psa to everyone on antipsychotics during the summertime
some antipsychotics can make you more susceptible to heat exhaustion because they make it so your body cannot regulate your body temperature correctly. I learned this the hard way last summer, I got really nasty heat exhaustion while on a high dose of quetiapine. so check if your meds react badly to heat, and if they do, please be sure to wear your sunscreen, have light cover ups on or with you, wear a hat, and stay hydrated! be safe
especiallyduloxetineandclozapine,know the signs of dehydration,take cooling breaks if you have to be in the sun
duloxetine is commonly branded in the USA as Cymbalta.
Note: many anti-bipolar meds are also antipsychotics. I found a list of psychotropic meds that can increase risk of heat exhaustion here:
Can personally confirm that Latuda/Lurasidone can also mess with your heat response and lead to heat exhaustion if you aren’t careful, like I wasn’t.
[ID: Screenshot of a page with two columns listing trade names beside generic names of medications; the columns have been compiled into a list for ease of comprehension/reading.
Common psychotropic medications that may impair the heat response:
ramadan is coming up so fasting muslims on medication please remember to be very careful and hydrate more than you normally would at suhoor and iftar!!!
Can confirm that Seroquel also exacerbates my preexisting photophobia as well as temperature regulation!
Trazidone and Prozac are also often prescribed to pets with anxiety issues.
Also, I had no idea that literally every anti-depressant I’ve been on can cause this issue. My inability to handle being in the sun much over the last few years suddenly has a very possible root cause.
The Great Melli could not believe he was once again traveling with the Sneasler Noble’s Warden. It was though he was asking for everything in what was shaping up to be an already miserable day, to go wrong.
And this heat.
“Why is it so hot?!”
Unseasonably warm for this time of year, Melli followed the bowed back clad in a heavy black coat in front of him as the sun climbed ever higher in the pale blue sky. The calls of various bug Pokemon vibrated the very air around them, accentuating the lack of any breeze.
“I could be taking a bath right now, instead of reeking as bad as the space cadet.” Fully aware that Ingo could hear him, Melli carried on, full of drama and flare as was his usual modus operandi. He couldn’t help it. All this sweat and activity was just asking for frizzy hair and chafing in places he’d rather not be chafed. He heaved an afflicted sigh.
“I do appreciate your assistance today, Warden Melli.” Ingo looked up at him from beneath the brim of his odd hat, impassive expression seeming to see beneath the carefully curated exterior Melli projected.
“Haa?”
“I was sorely needing this round of supplies. Without your aid, I would have been in dire straits.”
Oh! It was no wonder really, considering it hadn’t been that long since the uh, Alpha Luxray attack just a few weeks ago. Ingo hid the remaining limp surprisingly well. Where Melli had to look for it now, before he’d ached just watching the other Warden fulfill his duties in slow motion the few times they’d crossed paths out in the Highlands.
Let nobody say he shirked his duties to his fellow man.
Even one so strange as this.
“Well, count yourself lucky, Pearl Peasant!” Proud, on the knife edge of cavelier. It wouldn’t do if Ingo mistook this relationship as something resembling, dare he think it–friendship. “The true Sinnoh and I have taken pity on your plight and come to you as your savior–” He gave Ingo a once over, lingering on his tattered greatcoat and wondering quite sincerely how he wasn’t melting in the heat. “How are you wearing all that? It’s sweltering–that’s got to be a hazard!”
Don’t the elderly die from this weather?
How old was Ingo anyway? Gray hair aside, he’d been pretty spry taking on a Pokemon with his bare hands.
“Your concern is valid; however, I assure you that my engines do not overheat so easily.” Why did he insist on using those curious phrases? A deft hand lifted the brim of his strange cap. Was that surprise he detected? Or something more? “I run cooler than…” Oh, Sinnoh. Ingo’s voice faded like stars in the presence of the sun. “Cooler than most…”
Melli watched the almost unnatural light fade from his eyes as they went steadily vacant and despite seeing him waver, knowing intimately what was to happen next, failed to catch Ingo when the Warden tipped forward into the dirt.
