Need information from someone living in San Antonio area, please...

[poohkers]

I am hoping someone can give me some information about the San Antonio, TX area. We are wanting to move to the New Braunfels area but I am concerned about how the heat, humidity will affect my MS. (Diag. 9/99) We currently live in Northern Arizona and we only get heat and humidity for a few months a year. If anyone can offer any information I would appreciate it, Thanks!

[Toomnyhats]

I'm in Houston and the heat/humidity can be an issue for me.
SA/NB is farther inland, not as much humidity & closer to the desert side of TX but, it's still HOT there! Currently SA temps are in the low 90s & heat index is 100. It will remain like that until about Thanksgiving when we get "winter weather" for 6-8 wks (back home in northern IL we'd call it "fall weather"). "Spring" is about 4-6 wks of early summer temps, then the heat arrives!
A benefit of SA over Houston - you don't have to be as concerned about hurricanes. SA will only get rain/wind but not the actual hurricane making landfall.
Very beautiful part of the state though.
Let me know if I can answer any other questions!

[cocogirl]

Early welcome to Texas.

If you are allergic to Mountain Cedar you will want to get started on allergy shots because the hill country is full of this tree and the pollen is miserable.

I live in the Houston area. I love it here except the heat and humidity is horrible for my MS. I wear a cooling vest in the summer and arrange my shopping and drs. appts. for early morning hours.

We lived outside of Daytona,Florida and my son joined the air force. He did basic training at S.A. in April- early June. He was really bothered by the heat. He was not used to doing all that physical activity outdoors though.

You will love the friendly people, the barbecue, and the wonderful activities in the S.A. area. New Braufels is full of very wonderful people. If you have a hard time finding an M.S. specialist, you can always venture to Houston. We have a great group at the Maxine Mesinger M.S. Clinic.

[RavenousWolf]

I am hoping someone can give me some information about the San Antonio, TX area. We are wanting to move to the New Braunfels area but I am concerned about how the heat, humidity will affect my MS. (Diag. 9/99)

I have lived in south Texas all of my life and in San Antonio for most of it; I saw the most snow in my business trips so snowfall here is rare.

The humidity is not as wretched as it is in Houston but it still is awful. I remember people who once lived in west Texas who explained about dry heat.

And everyone's MS is different but I rarely ventured outdoors because I didn't know what my limits were and I didn't want to find out the hard way. However, I have three screaming kids ages five and under and I didn't want them to have television and video games as a babysitter. So I stepped outside a few times; interestingly, nothing happened to me.

Now I mow the front and back yards and I am returning to doings lots of yard work again (in the intense summer heat). I was once afraid of the humidity and a couple of MS patients here in San Antonio wear cooling vests but I don't need one. I perspire much more than I once did but I wonder if that has to do with becoming more acclimated to the intense humidity and heat.

But I wouldn't know how heat tolerant I was "until" I found out for myself. I try to be as hydrated as I can before stepping out in the heat but that is not an issue for me.

Also, I don't really know what a "flare-up" is for me. I have experienced the ups and downs of MS and pseudo flare-ups but not anything that has incapcitated me.

[Maxx]

Raven

We live in Boerne and love it. New Braunfels is a great city with gorgeous terrain.I think it's where they boast of the shortest (Comal)river in Texas, it's completely spring fed and goes underground in less than a mile.

I suppose it is humid at times but humidity doesn't really bother me

Maxx

[PilotGirl]

Austin

We live in Austin (about 45 minutes north) and I like it. The people are great and the city is fabulous.
The weather, however, can be tough in the summer. You usually either have heat OR heat and humidity. I personally wear a cooling vest and neck cooler when doing anything outdoors from May to October. And it does not cool off at night like it does other places.
We are lucky to have a backyard pool so that is where I spend my time outdoors in the summer.
One other thing you might want to think about is health care. I am lucky to have a great neuro (Dr. Fox) that specializes in MS. I think San Antonio has better health care overall than Austin because of the medical center there. At least, that's what my native Texan friends tell me. I have been here for 10 years.
Good luck with the possible move!

