The reason I ask this is last week I went up the Eiffel Tower and waited about an hour outside to get in, and another hour outside waiting for the second lift, half way up the tower in very exposed conditions. The temperature was about 2 degrees and it was extremely windy with wind chill. I began to feel ill, and the skin on my chest went hot and cold. I felt very ill and got ratty with people, and couldn't stop moaning, and I'm not a moaner. I had to come down the tower at once, and at the bottom lost my temper with a friend of mine (I NEVER lose my temper) over nothing. I then nearly fainted at the metro station, and felt better after eating chocolate. It took me several hours to start feeling warm again. Is it possible I had hypothermia? I was wrapped up fairly warm, but maybe not warm enough. The fact that my personality suddenly changed was worrying - is this a symptom of hypothermia? Thanks in advance.
2007-03-27 05:23:01 · 8 answers · asked by katiep 1 in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ Other - Diseases
By cold I mean 2 degrees C, but very windy, with windchill it was below zero. I don't know the speed of the wind, but it was biting, and worse the higher up the tower I got.
2007-03-27 05:30:24 · update #1
Certainly these conditions can lead to hypothermia, especially if you weren't dressed for the cold weather.
Here's a rundown of the signs and symptoms. It usually comes on gradually.
Slurred speech
Abnormally slow rate of breathing.
Cold, pale skin.
Fatigue, Lethargy or apathy.
Shivering is a sign that your body is trying to generate warmth. Also what's called the umbles; stumbles mumbles, fumbles and grumbles.
These behaviors may be a result of changes in consciousness and motor coordination caused by hypothermia.
Severe hypothermia can lead to respiratory failure and cardiac arrest.
I was just reading over your question again, and the fact that you almost fainted, but then felt better after eating chocolate makes me wonder if you had low blood sugar, which can also cause irritable behavior. Its also a symptom of diabetes. You should go to the doctor and discuss all of this with your doctor. He may want to do a fasting glucose test to rule out diabetes. You may have had a hypoglycemic episode, which is triggered by low blood sugar.
I'm not so worried about the hypothermia, but that almost fainting episode is somewhat worrisome.
See the doctor, and good luck to you.
2007-03-27 05:38:30 · answer #1 · answered by Firespider 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Hypothermia is a medical word for low body heat...the usual body temperature is 37 centigrade,if your temp falls to 36 you start to shiver,which is the way the body tries to warm up,however,at 35 degrees the body will stop shivering,this is the bad bit,because u dont know if youve warmed up to 37 or dropped to 35...the full extent of hypothermia is simple to explain...think of it as drinking a liter bottle of vodka,from getting silly to falling over to going unconcious to death,for your question it seems you must have had a very bad case of hypothermia,and you should have been hospitalised,your lucky to still be alive.
2007-03-27 05:33:21 · answer #2 · answered by Sarah T 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It sounds more like hypoglycemia than hypothermia - although considering where you were and the air temp certainly brought down your overal body temp. Meanwhile, get a glucose tolerance test and see if your blood sugars are normal. The cold might have triggered low blood sugar temporarily.
2007-03-27 06:03:25 · answer #3 · answered by Dances with Poultry 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
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2016-10-20 01:32:16 · answer #4 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It doesn't have to be that cold for you to get hypothermia. Irritability or mood change is a sign of it.
Its something you watch for in divers.
2007-03-27 05:29:12 · answer #5 · answered by Whatever. 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
im just a kid but i think it probably was. it might be u just got angry w8ing so long or somthing but that doesnt explaint he chest u might hve had miner hypothermia
2007-03-27 05:27:11 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
If by cold you mean -5
and if by windy you mean 90 mile an hour?
then yes i would say so
2007-03-27 05:26:59 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
if you are out in it long enough
2007-03-27 05:27:59 · answer #8 · answered by kissybertha 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