Sun Sensitivity

Am I a Vampire?

     I seem to be one of the few that have a bad reaction to the sun. Almost, like an allergic reaction. I'm the one that can't wait until Winter. Not because I ski, sled or ice fish, but because warm weather creates pain in my body. Honestly, any heat creates pain in my body, but the sun seems to affect me the fastest.

     When the sun comes out, I rush for a shady area, in nearly a panic. When I'm driving, if the sun comes in the window, I shrink from it, put down my visor and will even shift in my seat to avoid the touch of any sun rays. If I'm in the sun, with in seconds, the pain in my body increases from just mild irritation to a stabbing pain that practically drops me to my knees. It feels like a thousand fire ants are biting me. If I don't get out of the sun and cooled down fast, those fire ants turn into red hot ice picks.

     At this point I'm slightly dizzy and having a hard time thinking straight. If I don't get cooled down after that, those hot ice picks turn into burning cattle prods, shooting hot electrical pain through my body and affecting every area. At this point, I can't walk and the only thing I can muster is to cry.

     One of my daughters has a similar issue, just not as bad, yet was given a heat hazard badge in the Army to prevent her from getting too hot.  However, my youngest daughter loves the heat and thrives in the hottest of summers, but hates winter and often goes into depression when its too cold for too long.

     I've had a lot of doctors / specialists look at  my condition. None really know what is going on with me, but I've had a bunch of guesses.  I've been told that I have Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, Tarsal Tunnel, Plantar Fasciitis, etc, etc, etc.  All of these, some of these or none of these have to do with these heat issues.  The doctors don't really know what is wrong, every doctor says something different.

     It's so frustrating that with today's medical advancements, no one can tell me really, why I am in so much pain all the time, why heat and sun makes it so much worse and if there are any known treatments.