[poohkers]

Thank's a bunch for info...

Being in AZ I also use a cooling vest when outside in the Summer. I have lived in high humidity before but it was not hot. I guess I will have to adapt. I was concerned about finding a Dr. but after looking online there seems to be dozens in the area. There are two in the area I live (40K people) and they have huge waiting lists. Luckily I am in with one and I love him. A little off subject, can anyone advise on how the economy is doing in the San Antonio/New Braunfels area. Statistics show it is not as bad as AZ, but you never know what to believe. My husband would be going back to school and working part time and I would like to work part time, like I do now. Any other advise about the area is appreciated! Thanks again.

[LilStep]

I live in the San Antonio area and have lived here all my life, 46 yrs. When I was younger I lived in the New Braunfels area near Canyon Lake. The people are nice and the weather is hot, but the humidity really isn't all that bad. The only bad thing is that we hardly get any rain, so we have alot of dry trees and grass. If you have any type of allergies then you might have some problems here. We have alot of Cedar. I manage without a cooling vest, but it could be that I have just gotten use to the weather. As far as the economy, the job market it good. Better than other cities. You should not have any problem finding a part-time job.

Welcome to Texas and if there is anything I can help with just let me know.

[wkikta]

The saying goes: San Antonio TX, where they invented humidity. Houston, where they perfected it. It can be unbearable to many.

[poohkers]

Thanks Lilstep

I think where we are is one of the worst places in the state for allergies! Good information, I appreciate. Do you have any recomendations on good rentals? Neurologist? Anything you think would be helpful would be great! Thanks for being so welcoming!

[RavenousWolf]

The top on the list is NISA, Neurological Institute of San Antonio. That outfit has almost everything under one roof; and they will soon have everything.

That is also where my "third" physical therapist made a huge impact on me; she bluntly told me that milking my insurance is unethical so I must do these exercises at home on a daily basis. Other outfits didn't mind milking my insurance. They also opened up a non-profit that does a "free" weekly exercise class, etc.

So it is worth taking a look at.

[LilStep]

You're very welcome. You would need to be more specific about rentals. Are you referring to a storage, moving company, housing etc.

RavenousWolf is correct about NISA, you may want to look into them. I currently see a Dr. Bass. Dr. Altman is also in her practice, they are both MS Specialist. The only problem is if you are a new patient you may have a long waiting period for your first appointment.

[RavenousWolf]

The only problem is if you are a new patient you may have a long waiting period for your first appointment.

That is what happened in the very beginning with me. My original PCP refered me to the neurologist there (before it ever became NISA moved away from the Medical Center). However, it had like a three month waiting list.

I kept hounding the PCP office for other referals but I came across the same thing. I finally got one who could see a new patient in a month (but he wasn't an MS specialist).

The appointment with him was identical to what my PCP did; he just requested a test to see if I had a vitamin deficiency. As a result, I just blew it off for almost four years (and a couple of trips to the emergency room).

A blood test wouldn't have revealed anything and my PCP was baffled.

So that is why it is my opinion to at least see someone who specializes in something like MS, like the people at NISA.

And I should have used their neuro-psycologist instead of picking one from the yellow pages. In fact, my new PCP asked me if I was trying to find a "shrink" in the box. It was a huge mistake to go that psycologist; I should have used the counselor there at NISA when I had generous insurance benefits that would have covered part of the treatment.

[poohkers]

NISA sound great!

Thanks again for the info. Sorry I was not clear...We are looking for a condo or apt. or duplex to rent somewhere between San Antonio and New Braunfels.Preferably closer to New Braunfels. Just want to find a good area that is central to everything we need. My Husband will be attending The Audio Engineering Institute in San Antonio. Have your heard anything about it? Thanks again for all your help! The waiting list for a neurologist here is 18 mo! Luckily I have one, but so many don't. So sad!

[LilStep]

You may want to try www.Mysa.com click on the classified (rentals) section, they have rentals listed in the surrounding SA area including New Braunfels. I have never heard of that Institute, sorry. Hope this helps.