Sweet, merciful…
Lord Electrode’s Warden landed on his knees beside the prone body, rolling Ingo over to get a good look at him. Cheeks dusted in a hectic flush. Breath shallow and fast. Skin so hot and dry where he felt for his Buneary-quick pulse. Of course he’d managed to give himself heatstroke. Why not. It was more than clear how little he cared for Melli’s extremely valuable time if he was so willing to throw himself left and right into danger!
Gently, muttering curses under his breath all the while, Melli dragged him into the shade and stripped Ingo of his ridiculous and tightly woven garb. Black. Dour and drab. He wouldn’t be caught dead in this color–smacking his face lightly in an attempt to rouse him and to no avail.
He debated hitting him harder.
But no. That would be taking advantage of the situation and Ingo did seem to bring out the best in him.
Against his considerable will.
Instead, he tipped water from the fool’s own full canteen drop by drop onto his tongue, laying a damp cloth against the galloping pulsepoint in his neck, each wrist. Over and over in a steady trifecta until Ingo’s bleary, unfocused gaze caught his eye. With a put upon sigh, Melli leavered him upright, catching him this time when he threatened to swoon again, and forcing another mouthful of water on Ingo while he collected his very limited bearings. Slowly, slowly. No good for either of them if he was sick from it.
They weren’t far from the river and Ingo had recovered enough to stand with his help and hobble to the bank, laying back in the grass, dizzy, while Melli removed his odd shoes and rolled up each pant leg before dropping them unceremoniously in the water with a dull splash.
Relief.
Ingo sighed in it, feeling quite sheepish and closing his eyes against the spinning of the sky above him. How had he ever managed to survive before in wherever he came from? Was he as hopeless? He very much hoped not.
“Honestly, you need an intervention, because you obviously can’t take care of yourself.” Melli was clearly miffed, rinsing a cloth and wringing it out repeatedly in agitation. “Don’t you think of your Lady Sneasler? If you dried out like a beached Magikarp she’d have to look for another Warden!” And likely murder him. Two Wardens lost for want of a sip of water. “It’s a hassle. A shameful preventable waste. Of. Time.” Drinking slowly, Ingo listened because it was the polite thing to do, but the words were beginning to fade into the background of his pounding headache. “If we could be privy to her words she’d say, ‘oh, this is nooo surprise. My chosen one has a mind of a dull spheal.” Melli’s voice slipped further and further away. “I just like carrying him around like an accessory.’ Is that why she picked you? Sinnoh works in mysteeerious ways, I guess!!!”
There was something familiar in the way he spoke.
In the way he extended his arm. Like someone else did so long ago he could barely remember.
“Here. Take this.” He could see them. This memory. Playing out before him as though he’d been transported back.
“I can’t believe you two! Listen, you have to take your coats off. It’s not winter anymore.”
Just past the person directly in his line of sight, was an image of the man who looked like him fanning himself with his white cap, tie pulled loose. No matter how hard Ingo tried, he couldn’t quite make out his face though he was fairly certain it would mirror his own. The young woman was familiar too, holding out a bottle of water and looking sweaty herself despite her bare arms. Long and trailing, her hair framed her face.
“We’re shopping for summer fits later. You can thank me then.”
Try as he might, Ingo couldn’t make these strange words reconcile in his memory. He knew he should know them. Pain sparked behind his eyes.
“Awww. But that is boring.” The other man whined, playful and moody and Ingo knew he’d been just as uncomfortable as himself. Vaguely he remembered shouting, the rumbling of a pack of Graveler beneath his feet and a great wash of dizzying heat enveloping the both of them until it was difficult to breathe.
“Then maybe don’t wear an insulated jacket when you’re battling against a fire-type in a closed train car.” Ire and disbelief lit her eyes from within even as the man in white tried to argue.
“It is air conditioned. Gets chilly in there. Even in the summer–”
“Still!” Finger extended to cut him off. Dazzling grin sheepish and chagrined. “When a challenger yells “overheat” they don’t mean you.” The pun went unappreciated even while she grinned bright and wide.
