I haven’t checked, so I am sure I am stepping on eight posts, but I have finally found something I actually miss about drinking.
I AM COLD ALL THE DAMNED TIME. I was never cold before. I would wear shorts from March to November, and if it was over 35, even then. Now, I have flannel sheets and flannel pj’s and wool socks and slippers and robe and I’m yelling at the damned dogs to get in or get out because standing in the doorway for 15 seconds while they make up their minds is FR-FR-FR-FREEZING. Plus, my shoulders now hurt like hell in cold weather. I even have a little space heater I keep in my room for at night.
Still worth it, but I feel like a 90 year old man. I wear winter jackets now. I never wore winter jackets.
Baud
Or is it just colder, earlier this season?
Manyakitty
Some light exercise might help. I’m talking about a little yoga or Pilates, just to get your blood moving. Makes a difference for me. Check with the doctor who’s managing your shoulders and whatever else is going on, then check out some videos. Classes are fine if you don’t mind feeling like an idiot in public, but that’s generally where I draw the line.
Lee Rudolph
Forget it, Manyakitty. This is Blogistan.
Ukko
Are you dieting as well? That is the thing that did it to me, I used to be a space heater in my own right. Then I went on a diet and the old metabolism just shut that extra body heat thing down.
Manyakitty
@Lee Rudolph: Bahahahahaha!
RonzoniRigatoni
Pore ol’ John Cole. That is exactly why I moved to FL some 45 years ago. Getting some cold here as well this week, and am seriously contemplating Puerto Rico.
Dcrefugee
John, move to FL like the rest of us have done. The politics are roughly the same as WV, you’ll immediately raise the state’s average IQ and wearing shorts is expected.
Yer welcome!
raven
Hang tough man, your Steelers won with nary a BJ post so all is not lost.
Belafon
Newsmax: “Do You Support Amnesty for Illegals?”
Me: “No. I’m tired of Republicans getting away with shit.”
AJS
All of the below.
Probably skinnier
cold Fall this year
and you are getting fucking OLD
Get more animals or a human to sleep with you.
different-church-lady
@Ukko: Second that: lose weight and suddenly you’re cold in ways you were never before.
Wag
@AJS:
Best advise on the thread so far.
satby
You’ve lost weight and you’re not under the influence, so you can actually feel your environment. Get checked for anemia too, not as common in men but that also makes you more sensitive to cold.
And invest in microfiber (Polar Fleece is one brand name). I tend to wear that around the house so I can go out and in with the dogs multiple times a day without having to bundle up every time. Keeps me so warm I leave the thermostat at 63 most of the time. YMMV
shirt
Seriously, check your blood sugar. More warm bodies is good, too.
NotMax
No naked mopping until May.
MattF
@satby: Yup, feeling what’s going on around you is actually a good sign.
Karmus
@AJS:
This. Aging has a lot to do with it, more than likely.
JPL
Why weren’t you concerned when you didn’t need a winter coat in WV? That seems a tad odd to me. Welcome to normal.
Carnacki
And you kids get off my damn yard, go-on, GET.
chrome agnomen
more exercise is the answer. get your body’s internal engine working at a higher rate. i used never to be cold in this weather, but now being in my 60s and not exercising as much, i feel colder. must exercise more..
Face
Move to Florida?
OzarkHillbilly
@Dcrefugee: #1 reason to never go to Florida.
Violet
You yelled at me the last time I brought it up, but get your damned thyroid checked. And don’t take “You’re fine. It’s in the normal range.” for an answer. Get the bloodwork results. If your TSH is 3.0 or higher–get a second opinion. Honestly, if it’s over 2.0 you should get a second opinion, but it’s harder to find a doctor who will treat it.
Being cold all the time is a symptom of thyroid problems. So are aches and pains, even if they’re related to injury. Your body has changed and your endocrine system may not be keeping up with the changes as well as you think.
As I said before, I was screwed over by doctors on thyroid for years before I finally got treated. It sucks. I’m glad someone on the internet yelled at me and I listened.
Feel free to yell at me again. I can take it.
John Cole +0
@Violet: I yelled at you because it has been checked and rechecked yet you refuse to take me at my word. Would you like me to send you the test results?
