Worried about my aunts fluctuating body temp post stroke/annurism

[codebluedoug]

she is currently wrapping herself in blankets and even head wear to make herself warm...it is 74 degrees in her bedroom but parts of her just her left side is more so cold...then she breaks out in sweat once she thinks she is warm...i think she's overheating herself but she says she's cold..its up and down and not sure what direction to take. sincerely nephew doug...ps...i'm going to start wearing shorts and t-shirt to visit her..but she is cold. please help.

[joesi]

How old is she?

[caregiver222]

You pose a tremendously interesting question which cannot be answered in an internet forum. Body temperature is regulated through a number of complex neural feedback mechanisms primarily controlled by the hypothalamus (which can be damaged in a stroke). Body temperature is maintaineds through vasoconstriction, shivering, and secretion of norepinephrine, epinephrine and thyroxin. But the need for heat is also a part of the immune system. This is contoversial and there are many that will disagree, however it is based on medicine practiced hundreds of years before there was an Amereican Medical Association. Heat and sweating are useful in removing toxins and limiting the effects of a bacterial infection. My belief (again, it can be contested), is that interference with natural regulatory mechanisms is a way of playing Russian roulette. My little 102 year old camper goes through periods in which the room is very warm and in which she insists on swathing herself in blankets, to include wrapping them around her head and sweats. Then, after a week or so of this, the need to do so suddenly disappears. My hunch is that something inside her body is telling her she needs to sweat. There is a caveat. Sweating causes dehydration, and that can cause a multitude of problems leading to death, so special attention must be paid to maintaining hydration. This involved offering a variety of tasty liquids many times during the day. There are also many excellent electronic thermometers available, such as those that provide digitized read-outs when inserted in nthe ear. They key issue is whether or not the "need" for blankets is COMPENSATORY, or is it due to a failure of the mechanisms that regulate body temperature. I wouldn't be too quick to jump to conclusions. You might consult an endochronologist. This is an issue that requires the attention of a medical doctor. Unfortunately, in an elderly stroke patient, thje interest really isn't there with most of them. If your physician does not take the situation seriously, fins another physician. I use a humidifier in the air for my little sweety-pie and it maintains a constant humidity within the room. Humidity is another factor in a sense of discomfort amongst the elderly. Your interest in the situation is reassuring to me, and your question is by no means a silly one.