“Boo. Verrry bad. Do not do that again.” As hard as he fought for it to remain, the memory faded, leaving behind the vaguest impressions and a sense of sorrow for what he’d lost.
He tried to hang onto her smiling face, to memorize it like he’d been unable to do for the man in white.
“Drink up, Bidoofus number one.”
“Wwwhy are you looking at me like that?” Ingo blinked at Melli, his uneasy visage a mirror image of her’s, left holding a towel for however long he’d been away. “It’s…a wet towel.” He looked worried or perhaps perturbed, with his lilac hair framing his face. “Do you know what a towel is?”
“Thank you–” and he was cut off by the resounding slap of it hitting him full in the face at the same time Melli shouted.
“Stop staring, weirdo!!!” Melli looked upset, and rightfully so, Ingo supposed. Once again, he found himself in the other Warden’s debt as he wiped his face and a swath of cool relief spread outward in the wake of the damp cloth across his overheated skin.
“I apologize. I lost my train of thought.” How could he explain that it was so much more than just that? “A memory arrived to my station.” Melli watched his eyes become downcast and melancholy. He was secure enough to admit he’d been afraid when Ingo seemed to fade again, unresponsive to even his impeccable nettling. “The concern on your face…it reminds me of someone, a dear friend, from my lost past.” It was easy to forget sometimes that while Ingo was a, dare he even say it, strong Warden, he was also missing innumerable pieces of himself, left behind in the place he originally belonged. He observed warily, waiting for the amnesiac to continue, and, offhand, while staring off into the middle distance, ingo murmured, “she was quite beautiful, too.”
And just as quickly, Melli regretted every kind word, every gracious reflection, he’d ever thought about Ingo, panicking internally at the implications here. Sneasler’s Warden, oblivious as always, went back to dabbling his feet in the water, staring at nothing. Everything?
In truth, Melli couldn’t really blame him, could he? He was the most beautiful thing for miles around.
What kind of message are you trying to send, old man???
It was such a perfect day, not too warm but no longer as chilly as it had been the past few weeks. Niner lay happily sprawled out on the lawn, soaking up the warm spring sun. The door leading to the backyard opened and the greatest master and owner in the whole world came out of the house. It made the pet grin and scramble up out of the soft grass and crawl over happily.
“Hi Master!” Niner said warmly, pure admiration soaking the two simple words.
“Hey K-9, wanna go to the store with me?” Hayes asked, only now glancing up from his phone.
An eager nod quickly followed from the boy, he loved going on trips no matter how long or short. Soon enough Hayes had gotten the harness on him and they were walking to the car. He tugged eagerly on the lead, nearly dragging his owner to the car.
“Alright, alright. Relax!” Hayes snapped and yanked sharply on the harness, knocking Niner off balance and scraping up his hands and knees.
“I'm…I’m sorry, Master.” Niner said miserably, his heart hurt.
“Whatever, get in the car.” A scowl on Hayes’ face as he opened the car door.
Niner climbed in, curling up on the floor of the backseat, taking up as little room as he could in an attempt to make Hayes happy with him again.
The ride was bumpy, making the pet happy he couldn’t see out the window, it would’ve made him sick and that would’ve made his owner even more upset with him.
The car came to a stop and Hayes got out, the automatic locks engaged. Niner began to paw at the door, sitting up on his knees and watching his beloved owner walk into the store without him. A sad whine escaped his throat, he wanted to go with him.
Minutes passed, it started to get warmer in the car which made the pet start to sweat. Time seemed to drag on and he wasn’t sure if he was imagining it or if the car seemed to warm up even more. He wanted to be good still, be perfect for the most perfect person in the world. Even though his brain was simple, he was beginning to struggle to think the most basic thoughts.
“Master?” He asked to the nothingness of the car interior.
“Yes I’m being good, just like you told me to be.” Niner said warmly, despite being alone.
He looked up at the window, sweat now pouring down his face and arms, it made him giggle. It was like a nice swim in the pool, the water cool against his skin and the warm sun overhead kept him comfortable and cozy.
