heatstroke

[Patf]

In the Gers we're having a prolongued period of hot dry weather, predicted to last into next week at least.

My friend's husband is very overweight, not entirely his fault as he's an amputee and can't exercise much. He's 72.

He seems to be suffering from heatstroke, feels achey and sick, taken to his bed. All I can say is drink pints of water plus salt tablets. We've also given them some of that sports drink , lemon flavoured salts.

Has anyone any other advice?

They have air conditioning in their living room.

[Mac]

Tepid (not cold) short shower or all over wash can help. But I think your advice is best-that was certainly the advice I had from a doc. in India when I had heatstroke there. If it continues I think a visit to the doc's could be advisable.

[Gardengirl]

Heatstroke can be really nasty, poor man.

A sponge down with tepid water would be easier on him than a shower or bath, loose, light clothing and, as you've suggested, plenty to drink especially sports drinks or those powders you can get when somebody has diarrhoea made up with water. If his urine is dark he's not drinking nearly enough.

If a bed can be put up in their living room, he would get more rest, particularly if your hot weather is to continue, especially if the temperature doesn't become comfortable at night.

However, in view of his age and disability I would get a doctor to him or ring for the pompiers.

[Chancer]

I suffered the same way when I was overweight, on realy hot nights I found that having a plant sprayer (pulverisateur) to hand gave relief, I would spray it upwards in a cloud, it would settle on me and evaporate, it didnt settle long enough to wet the bedding.

 

Now I have completely the opposite problem, my bedroom is Under a tin roof, I no longer notice the heat but suffer terribly from the cold, I actually used the electric blanket briefly in July or maybe August!

[Patf]

Thanks for the replies, I rang my friend earlier with a few more suggestions, and she says he's feeling a bit better now after some of the sports drink. He has  a fan in the bedroom.

I had heatstroke once too, Mac, after a car journey from Singapore to Penang. It felt like 'flu. The doctor diagnosed heat stroke and I quickly recovered after some salt water. But I was young then (20s).

[Pierre ZFP]

Be careful of too much salt.  If this chap is very overweight as you say, he might have blood pressure problems so salt could push this way up.

[mint]

 I don't know about heatstroke, Pat, but here are a couple of very effective ways of keeping cool.

If using a fan, placing a tray of ice (or ice and cold water) in front of a fan, in its airstream, aids the cooling effect considerably.

Also, putting your wrists under a cold tap for a few minutes.  If your friend can't stand up long enough to do that, he could put his wrists in a bowl of cold water and ice, as above.

Really good ways of getting cool but with suspicion of heatstroke in conjunction with his other problems, seeing a doctor is best, just to be on the safe side.

[Patf]

His temperature is up again today so they've gone to the Doctors.

[NormanH]

If they read French this is a useful link

http://inpes.santepubliquefrance.fr/CFESBases/catalogue/pdf/1033.pdf

[Patf]

Thanks for all the replies - wrong self-diagnosis!

Today his leg was was all swollen and the Dr. found he had a bad infection between his toes which has caused the feverish symptoms, and swollen leg. So on antibiotics.

glad it wasn't something more serious though.

[powerdesal]

Salt tablets have been found to cause gastric problems and are no longer recommended.

[Chancer]

Sounds like the patient is a diabetic, perhaps not yet diagnosed?

[Patf]

His wife is always surprised when he gets his blood test results and isn't diabetic.

It seems the infection could be cellulitis. He's feeling better today TG.

[Gardengirl]

That's good to hear, Pat!

Not that cellulitis is good, as it can lead to septicaemia, which can be very nasty.