wind direction for every hour of the day.

jen13 · Post by **jen13** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 9:00 pm

Hi Mark,
Great idea...I'll join in on this as well. Ironically, after a couple of days of feeling "pretty good", I had a hellish time late Wednesday (10/3) and all day on Thursday (10/4). I try to mark these "bad" days down in my planner anyway, so I'd be glad to participate to see if these episodes are related to barometric pressure. Will chat with you soon...hope you're feeling better.
Jen

sardsy75 · Post by **sardsy75** » Fri Oct 19, 2007 10:46 am

Hey Mark ... and everyone else

Ah the good 'ol weather ... gotta luv it ... NOT.

Having thrown the Madopar (levodopa 100mg/benserazide 25mg) out the door a few months ago after mega augmentation (methinks my brain is tryin to say ENUFF of the DA's!!) I have managed to get my RLS under pretty good control.

However ... i'm a HUGE fan of one of the local weathermen. When he says there is the chance of rain within the week, you can guarantee that if that rain does start movin on in, my legs go bananas! It usually takes me an hour or so to discount other possible triggers (e.g. food, too much exercise) before i announce "there's rain on the way!".

Sure enough, within 24-36hrs ... it'll be raining, or pretendinding to (to tease our poor farmers) somewhere within a 50-75km radius if where I am.

So, no, you're not alone in being a "mobile weather forecaster! Zach's suggestion off keeping a full weather record is a good idea.

Take care of you!

sardsy75 · Post by **sardsy75** » Fri Oct 19, 2007 10:48 am

*** Double Post *** Sorry! :oops:

Must be the dang meds mixin with the pain and painkillers

MyDecember · Post by **MyDecember** » Fri Oct 19, 2007 2:32 pm

I agree 100%!

What Lynne said about children feeling the change is true as well.

When I was younger and before my health problems started, I never understood why my Grandmother always swore her arthritis got worse with the weather changes- now I understand completely. I personally get worse when it rains or is severely cold. Humidity is the worst, though.

My migraines always come on with the season changes, too. Especially Summer to Fall.

KBear · Post by **KBear** » Fri Oct 19, 2007 7:35 pm

Oddly enough despite the rain and unstable weather patterns in my area I've been in a good phase (no RLS) for over a week now. (knocking on wood) My feet have been hurting like crazy though (plantars faciitis).

jiggyanne · Post by **jiggyanne** » Fri Nov 30, 2007 2:34 am

I definitely feel a difference when the barometer is up (or down, whatever's worse). It's always been my arthritis, what's left of it after all the joints I've had replaced. I never noticed whether my RLS got worse, too. Next time I'll notice. I had a cat that had a bad leg and he and I used to limp around together when there was a storm coming.

Anne