The car door opened and cool air rushed in, hands grabbing his body and moving him. He laughed and couldn’t understand the silly words the blurry faces around him said.
——————-
“What the fuck in wrong with you?! You left your pet in the car on the hottest day of the year so far??!” The woman who’d dragged Niner from the car snapped at Hayes.
“I didn’t think it was that hot. It’s only spring,” Hayes said, clearly annoyed.
“Yeah and you could’ve killed him!” She yelled as Niner sang complete nonsense that no longer even sounded like words.
“Ugh relax, he’ll be fine.” The man snapped back.
The woman rolled her eyes and doused Niner’s body and face with cool water to bring his temperature down to something more reasonable. She really didn’t want to send the poor pet with this awful man.
how many ppl do the followers of the apocalypse treat for heat stroke every year
ITS TRUE
slightly related but I’m sure that they formulate their own sunscreen, circulate pamphlets about sun safety, and try and convince the families to stock their casinos with both.
but that doesn’t stop tourists from coming in with sicknasty burns because the chairmen found a giant mirror and set it at an angle on the roof of the Tops (Julie has sent numerous messages begging them to take it down)
Arcade always forgets his sunscreen if he has to go out on research trips, so after the first few times he came back crisp as a piece of toast, Julie started to sneak some extra sunscreen (and water) into his bag
A lot of Northerners were very kind during the freeze in Texas this winter with tips on how to stay warm for people who had lost heat. This is an attempt to repay that favor for people in the Pacific Northwest and other northerly locations who are facing dangerous heatwaves without built-in A/C. My qualifications to give this advice are that I was a summer camp attendee and counselor with no A/C for many summers in humid-ass central Texas with highs over 100F basically every day. Hopefully some of it will be of use to somebody who isn’t used to the heat.
1) PUT ICE WATER IN YOUR BODY. Ice water is your best friend and the #1 way to drop your body temp. Drink more than you think you need (like, at least a half-gallon a day and closer to a gallon or more if you have to be outside doing manual work all day) to cool your insides down and stay hydrated. Have some bananas, trail mix, or a sports drink to help replace the electrolytes you’re sweating out and keep you from getting cramps, but try to have most of your fluid intake be water. I used to take a giant water bottle, fill it part way with water, and freeze it on its side so the ice would slowly melt over the course of the day and my water would stay cold longer.
2) PUT ICE WATER ON YOUR BODY. Cold water, ice, or a damp rag on your head and neck, the backs of your knees, the insides of your elbows, and under your armpits will help you cool down the best, because your blood runs close to the surface in those places. Cold packs designed for injuries or lunchboxes, bags of frozen vegetables, etc. can substitute for ice water as well. Even room-temp water will pull heat away from your body better than body-temp sweat will, especially if it’s humid, so if you don’t have enough ice, the sink, bathtub, or hose will do fine. Dipping your feet into cool water helps a ton as well if you have to sit and work and don’t want your clothes to be wet.
3) WHERE AM I SUPPOSED TO GET SO MUCH ICE? To make sure you have enough ice to last you the weekend, especially through a potential power failure, I recommend getting a cooler (even one of the cheap styrofoam ones is fine in a pinch) and ~10lbs of ice from the big coolers at most gas stations, drug stores, or grocery stores. Try to do this now, before anybody loses power, and store as much in your freezer as you have space for to keep it from melting. You can use it for drinking or to keep your food cold in a power failure. You can use it for a party later if you don’t end up needing it during the heat wave, but you will probably be very happy you had it.
4) AIR FLOW. Being inside a room with the windows closed is the worst possible place to be if you don’t have A/C, because glass windows create a greenhouse effect and the hot air can’t escape. If at all possible, find a shaded place outside where you can catch any possible breeze. If not, open all your windows and, if it’s safe, doors so you can get a cross-breeze. Hopefully you have window screens to keep pets and kids in and bugs out. If not, you’re gonna have to do your own risk assessment. Fans of all sizes and descriptions are your friend; ceiling fans should be set to spin counterclockwise in summer. Even if you have A/C, finding or making a handheld fan will be worthwhile for when you have to venture outside. If you aren’t in a situation where you need to conserve ice, blowing air over a cooler full of ice will give you a makeshift A/C.
