Why could someone not handle the heat?

[horsepuller]

This is just a guess, but could he be drinking too much? This has become a problem in running marathons lately. People force fluids, then pass out or become debilitated. Under these conditions, medics often think heat stroke, provide more fluids, patient dies. See:

Water intoxication - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Triguy1]

Not withstanding any of the medical issues that all could be an issue. I would also say salt. I use this product for training and racing Ironman events. It makes a big difference in energy levels, muscle fatigue and cramping. I use it if I am going to work in the yard all day too. Work a try.

http://www.saltstick.com/

Jon

 

[sixdogs]

Let me clarify my earlier post since a number of tangents are creeping in. Lots of things could be happening but the man could be having a heart attack.

 

[hogheadCTD]

Sounds like heat stroke.

 

[texasjohn]

Am hoping OP will come back saying that medical attention has been sought. We know something is not right, but neither what it isn't nor what it is. This isn't a tractor we can guess about but a fellow needing medical help to regain his ability to work using his skills to best benefit.

 

[Jstpssng]

Let me clarify my earlier post since a number of tangents are creeping in. Lots of things could be happening but the man could be having a heart attack.

Sounds like heat stroke.

Good points made. However if you look at the OP's statement

It seems over the last couple years he can take the heat less and less. It has got really bad lately. Temps are 90-95 degrees and he is unable to do anything. He is drinking plenty of water and works like an ox all morning but about noon when it starts getting warm he becomes more or less useless. Right now we are not even doing work that could be remotely considered strenuous he can't even stand around in the heat and I would not even really call it heat. Around here it isn't hot unless it is over 100. Today I was comfortable and did not even drink a lot of water or think it was hot and he looked like he was about to pass out.*

you will see that this has evovled over time.

 

[tcreeley]

Bad lungs/asthma are a killer in the heat for some, always short of breath.

 

[powerpace]

This was my first thought, don't know anything about him but many legal or non-legal medications would have that side affect. Also energy drinks in excess would have that affect.

Energy drinks have a "crash" effect when they wear off. Expecially heightened when coffee is also taken about the same time. Caffeine high means a comedown hours later.
In defense of the person mentioned heat stress situations may cause problems later in life.

I had a heat stress episode in the Marine Corps and another while fighting a fire. Heat is not my friend now.

 

[SpringHollow]

He definitely needs to see a dr.

I easily get heat exhaustion to the point of lying on the ground hoping I did not pass out. I even was carrying bottles of water with me but drinking them made me feel sick too. Something like Gatorade would quickly make me feel better as it replenished my electrolytes. I did not want all of the sugar etc and I hate most sugar substitutes so I tried Ultima Replenisher. It works pretty well. When drinking it, I have not gotten real sick. I also try to stop and rest for a few minutes and let my body cool down when I notice I am over doing it. It seems like I reach a point of no return, where I exceed my body's ability to cool and heat rapidly builds up. And like others have mentioned, it seems like the more it happens, the easier it is for it to happen again.

Ken

 

[bdog]

Thanks for all the replies.

The last couple days were not as hot - only got to 80's. He did ok but sure seemed like he was sweating a lot more than everyone else. He is taking off work tomorrow to go see a doctor. Hopefully they will figure it out.

He is not on any medication or drugs and is not doing anything different that he can think of that would cause this.

He is basically eating and drinking more or less the same stuff as everyone else at work and they are all fine. Several of us are older, overweight, have asthma, etc and we are all fine. Definitely something wrong with this guy.

 

[Jstpssng]

Thanks for the update... hopefully they can figure out what's going on.

 

[texasjohn]

good update, glad he's going for medical consultation.

 

[Cat_Driver]

My crew and I work in temps over 110 from now till Oct. All the things others have posted are possibilities of his heat problems. Age, salt, heart, liver, kidneys etc.etc. If he is drinking that will dehydrate you into the next day, if he's an alcoholic or just drunk every night. Coffee will also dehydrate you.
What I do that works best for me is to SUPER HYDRATE myself the night before a long hot day outside. The next day I start drinking water from the time I wake up and throughout the day. Water will taste like medicine as you force feed yourself water.
If I do this I'm fine, if I don't I'm useless in the heat.
Also drink pedialyte or a Sports drink . Never cokes, coffee, beer etc.

