Re: Clammy sweats and arm tingles
Originally Posted by
Justanutter
Hi. Have searched the forum but can’t find anything relating to symptoms I have. I usually put everything down to anxiety because it’s usually brought on by it but for a while now, especially since my breakdown in February this year, my hot sweats (I’m well post menopause) have ramped up considerably. Now though whenever I exert myself, especially anything which involves rubbing something or using arms causes me to break out into a hot sweat but very clammy cold and then I’m getting prickly tingling all down both arms. It can happen when lifting my shopping if heavy out of the car. I try and repeat the same activity again shortly after but it tends not to repeat it strangely. It’s not very pleasant and sometimes it makes me rush to the loo. I’m thinking blocked arteries or micro vascular angina. Not breathless or chest pain at all. I walked the dogs very slowly up our small lane the other day and it came on then as I was making sure I could see how far back it was to the car. I’m terrified of heart tests as heart anxiety has been an issue since I was a child. I’m not asking for a diagnosis but it worried me that I can’t find anything else on the forum relating to similar. My last ecg was about 18 months ago which was fine but then it says it doesn’t pick up these sort of issues.
First of all, your thread title made me giggle. I think it would make a great name for a country band.. 'Clammy Sweats & the Arm Tingles'. (welcome to my mind)
Secondly, your issue..
I noticed that you started back on Citalopram earlier this year? Are you still taking them? Only increased perspiration is a side effect. And it doesn't matter if you've previously taken them without this issue (or any other) because the menopause can change all that. I took this drug for years with no problem but I can't tolerate it now due to the side effects so my first thought with you is that this sweating issue may be due to the medication?
My brother has angina and what you're saying doesn't sound anything like him. A clear ECG is also good but I do think it's advisable to run new symptoms (especially those which appear to heart related) by our GP's when we hit the menopause - even if we have an anxiety disorder diagnosis. Heart issues are your main HA fear which means that your mind will always try to connect the two and there's no point trying to diagnose yourself (blocked arteries/micro vascular angina etc) because most people with HA do this and most people with HA get it wrong. And another problem is that anxiety heart symptoms will play directly into this fear so then it becomes harder to sort out what anxiety (fight or flight) is responsible for and what it isn't, you know?
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A thought is harmless unless we believe it.