5) SHADE. You will probably immediately notice that direct sunlight is a miserable place to be when it’s super hot. Find or make a shaded location, and don’t be afraid to move around to avoid the sun as the day goes on. Stay on the shady side of the sidewalk whenever you walk someplace. Try to shade your windows as best you can without obstructing airflow using blinds, curtains, shutters, etc. especially if they’re directly in the path of the sun. Do not be a jerk to your neighbors if their shade solutions are ugly. If you can get a shade for your car windshield, I highly recommend it, as the steering wheel, dashboard, seatbelts, and even seats can quickly become too hot to touch in a sealed car and will hold that heat for a long time.
6) CLOTHING. Light-colored, loose clothing that is as close to 100% cotton or linen as you can find is your friend. It doesn’t necessarily have to be short as long as it’s breathable. You will sweat through anything you wear, so I personally prefer only wearing machine-washable stuff. Sun hats, sunscreen, sunglasses, aloe gel for sunburns, mosquito repellent, anti-chafing supplies, etc are all worth looking into if you aren’t used to spending time in the heat.
7) TIMING. Try to stay out of the sun and avoid doing anything strenuous in the middle of the day when the heat is the worst. If you have a choice, plan to be more active early in the morning and late at night when the temperature is more bearable, and take a break in the middle of the afternoon.
Here’s a graphic from the CDC about how to recognize heat-related illnesses and what to do about them. I will add to this that if it’s hot and you stop sweating, you are getting to a dangerous level of dehydration and need to drink something BEFORE you start having more serious problems.
With all the heatwaves this needs to go around again.
There is a text equivalent link for the above CDC infographic at THIS PAGE.
A lot of Northerners were very kind during the freeze in Texas this winter with tips on how to stay warm for people who had lost heat. This is an attempt to repay that favor for people in the Pacific Northwest and other northerly locations who are facing dangerous heatwaves without built-in A/C. My qualifications to give this advice are that I was a summer camp attendee and counselor with no A/C for many summers in humid-ass central Texas with highs over 100F basically every day. Hopefully some of it will be of use to somebody who isn’t used to the heat.
1) PUT ICE WATER IN YOUR BODY. Ice water is your best friend and the #1 way to drop your body temp. Drink more than you think you need (like, at least a half-gallon a day and closer to a gallon or more if you have to be outside doing manual work all day) to cool your insides down and stay hydrated. Have some bananas, trail mix, or a sports drink to help replace the electrolytes you’re sweating out and keep you from getting cramps, but try to have most of your fluid intake be water. I used to take a giant water bottle, fill it part way with water, and freeze it on its side so the ice would slowly melt over the course of the day and my water would stay cold longer.
2) PUT ICE WATER ON YOUR BODY. Cold water, ice, or a damp rag on your head and neck, the backs of your knees, the insides of your elbows, and under your armpits will help you cool down the best, because your blood runs close to the surface in those places. Cold packs designed for injuries or lunchboxes, bags of frozen vegetables, etc. can substitute for ice water as well. Even room-temp water will pull heat away from your body better than body-temp sweat will, especially if it’s humid, so if you don’t have enough ice, the sink, bathtub, or hose will do fine. Dipping your feet into cool water helps a ton as well if you have to sit and work and don’t want your clothes to be wet.
3) WHERE AM I SUPPOSED TO GET SO MUCH ICE? To make sure you have enough ice to last you the weekend, especially through a potential power failure, I recommend getting a cooler (even one of the cheap styrofoam ones is fine in a pinch) and ~10lbs of ice from the big coolers at most gas stations, drug stores, or grocery stores. Try to do this now, before anybody loses power, and store as much in your freezer as you have space for to keep it from melting. You can use it for drinking or to keep your food cold in a power failure. You can use it for a party later if you don’t end up needing it during the heat wave, but you will probably be very happy you had it.