A trick that was taught to me by a giant Black Man when we both worked in paving roads. He always called me " Young Blood" . He taught me to run cold water on my wrists and it would bring my core temperature down. One of the best trick ever taught me. I wonder ever happened to Rufus?

 

[dmccarty]

...
A trick that was taught to me by a giant Black Man when we both worked in paving roads. He always called me " Young Blood" . He taught me to run cold water on my wrists and it would bring my core temperature down. One of the best trick ever taught me. I wonder ever happened to Rufus?

Keeping the sun off you head and neck is important too. If I really have to work in hot, hot weather I try to cover up my head and neck. If that sun is beating on your neck you are in trouble because the sun heats up your blood running through the neck. I will take a small towel, soak it in water, fold it up so that a bunch of it is on my head and under my hat with the rest of the towel covering my neck. The water evaporates and keeps me cooler. I learned this little trick in the South FLA summer while digging a trench near a pool. I was so over heated I kept going to the pool shower and wetting my self down every 15 minutes or so. Eventually I did the towel and hat trick and that really helped.

The wrist cool down works just what I do with covering the neck. There are products out there for wearing on your neck to keep you cool. I think you put them in the freezer/fridge before use and the wear them. My towel is cheaper though and won't break. :laughing::laughing::laughing:


Later,
Dan

 

[EddieWalker]

Interesting post. I work outdoors quite a bit and found that if I start when it's cool out and stay outside all day, I'm find, but if I come indoors and cool off, or get a late start and it's already hot outside, then the heat becomes an issue.

Eddie

 

[Egon]

wear a T shirt and keep it wet as well as the hat on your head. Evaporating water cools.

 

[paulharvey]

wear a T shirt and keep it wet as well as the hat on your head. Evaporating water cools.

I have been told many times that a long sleeve shirt will keep you cooler than a tee shirt. Can't bring my self to keep a long sleeve on to find out, but it seems many/most guys on paving crews wear long sleeves.

 

[hunterridgefarm]

On the weekend the heat does not affect me much if I start out early in the morning and stay out the rest of the day. However during the week having to work in AC and car with AC it is difficult when I get home and its 90+*.

One thing I do is always wear a big straw type hat, wet towel, cooler with low sugar protein bars and apples. I always have plenty of water with me.

I have started carrying Propel water with me. It has some vitamins and minerals in it, not much but some. The Kiwi/strawberry really cools me down, actually better than water. The doctor recommended this to my wife when she was dehydrated instead of the sports drinks.

Propel Enhanced Water

 

[Egon]

I have been told many times that a long sleeve shirt will keep you cooler than a tee shirt. Can't bring my self to keep a long sleeve on to find out, but it seems many/most guys on paving crews wear long sleeves.

The asphalt is hot. Long sleeves protect from the direct heat. The fellows also may have extremely hot feet.

You'll notice the tradition dress in dessert countries covers almost the entire body with the clothing so arranged an upward draft for cooling is formed.

 

[charlz]

A trick that was taught to me by a giant Black Man when we both worked in paving roads. He always called me " Young Blood" . He taught me to run cold water on my wrists and it would bring my core temperature down. One of the best trick ever taught me. I wonder ever happened to Rufus?

Not to distract from the thread but I read an interesting article a few years ago about controlling core temperature (in an in-flight magazine of all places). It was some research done at a university where they looked at core temp levels and fatigue.

As your core temp starts to rise your body starts to fatigue you so that you do less work thereby lowering your temp again. What I got out of the article is that three areas of the body have blood that basically goes straight back to your core, the palms of the hands, the bottoms of the feet and the face. Makes tons of sense when you think about it; putting your feet up by the fire, rubbing hands together and holding them out to a fire/source of heat, turning your head towards the warm sun. All things you do instinctively to get warm. Same areas can work for cooling.

You can't do it suddenly like with ice or your blood vessels constrict, has to be a 'cooler' source that gradually brings your temp back down. These guys made a glove that puts a slight vacuum on the hand to draw in even more blood to cool it down. I am one that doesn't deal with the heat well and in places like on a plane where I am sometimes hot and uncomfortable I get real irritable. Now I know to just take my shoes off.... the floor is usually cool, especially once in flight. Works wonders.