Am a healthy, recently retired woman who rarely gets sick. However, she was slightly overweight and now trains and swims about four times a week, but although her extra weight has disappeared, she sweats a lot during exercise; At the end of the workout I am soaked. It’s embarrassing and I’m also worried it may be related to a medical issue.
Julie Smith, Blackpool.
Dr. Scurr responds: Congratulations on losing that extra weight – a lesson for others.
Excessive sweating or hyperhidrosis is common. The first step is to determine whether this is primary excessive sweating, when there is no obvious cause, or secondary sweating, when it is due to an underlying and potentially treatable condition.
Excessive sweating can also be related to anxiety, certain types of medications (such as steroids), and problems such as diabetes and an overactive thyroid.
One of the most common triggers for sweating in an older woman is menopause, in the form of hot flashes. Decreased estrogen levels affect the control mechanisms of the small blood vessels in the skin, causing random episodes of sweating, usually at night, but often also during the day, even when the woman is at rest.
Excessive sweating can also be related to anxiety, certain types of medications (such as steroids), and problems such as diabetes and an overactive thyroid.
But in his case, it occurs only after strenuous exercise; He also appears to be in good health, no longer overweight, exercising regularly, toned, and enjoying his exercise regimen.
I suspect that what you have is simply a normal physiological variant of post-exercise sweating and that perhaps this is new to you due to your recent increase in activity.
You’re not alone; I’ve been running with other people who experienced intense sweats, while some of us barely perspired.
As you say, it’s embarrassing, but since this is the only symptom, it doesn’t seem like it’s due to an underlying diagnosis; rather, it seems to be part of their constitution.
Ten years ago I had a heart attack and was then prescribed numerous medications, including aspirin. But it caused gastric problems, so they switched me to clopidogrel. Recently, I have been having difficulty swallowing dry foods (such as sandwiches or cakes) and was wondering if long-term use of clopidogrel could be the culprit.
Sylvia Honey, by email.
Dr. Scurr responds: Like low-dose aspirin, clopidogrel is prescribed to reduce the viscosity of blood cells called platelets. This improves blood flow and reduces the risk of clots forming in blood vessel walls that have already been damaged by the buildup of cholesterol deposits.
The atorvastatin he is also taking (mentioned in his longer letter) helps minimize further cholesterol buildup, and this drug combination has helped keep him free of further heart problems over the past decade.
But like aspirin, clopidogrel can have serious side effects (chief among them, bleeding from the stomach lining) and it is not unusual to experience blood loss when taking it, although it is usually too small to cause obvious changes in stool (heavy bleeding). , usually emergency, which causes black, tarry stools).
But over time this can lead to iron deficiency anemia and low levels of hemoglobin (a red blood cell protein vital for carrying oxygen around the body).
A consequence of this lack of iron is Plummer-Vinson syndrome, which affects the muscles involved in swallowing.
This syndrome creates a network of membranes that partially obstructs the upper part of the throat. One theory is that iron plays a key role in controlling the renewal of the cells that line the inner surface of the throat, and that without enough, this process goes haywire and excess tissue forms.
This reaction is more common in women and develops gradually over months or years, but can be reversed with intravenous or oral iron supplements.
Speak to your GP, who will be able to order blood tests and may also be able to suggest alternative anticoagulant treatment.