Hypothermia attacks at the yard (human)

Kenzo

Kenzo

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Anybody else suffer or know anyone that does?

This happens to me quite often during really cold spells during winter, first time it happened was the worst case, when my OH found me curled up asleep in the snow in the horses field after I’d been putting some hay out and fiddling with the buckles on a rug, it can literally come on such a short time, due to frostnip on my hands and having low blood pressure anyway as well as low pain thresh hold (been to the doctors about years ago but basically there’s nothing they can do).

I also faint if I'm in pain too, but that's a seprate thing.

Well it blooming happened again this morning, as luck would have it (if you could call it lucky) I had a flat tyre so had already called my husband out to come up and sort that out (managed to get to the yard) and while he was on his way up, I was turning out the horses and then bobbing some hay out for them, well it came on, my hands were in so much pain I can’t honestly describe how painful it is :(, then my breathing went all funny, I could feel myself draining and my face going white, then I felt so week and could feel myself not being able to walk properly and feeling funny, then I felt sick (which it not something I ever feel unless I'm very very drunk :D...meaning I'm not a sickly person).

Macker’s empty stable was looking very tempting and was just about to go curl up in there on the mucky straw bed and go to sleep (thats what you want to do...it's all very strange) when like a ray of light my OH came walking across the yard, so I thought good timing and I’d make it back to the car (as sometimes I can bring myself out of it or at least get to a safe place if I do collapse) which can be dangerous anyway because you just basically want to curl up and go to sleep.

Seen as he was in a rush and I’d got him out of work (so he wasn’t best pleased anyway) I tried to fight it but told him I wasn’t well, got the yard gate and said I’m passing out and down I went, then after I came round in the car I was trying to get my kit off in the car (you then think your too hot)

Just wondered if anyone suffers from hyperthermia attacks during the very cold weather when you’re messing down at the yard and what you do to prevent it and if other people around you know how to deal with it when it happens, though it might be useful us talking about seen as we are getting some very cold spells, you never know it could happen to you or a friend on the yard.

Would you regonise the signs and know what to do if a fellow livery came down with it? they can be mild to serious and the symptoms will vary depending what stage your at.
 
I have never had it - thank goodness, but I do get low BP and MUST have breafast and graze every few hoyurs or I get faint. Poor old you. Are you ensuring you wear enough layers and a good hat? Silk under gloves and socks are a good idea. Also ensure you eat well before going down the yard. I do know the symptoms through my job but its a very good thing to bring to peoples attention.
 
I do, glad i'm not the only one!

I pass out in the cold (or indeed the hot!) I have really low bp and have to eat plenty of sugar (good excuse to have 2 in my tea ;))

I don't think I get it as badly and as quickly as you, yours sounds terrible :(

I always eat something in the car on the way to the yard (chocolate bar/crisps), and make sure my ears are covered and warm...I don't know why but it really helps.
I wear lots of thin fleece layers that wick away sweat so that I don't get too hot suddenly. Fortunately my boy has a barn stable so it is always a lot warmer in there.

I always know when I am going to go, my head starts spinning, I zone out and feel like I'm going to be sick. I just want to lay down and go to sleep! My doctor blames it on my low bp & sugar levels as well as dehydration (I don't really drink very much at all), hence the need to keep myself topped up.

I tend to be worse in heat than in the cold but have gone down a few times (on a school trip, at the yard etc). One time I just covered myself in a rug and snuggled in a corner until I was found!

I hope you don't get it again, take it easy! xx
 
I had a mild dose of it back in the 90's whilst despatch riding on a motorbike, I'd been to Wales and back (Surrey) and it had been snowing on the Severn Bridge and it was flipping freezing, I'd also been through rain on the way there so my gloves etc were wet through.Every so many miles I stopped and walked about a bit and put my gloved hands on my engine to warm them up with clouds of steam rising off the engine when I did that!
I got back as far as Egham on M25 where my then girlfriend was in uni digs, she luckily had been a nurse before uni and she thawed me out slowly, it is very painful though isn't it, I was sick with it too and was ill for 3 days afterwards.
I received some thermal underwear this Xmas and I must say, it's SO warm, if you haven't got some, try it, it may help you, Oz :)
 
Well it's interesting to hear of other peoples experiences too, thanks.

Yes I had plenty of layers on (t-shirt, hoody, thick fleece zip up jacket which is silk lined in the body) and a warm coat, woolly hat which covers my ears, thick socks, my long Ariat boots, I was super toasty in the body, just my hands, even with gloves I suffer from frostnip, I’ll have to look out for some more silk lined gloves, I had some leather silk lined ones ages ago and they really helped.

Think I’ll try those pocket/hand warmer things that walkers use, to be fair it’s the first time this winter it’s happened but if the weather stays like this during the February mornings it’s not going to be good, so yes, need to make sure I fuel up with a breakfast and a warm sugary drink before I head to the yard.


Wrap up folk! :)
 
Sorry but ive got to ask, were you rugged up for the weather ?:D
When its like this ive got more layerrs than an onion on.
Full set of Thermal underwear, base layer top, waistcoat, fleece with neck then jacket and hat. Boots and fluffy socks. :D
Not a pleasant thing by all accounts, hope youre feeling better :)
 
I remember you posting about this before...poor you:(

I know its a long shot....and I think they were really expensive ( but if it saves your life worth it) but I saw in a magazine actual heated jackets.....might be worth doing a search?


