Here I am, sitting on the bed, waiting for the AC in the new room to go down to 16o (60 F). A little weary.<\/p>\n
Yesterday, the day after I lifted at the WPC South American powerlifting championship, I had a pretty serious hyperthermia episode. As is often the case with the victim, I didn\u2019t realize it right away. All I knew was that I was extremely tired, with an insistent headache, nausea and somewhat dizzy.<\/p>\n
It was my friend Carlos Daniel Llosa, who just majored in medicine, who touched me and figured there was something very wrong.<\/p>\n
I got into a taxi and headed back to the hotel. The headache was getting worse and I was weaker and weaker. I told the driver that if I fell unconscious, to drive me to the nearest hospital and tell them I had HYPERTHERMIA. I asked him to repeat it.<\/p>\n
Fortunately, I arrived safely at the hotel, got into a cold shower drinking ice water for about 20 minutes. The room temperature was around 16o (60 F) then. I slept.<\/p>\n
I thought I\u2019d be sufficiently ok for the awards and because there was a meeting called by one of the leaders. Quite stupid of me: as soon as I got back into a warm place, even if it was cooler because it was early evening, I got worse. I could barely climb the podium.<\/p>\n
And then (and only then) we realized why I had slumped to the floor after the third (failed) deadlift attempt. And why I had started to shiver. And laugh (confused). And feel very sleepy.<\/p>\n
I also understood why everything felt so heavy.<\/p>\n
Ok, I\u2019m not going back to discussing results. I am happier and happier with those.<\/p>\n
I\u2019m obviously worried with this. I am here, waiting for the temperature to stabilize because the AC in the other room broke. I noticed it had broken because I started feeling really bad again and realized the damn white box was too quiet. And it was 23o (73 F).<\/p>\n
So, my hypothalamus has not gone back to normal yet. When will it? Who knows\u2026 I only have a few hours to catch my plane back to Brazil, which is not exactly Siberia, but it\u2019s winter there and I feel ok.<\/p>\n
I am a heat intolerant person. Every Summer is a torture for me \u2013 no matter where. I decided to spend summers in Winter places (this way I will never feel hot again). People are different, they deviate from the norm in every possible variable and it seems I\u2019ve been deviating in temperature tolerance since I was born. I am happy when it snows, I feel like crap when the sun is out. Since forever.<\/p>\n
It might have gotten worse during the many years I was severely medicated for neurological conditions. Neuroleptics and other psychotropic drugs impair thermoregulation in mammals. It might have done a permanent job to my brain, who knows.<\/p>\n
Although I might have an extreme condition, I\u2019m not exactly a rare case of heat intolerance. And let\u2019s face it: who\u2019s really tolerant to 42o (108 F) ?<\/p>\n
I wonder if it\u2019s wise to lift weights in such conditions if one\u2019s hypothalamus does not agree with hot weather. I think not. I think it\u2019s a good idea to check the weather and if you are more of a white Christmas person, just leave it to another opportunity to have fun and meet friends. Lifting is pretty exhaustive and it\u2019s one of the no-no\u2019s for heat stroke risk.<\/p>\n
How does that sound?<\/p>\n