What is the "trigger" for sweating?

[Jerry_NJ]

One of my ongoing AFib symptoms has been a high resting HR (around 90) and the early onset from exercise of higher HR, fatigue, SOB, and sweating.  I never gave the exercise symptoms much though as to their relationship to each other.  That is I considered them related to the exercise, but not to each other.  About a week ago my Cardiologist reduced my BB from 100 mg to 50 mg and put me on a 240 mg CCB (Diltia XT brand name).  My resting HR immediately dropped, that is next morning while very much at rest, my HR was in the 70s with some excursions into the upper 60s - wow (wonder why I wasn't put on a CCB earlier).  

To my subject:  with the lower resting HR it seems when I engage in light physical activity (yard work, hiking) I have more strength, and a lower exercise HR too, and very little sweating.  My conclusion (question) is:  sweating is coupled directly with the HR.  Any confirmation?  Here my "field test" is on the same equipment, it has been only a couple of days so my physical condition other than a better controlled HR is the same, yet I no longer sweat as easily... more like the good old days when I didn't get my shirt wet until I was running for 10 minutes or more.

Just for more completeness, my HR is still somewhat irregular due to the AFib "signal generator" and I have few other symptoms... the reason I am trying to get by with HR control and an anticoagulant.  I am encouraged with the results obtained for rate control with the CCB, I hope it continues.  For reference: my Cardiologist is an advocate of rate control and anticoagulant for permanent AFib treatment in those with minor symptoms and who are no longer responsive to electrocardioversion.  This is based on studies that say the life expectancy of a person with controlled/protected AFib is not improved by conversion to NSR.  I think that says we AFib-ers have a "down vector" on life expectancy because we suffer from heart disease - NSR or not.  This thinking has taken ablation off the consideration list.  I have responded in past years to electrocardioversion  and have undergone a mini-maze procedure that did not hold me in NSR either.  As to life expectancy studies, I think they were for older people, 60 and over.  So it may be for a young person (say under 50) ablation may be considered even from my manageable AFib condition.

As always, this is just my experience, not a recommendation for others.

[Jerry_NJ]

First, wow! what a typo (a Jerry trademark):  In my last post here I typed:
"Thanks, my problem was too little sweating."  It should have been: "Thanks, my problem was NOT too little sweating."  Hope that makes better sense about what I was trying to convey.

Debbie,
I have some trouble with weight gain, for me it is more like 20 pounds (but I am almost 6' 6").  I can always relate it to eating habits (just love sweets,and food in general).  As for adjusting, I too tend to adjust to the BB I have taken.  When I first went to 200 mg of Metoprolol a day I had a lot of trouble with dizziness, had to sit down on the floor a few times to prevent a possible fall.  But that and the causing low BP passed, but the general fatigue didn't pass.

With a few more days experience on the new CCB I can say I may be adjusting to that too.  My HR is coming up a bit, unfortunately, but I do continue to feel better.  I think "itdood" hit the nail on the head with the other affects of BB on the circulatory system.. reduced blood flow.

[dmacd74]

Jerry, I guess everyone is different, I did terrible on Verapamil, it did not lower my bp or hr.  I was on 240/day.  Now that I am on Toprol, my hr dropped, fewer pacs/pvcs and lower bp.  I am on 25mg.  When I first switched to bb, my hr and bp dropped too low, but I stuck with it and things have adjusted.  Have you ever heard of weight gain on bb?  I've gained about 8 pounds, which is probably more my fault than the drugs.

Boy, I enjoy your posts and your wisdom!!

Debbie

[Jerry_NJ]

Thanks, my problem was too little sweating.  I am a past runner and could drench a sweat shirt.  But after returning to permanent AFib in the spring (that's April where I live) of 2007 I have not been running.  I have been on a beta blocker since surgery in November of that year and have had a general lack of energy, get fatigue and shortness of breath, and sweating easily.  This has improved, i.e., reduced SOB and sweating, and increased energy since going on a low dose BB and adding the CCB.   I still sweat, but happily only if I am actually working hard.

Adelaide, rings a bell.  I greatly enjoyed a book a few years back by Bill Bryson on his exploration of Australia, including Adelaide.  I have been to Melbourne once, must have been about 1995.

[mum2four]

Sweating in not directly link to your heart rate, I'm sure theres many factors involved that makes you sweat or not.

in my oppinion not sweating while doing yard work is a posable symptom not a good thing to ignore just because your heart rate is low. I would be wondering why your bodys cooling system(sweating) is not working well while doing yard work. Are you drinking enough before and during yard work.

If your not sweating you body is not cooling its self properly during exercise. Athletes with low heart rate still sweat prety bad they drip with sweat. I'd be seriously asking your self if your drinking enough and if thats a yes then why don't I sweat much.

[Jerry_NJ]

Thanks, makes sense to me.

I had a period a few years back when I was in sinus rhythm and was taking 50 mg of Toprol a day to help keep me there.  I was still running then and the only thing I noticed was a slightly lower HR.  Rest near 60 and I had to really push to get it up to 150, which I was HR target when running in my late 50s.  

Given I had no grand expectations on the addition of a CCB, I think the results are real.  I will ask if I can be moved to just CCB, it seems to be what works best for me.

I doubt that the Slow/Extended release medications can deliver a very even dose level over a 24 hour period, I'd much prefer to take something like 150mg CCB every 12 hours rather than 240 mg every 24 hours.  Here I'm increasing to compensate for dropping the 50 mg BB.

From what I've read on this community beta blockers seem to be the medication of choice by most doctors, yet in my case the CCB deliver better on controlling/lowering HR.  

[itdood]

Hi Jerry, that's a fantastic result with the CCB!

I think the sweating issue has to do with the BB.   BBs can impact exercise tolerance.  The BB blocks a very important hormone needed while exercising, adrenaline.  I think this is why you are getting SOB and sweatier on the higher dose of the BB.  CCBs do not have this effect on exercise tolerance.

Your exercise tolerance would in theory go up by reducing the BB, well not in theory as I think you are actually seeing this already.

On the higher BB your heart was pumping less blood. This can cause all sorts of other issues like fatigue, SOB, increased respiration and perspiration.

So I think this all boils down to exercise tolerance.  

It's a theory anyways, I might be wrong...