On the lighter side....good job it didn't happen at the Guy Robinson demo....if you had flung yourself on the floor and stripped your kit off we would probably have distanced ourselves :D:D:D
 
I had a near miss with it on a school trip too! Windsurfing in the UK in November was perhaps not a good idea! Luckily it was spotted and I was escorted indoors and had a warm shower in good time.

Kenzo, are you wrapping up well? You need a good thin base layer all over and then layer up on top with good insulating fabrics. I'd suggest something like merino long sleeved vest, long johns, and socks, a pair of silk gloves, and a buff pulled up over your head or a silk balaclava. Then add fleece top, and warm trousers (I have some fleece lined ones and some ski trousers). Then coats, over gloves, a hat, a second pair of socks, warm boots etc.

Have a pair of fingerless gloves if you need to be able to use your fingers.

Try thermal insoles in your boots.

You should aim to have as little of your skin exposed to the air.

Look at getting a down filled coat for warmth, they are well worth it.

Make sure you stay dry too, nothing chills you faster than being damp, so have a decent breathable waterproof and wicking underlayers. Have some rubber gloves that you can get on over your normal gloves for wet tasks.

Oh and put all your warm clothes on before you venture out. You need your body to be warm so you are trapping the warmth in, rather than trying to warm yourself up!
 
Hippona said:
I remember you posting about this before...poor you:(

I know its a long shot....and I think they were really expensive ( but if it saves your life worth it) but I saw in a magazine actual heated jackets.....might be worth doing a search?


On the lighter side....good job it didn't happen at the Guy Robinson demo....if you had flung yourself on the floor and stripped your kit off we would probably have distanced ourselves :D:D:D
Click to expand...

I saw these jackets advertised to, mabe theyve got heated gloves as well as you do sound well wrapped up anyway.
What about sealskinz, waterproof and warm gloves ?
 
Hippona said:
On the lighter side....good job it didn't happen at the Guy Robinson demo....if you had flung yourself on the floor and stripped your kit off we would probably have distanced ourselves :D:D:D
Click to expand...

I think I would of pretty much cleared the indoor arena with such a sight, but then I'd of had both man n oss all to ones self! ;)
 
I've had a couple of mild doses when out cycling. Once when I was nearly home and riding in thick fog, I had the insane urge to leave my bike in a really rough part of town and catch the bus home (bike was worth over £500 back then in the late 1980s!). Luckily the logical part of my brain said I was nearly home and to press on. A few years later I was cycling in Italy and the "summer" weather was awful. It rained continuously that day and even though I was dry I was in the cloud base so the temperature was low. Again I wanted to abandon my bike on the side of the road and just walk away (don't know where to though :) ) I managed to keep going and made it down into the next town where I spotted the ride's mechanic and nurse parked up waiting for stragglers,so dumped the bike in the van and hitched a ride with the nurse. I spent a solid 40 minutes under a red-hot shower and was still shivering when I was dressed. Not a nice experience but at least I know what to look out for now.
 
A friend bought me a heated waistcoat a few years ago and I don't think it was too expensive (no more than £20 max). It came from somewhere like Maplins (the electronics people) and runs on batteries. I think if you keep the core of your body warm you are less likely to suffer if your extremities get cold.
 
A guy at work is diabetic and has poor circulation, he had a pair of heated gloves the other day that looked awesome, I did a google search and found them at www.warmawear.com I don't think they are particularly expensive, around the £30 mark I think he said.

Might be worth a look, they also do heated waistcoats and insoles!
 
The nearest I have come is a funny turn at a Monty Roberts demo a couple of years ago (February, -15 outside and not much more inside the demo!). I was with friends who had gone off to by the hot chocolate and I was sitting in the arena waiting for them (fully 'rugged-up', I might add!!) and suddenly felt very odd and wanted to go to sleep. Also thought 'I'd really like one of those books' but could NOT get up and go over to buy one!

I am diabetic and it did feel a bit like a hypo (low blood sugar) - but not quite! So I knew it wasn't that.

I am wondering if you have ever had your sugar tested, OP? :confused:
 
Also fainted from cold before. Luckily had people with me. I always make sure people know I'm at the yard, and let barn people know when I am riding or going somewhere with the horses. Keep phone fully charged and spare charger in barn. And wrap up warm :D and take snack and drink
 
I think i've had a case once when I stupidly went for a long hack on one of those blue sky winter days wearing totally inappropriate clothing. I was so cold by the time we returned and not with it at all. Can't remember much apart from it took me a heck of a long time to warm up and feeling right again xx
 
I can second the silk glove liners! I suffer terribly with poor circulation, especially in my hands, even with ski gloves I have been brought to tears through the pain :( but with these liners I have noticed a marked difference, still get cold but bearable. I bought them off Ebay
 
Could you have a mars bar or something with loads of sugar in your pocket (not with the hand warmer!!) to have if you start feeling it coming on? Also a flask of hot drink?

The disposable hand warmers and foot warmers may help - the boxes of them are cheap on e bay..
 
Please make sure someone knows where you are & check in with them occasionally at an agreed time. If they don't hear from you then can send out the rescue party. It sounds really scarey to be suffering from this in the extra cold weather we're having. Look after yourself, your horses need you!
 
Thanks guys and some good ideas there, I'll take a look at the links too, my friend/livery very kindly did both my stables tonight for me bless her, so no funny turns this evening from me, and two very happy neddies tucked up and hayed up before 6pm!
 
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