4) AIR FLOW. Being inside a room with the windows closed is the worst possible place to be if you don’t have A/C, because glass windows create a greenhouse effect and the hot air can’t escape. If at all possible, find a shaded place outside where you can catch any possible breeze. If not, open all your windows and, if it’s safe, doors so you can get a cross-breeze. Hopefully you have window screens to keep pets and kids in and bugs out. If not, you’re gonna have to do your own risk assessment. Fans of all sizes and descriptions are your friend; ceiling fans should be set to spin counterclockwise in summer. Even if you have A/C, finding or making a handheld fan will be worthwhile for when you have to venture outside. If you aren’t in a situation where you need to conserve ice, blowing air over a cooler full of ice will give you a makeshift A/C.
5) SHADE. You will probably immediately notice that direct sunlight is a miserable place to be when it’s super hot. Find or make a shaded location, and don’t be afraid to move around to avoid the sun as the day goes on. Stay on the shady side of the sidewalk whenever you walk someplace. Try to shade your windows as best you can without obstructing airflow using blinds, curtains, shutters, etc. especially if they’re directly in the path of the sun. Do not be a jerk to your neighbors if their shade solutions are ugly. If you can get a shade for your car windshield, I highly recommend it, as the steering wheel, dashboard, seatbelts, and even seats can quickly become too hot to touch in a sealed car and will hold that heat for a long time.
6) CLOTHING. Light-colored, loose clothing that is as close to 100% cotton or linen as you can find is your friend. It doesn’t necessarily have to be short as long as it’s breathable. You will sweat through anything you wear, so I personally prefer only wearing machine-washable stuff. Sun hats, sunscreen, sunglasses, aloe gel for sunburns, mosquito repellent, anti-chafing supplies, etc are all worth looking into if you aren’t used to spending time in the heat.
7) TIMING. Try to stay out of the sun and avoid doing anything strenuous in the middle of the day when the heat is the worst. If you have a choice, plan to be more active early in the morning and late at night when the temperature is more bearable, and take a break in the middle of the afternoon.
Here’s a graphic from the CDC about how to recognize heat-related illnesses and what to do about them. I will add to this that if it’s hot and you stop sweating, you are getting to a dangerous level of dehydration and need to drink something BEFORE you start having more serious problems.
[Image Description: Infographic from the CDC titled “Heat-related Illnesses.” It has five sections, each with a “What to look for” category and “What to do” category.
Heat Stroke
What To Look For
High body temperature (103°F or higher)
Hot, red, dry, or damp skin
Fast, strong pulse
Headache
Dizziness
Nausea
Confusion
Losing consciousness (passing out)
What To Do
Call 911 right away - heat stroke is a medical emergency
Move the person to a cooler place
Help lower the person’s temperature with cool clothes or a cool bath
Do not give the person anything to drink
Heat Exhaustion
What To Look For
Heavy sweating
Cold, pale, and clammy skin
Fast, weak pulse
Nausea or vomiting
Muscle cramps
Tiredness or weakness
Dizziness
Headache
Fainting (passing out)
What To Do
Move to a cool place
Loosen your clothes
Put cool, wet clothes on your body or take a cool bath
Sip water
Get medical help right away if:
You are throwing up
Your symptoms get worse
Your symptoms last longer than 1 hour
Heat Cramps
What To Look For
Heavy sweating during intense exercise
Muscle pain or spasms
What To Do
Stop physical activity and move to a cool place
Drink water or sports drink
Wait for cramps to go away before you do any more physical activity
Get medical help right away if:
Cramps last longer than 1 hour
You’re on a low-sodium diet
You have heart problems
Sunburn
What To Look For
Painful, red, and warm skin
Blisters on the skin
What To Do
Stay out of the sun until your sunburn heals
Put cool cloths on the sunburned areas or take a cool bath
Put moisturizing lotion on the sunburned areas
Do not break blisters
Heat Rash
What To Look For
Red clusters of small blisters that look like pimples on the skin (usually on the neck, chest, groin, or in elbow creases)