**GRUMBLES ANGRILY AT PEOPLE TRYING TO HELP**
Punchy
@Face: Moving to FL is expensive. Gotta buy a gun, a holster, gotta up one’s life insurance policy, put a lawyer on retainer, etc.
schrodinger's cat
Invest in silk long underwear, you will be toasty throughout the winter. Bonus, you can wear skinny jeans if you want to.
Barbara
Hot mint tea. Even if you don’t like drinking it, just keep popping it back in the microwave so you can hold it in your hands, especially when the canines are outside. Also, go to an outdoor or ski store and buy some of the new high tech socks — that is, wool, totally washable, and thin and many of them made in the USA! — they will keep your feet really warm. We go skiing north of Montreal — once the early morning temps at the bottom of the hill were -27 C, but our feet were still nice and warm. And if they make UGGs for men, invest in a pair. Guaranteed happy feet.
OzarkHillbilly
@John Cole +0: If you don’t want people trying to help, maybe you shouldn’t complain so much? Oh… Wait a minute, how silly of me.
Punchy
This is the damn funniest thing posted on BJ in months. My monitor now has the faint sheen of a microlayer of Monster Energy drink attached to it.
Ruckus
John
I have no advice for you. I’m a number of years older than you and have no problem with cold. Right up to when I start to shiver. At that point gotta pile on the clothes. But I’ve been this way for decades. Last time at the VA my temp was 96.2 and the nurse started to freak out. Had to point out that it was 58 deg outside and I was wearing shorts and a t shirt.
None of this changed when I stopped drinking, when I lost weight, or gained it back. I was even a little less sensitive when I was lean and in good shape. Now if you want to complain about heat….
Violet
@John Cole +0: That’s not exactly how it went down, but I’ll take your word your thyroid is fine.
And if you want to send me test results, I’m happy to look at them. Have done it plenty of time for friends and even strangers on the internet who have posted their thyroid results for me to take a look at and offer suggestions.
Amir Khalid
@schrodinger’s cat:
Skinny jeans? As anyone who has ever played Grand Theft Auto knows, you wear Uggs with a halter top.
Oh wait, that’s in summer.
Shana
I think I may have your body heat. Oh no, never mind, it’s just hot flashes. Seriously, it was 30 degrees here last night and I went outside in my summer nightgown to cool off and it took about 5 minutes before I felt cold. I have to go back to my doctor. Can’t do HRT because of a family history of breast cancer. Anyone want to weigh in on that new medicine Brisdelle?
schrodinger's cat
@Amir Khalid: If you are wearing Uggs, it is too cold for a halter top, conversely if you are wearing a halter then it is too warm to wear Uggs. Halters are too damned uncomfortable, anyway, do not want.
shelley
Well, maybe because it’s only mid-November and it’s fucking 27 degrees!
japa21
BTW, John. Last I knew BJ is your baby. If you want to step on 20 posts, feel free.
Betty Cracker
It’s in the 50s here, and I’m freezing my butt off. I keep checking the house thermostat, which SAYS it’s 72 inside, but I’m not sure I believe it.
Barbara
Shana, I have a friend who has a severe case of hot flashes and has tried a number of drugs, but stopped using HRT for some health related reason (not history of cancer). She has found some success with anti-depressants, but I can’t remember which one. Maybe Lexapro? Apparently, a couple are useful in treating hot flashes and excessive sweating (what she really objects to) associated with menopause.
Bobby B.
Hot peppers like Tobasco sauce can warm your body the same way alcohol does, by expanding blood vessels. Therefore….
berliner2
I understand there is a town called Cashmere in West Virginia, so if you can take a hint: A cashmere sweater will do the trick.
schrodinger's cat
@Betty Cracker: It is unseasonably cold this morning, the temperatures are in low 30s. 50s would be wonderful.
different-church-lady
@John Cole +0:
Oh, so you were just venting. Our mistake.
Betty Cracker
@schrodinger’s cat: I worry about my kid’s hedgehog going into hibernation!
max
@shelley: Well, maybe because it’s only mid-November and it’s fucking 27 degrees!
There’s the answer Cole! The NWS says it’s fucking 14 degrees where you are.
Me, changing from Texas from Virginia taught me that I really hate the fucking cold and the lack of sunlight. UGH.
max
[‘At least it’s not fucking 14 degrees here. So I have that going for me.’]
schrodinger's cat
@Betty Cracker: I feeling like joining him, right now. Kittehs are eating more and are lazier than usual, plus orange kitteh’s coats is getting extra thick and furry,
Keith G
My apartment building near downtown Houston was built in 1950. It’s heating source is a wall mounted gas jet thingy that I don’t use for fear of being blown clear to Dallas. My apartment itself is on the first floor and smallish enough that heating from appliances and electronics actually keeps the temperature reasonably warm during average cool weather during our subtropical winters.
We’ve had two nights in a row with the temperature in the low 30s. Right now the temperature inside my apartment is 60 degrees. As this is my day off, at 8:45 in the morning I am still dressed in sweatpants and an old fashioned grey fleece sweatshirt with very warm slippers on. There is an electric blanket on my bed which right now is being monopolized by two very spoiled kitties.
After 7 months of heat, this is my favorite type of weather during my favorite time of year – the fact that it came a bit earlier than normal is a bit of chilly icing on the cake and something I am very thankful for. I really like feeling the cold. It reminds me of my college years when one of the best benefits from dating was having a warm body to snuggle up to in bed during the winters in Ohio during the energy crisis of the mid 1970s.
John, as others have speculated this is probably just more of the signs that your body is changing in natural and normal ways.
dance around in your bones
I have the exact opposite problem – I’m always HOTTER than anybody in the room. And I went through menopause years ago (yeah, I know that’s not YOUR issue!)
I walk around practically naked and almost always barefoot. I like to touch the earth with my feet.
The grand kids Legos , however, made me quite stabby.
Shana
@Barbara: Thanks Barbara. I’ve used a number of things over the last 3 years including antidepressants. Some made me so jumpy I couldn’t stand myself, some worked fine for a while then stopped having any effect. I’ve also used Gabapentin for night sweats which worked best but also stopped having much effect. Sigh.
Cacti
Even though I live in AZ, I got my first weather-related reminder this year that I’m not as young as I used to be.
A couple of years ago, I fractured the head of my radius bone in the elbow. It’s long since healed, but when we got our first chilly day of the year, it was throbbing like a mother and I had to down some Ibuprofen.
I was not pleased.
schrodinger's cat
Actually I don’t mind the cold so much, it is the shortened days and the lack of sunlight that really gets me down. BTW I was wondering if there are any BJers in Philly interested in a meetup? I may be in Philly in mid December.
japa21
Everything is relative. In Chicago, we woke up to single digits this morning. Almost unheard of in November. And the cold has been going for several days and will continue for a few more.
Quite honestly, come January, although it wills till feel cold, it won’t feel as brutal as it does right now.
There was not a gradual intro to the cold this year which normally allows the body to adjust.
Amir Khalid
@schrodinger’s cat:
I’m talking about a fashion choice common among the young women you see when playing Grand Theft Auto.
dance around in your bones
@Amir Khalid: It’s quite common in Santa Barbara to see young girls wearing shorts, tank tops and Uggs.
I have no idea if they play Grand Theft Auto or appear in it in some developer’s fantasy……haha.
MomSense
@John Cole +0:
Did you do the test first thing in the morning? Did they do the complete panel?
I finally listened to Violet and it turns out I have a thyroid problem, too. It’s not major but the treatment is definitely improving my symptoms.
ETA: It was only diagnosed when I asked for specific tests and had the testing done in the morning. I think a lot of doctors don’t realize TSH levels change later in the day.
Petorado
Alcohol dilates blood vessels, increasing circulation to the extremities and making people perceive that they are warmer than otherwise. Bobby B is right –the capsaicin in hot peppers can have a similar effect. As mountain folks always say, “if your feet are cold, put on a hat.” You lose a lot of heat on a bare head that could otherwise be keeping the rest of you warmer.
muddy
@Barbara: Effexor. Takes a while to kick in (6 weeks or more), but helped me a lot with the ridiculous sweating.
NotMax
One counter-intuitive suggestion.
Drinking hot liquids, once they are in the stomach, signal the body to turn off the heat and cool down. They’ll warm you up temporarily, but the end result is you’ll end up colder.
Drinking cold liquids works the opposite way.
So drink some cold iced tea or similar (or eat some ice cream), and the brain will get the message after a bit and kick into ‘crank up the thermostat’ gear.
The Pale Scot
Go buy some Duofold, inner layer of cotton to wick off sweat and an outer layer of wool blend.
That and Carhartt-alls kept me toasty building roofs in Jan. in the NE
schrodinger's cat
@Amir Khalid: You mean the on screen women, right? Because wouldn’t Malaysia be too hot for Uggs?
Amir Khalid
@dance around in your bones:
We discussed this in these threads a few months ago, I think. (This was before you came back here.) I said that if a young woman wearing Uggs in summer were to take them off, I wouldn’t want to be in the room.
WereBear
@Shana: You might consider pregnenolone. That’s what I’m doing.
It’s a precursor hormone; helps create whatever your body needs. Since you are not taking any hormones, you might do well with it.
Amir Khalid
@schrodinger’s cat:
One would indeed consider Malaysia too hot for Uggs, but I’ve seen young women wearing them even here.
schrodinger's cat
@Amir Khalid: Alas, one can find inappropriately dressed (for the weather) fashion victims everywhere. Wouldn’t one get sweaty and gross feet wearing Uggs in humid and hot weather?
ruemara
@Shana: speaking as someone whose life was destroyed by messing with hormones, I avoided HRT like the plague. I went with black cohosh root and wild yam. Some dietary changes like avoiding caffeine helps control hot flashes too. Mostly, I toughed it out and let the fat stores of estrogen work it out. Unless you have a medical reason, you should be highly suspicious of hormone use.
Also, Cole. Since I lost 110 lbs a few years ago, I’m usually cold. Suck it up, you probably are feeling normal.
schrodinger's cat
@ruemara: How are you feeling this morning? Last time I was here you were feeling a bit low>
Mnemosyne
@Amir Khalid:
Seriously, I have no idea why they do it, especially in a 100+-degree Southern California summer. But they do. Uggs, halter top or tank top, and shorts.
Mnemosyne
@japa21:
I am currently my mom’s favorite child because I bought her an electric throw on Costco.com and had it shipped to her. This is her first Chicago winter in 30+ years and I honestly don’t know if she’s going to be able to get through it.
schrodinger's cat
@Mnemosyne: Uggs are fuzzy slippers that you can wear outdoors. Must feel like a security blanket or something.
*Not an Uggs owner.
ETA: John Cole should get them to complete his bathrobe outfit.
Amir Khalid
@schrodinger’s cat:
Hence my comment #60.
Mnemosyne
@Betty Cracker:
Apropos of what you were saying in the earlier thread about your insomnia, Betty, you might want to consider getting some grief counseling. If you don’t want to see a therapist one-on-one, your local hospital probably sponsors groups, usually with a specific focus (spouse, parent, child, etc.) My MIL went to one after my FIL and she said it was really, really helpful. The holidays are unfortunately really hard, especially if it was the person’s favorite holiday.
schrodinger's cat
@Amir Khalid: You are a wise man.
Ed
I feel ya. I am freezing.
grumpy realist
Yeah, we hit 12 degrees this morning in Chicago. What’s driving me bonkers isn’t so much the cold as the dry dry dry air. Sublimation of water from Chicago River into air–quite impressive.
Suggestion: silk long underwear, wool, cashmere turtleneck sweaters, and boiled wool jacket. You’ll be warm. Too warm. Maybe want to not go quite that far….
delk
Funny because last week, leaving an AA meeting I said that this is the first time in a long time that I need to zip up my coat. I was sooo overheated when I was a drunk.
JohnK
Heading out with the dogs to go backcountry skiing in the mountains where it’s good and cold and the snow is light. Climb up and telemark down. It’s warm climbing, cool coming down.
Matt McIrvin
Yep, you’re cold because it’s cold. That’s what winter jackets are for.
dance around in your bones
@Amir Khalid: I can….uh – imagine that! They do get a bit sweaty/stinky :)
You really have to be in a place where it’s bloody cold, and even then they are kinda useless because they are made of suede and get soaked in a rain/snow/ice storm.Plus they sorta collapse after a few months, so I don’t know why anybody buys them ….
JaneE
You were always cold. The alcohol just masks it by dialating your capillaries and sending more blood to the skin. If you haven’t had your kidney function checked recently, you probably should. Anemia can cause you to feel cold as well. Also, losing weight, getting old, lowering your activity level. The next time you visit your doctor, just mention it. He would know better if it may warrant more checking.
Joel Hanes
Wear a hat. Makes all the difference.
Oh, and this : caffeine constricts your capillaries, makes you _feel_ cold.
If you’re drinking a log of coffee, you will chill easily.
Death Panel Truck
Get a dog door. After a few years of getting up to let the dogs out, we finally put one in. It’s a panel that installs in the track of the sliding glass door, and is just big enough for our cocker spaniels. Now they can go outside whenever they want to chase squirrels and bark their goddamned asses off.
Linnaeus
It’s even been chilly here in the Puget Sound region, though it has begun to warm back up. We’ve had daytime highs in the low 40s (a little cool, but not unheard of this time of year), but overnight lows below freezing, which is uncommon here even in the dead of winter.
Colleen
John, get your thyroid checked. Seriously.
JGL
Not sure if your aches and pains are the types allowed to have heat as a treatment, but I’ve found those fancy-ass spa shoulder drape things to work nicely to both sooth shoulder/neck stiffness and warm me up. You like the occasional scented candle, etc. so it has the added benefit of usually also being a hippy-dippy scented product :)
http://smile.amazon.com/Heated-Luxury-Spa-Wrap-Eucalyptus/dp/B002BE62ZK/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1416340175&sr=8-4&keywords=sonoma+shoulder+wrap
Gus
Reading this post and the responses makes me want to up my drinking and gain 50 pounds. Lived in MN for all my 50 years, and it gets much harder every winter.
Tree With Water
High comedy, and pass the popcorn: Bill O’Reilly being asked a wicked smart question that conjured up the sexual harrassment lawsuit that FOX settled on his behalf (like the day before yesterday), and thinking to himself, “Bill Cosby”. Realizing Cosby’s “dignified silence” routine didn’t wash, the cur did the next best thing and walked out of the interview. He sure can dish it out, but he can’t take it.
Bitter Scribe
@Tree With Water: Link?
Diana
thanks for all the advice here re hot flashes. I’m starting to get them, and I’d much prefer being cold. It’s like having a fever, not like being warmed up by exercise, and it’s weird to have to strip down to a Tshirt when everyone around me is in a coat.
Tree With Water
@Bitter Scribe: I don’t have the link thing down, but I think I read that at Deadspin.com. If not, google the douche and “storms off set” with today’s date.
Update- I read it at TPM. It occurred during an interview with an ESPN guy.
My Truth Hurts
Get some exercise, get that metabolism burning. Quitting drinking is hard but you are doing it. Keep it up. You’ve already added years to your miserable life!
Denali
Here’s just the thing for you- pajamagram men’s hoodie footie snuggle fleece.
Tree With Water
@My Truth Hurts: Sure, you’re shoulders will deteriorate to the point you need a helper monkey, Cole, but then again years will be added to the friendship you’re certain to build with the new pet. But seriously, to abstain from drinking alcohol is the very wisest course of action for some people, and I know whereof I speak. Keep it going.
SWMBO
On the hot flashes thing, I have found that St. John’s Wort and evening primrose oil helped a lot. Both are otc and you need to pick a brand that is consistent in the amount you get. I was waking up in the middle of a puddle and wanting to get stabby (thanks, dances). For the aches and pains, try magnesium and potassium supplements.
@John Cole +0: Get more bloodwork. Thyroid, anemia and all. Couldn’t hurt and if they find something, at least you’ll know. Normal bloodwork before, during and after drinking or injury can be influenced by these factors. Once your body acclimates to non-drinking, you may find that it isn’t so normal anymore.
You could also stop naked mopping while letting the dogs out so your mustard doesn’t freeze.
Birthmarker
@dance around in your bones: My kids had a matchbox type airplane that could bring the strongest man to tears. Small plastic army men can also be surprisingly brutal.