Heart Failure & Upper Arm Pain

[Bepto]

I have recently been diagnosed with HF (Dec 2019) & I am on Bisoprolol 2.5mg, Ramipril 2.5mg, Eplerenone 25mg & Apixaban 5MG twice daily.

I was on Furosemide 40mg up until Yesterday but these have been stopped.

The Apixaban was only started yesterday too as this was not prescribed until my visit with the consultant yesterday.

The thing is I get the most debilitating pains in my upper arms when I lift my arms up over my head or behind my back. At night I often wake up in pain if my arms are in a certain position, also at night I sometimes get pins & needles in my lower arm/s again if my arms have been in a certain position.

Could these symptoms be anything to do with the meds? The consultant didn't really seem interested when I told him.

[Modeller3]

Hi yes they could be your meds it takes a few mouths to kick in, if still happen after see your gp

[idloveacat]

Hi Bepto I have HF and still waiting for cardiology appointment since TIA last July. I’m also suffering upper arm pain but only in left arm. Getting worse over last 2 weeks. Are you also seeing your GP? Thinking of getting an appointment to check on pains. Already off statins for 2weeks to see if lower leg pains are caused by them. Sorry not being much help but sometimes helps to know you’re not the only one with odd symptoms. Does anyone else feel doctors think we are hyper without reason? Get more help from this forum than professionals so many thanks to all who post. Be grateful to hear if anyone else is getting upper arm pains. Good luck Bepto x

[TheBigHonree in reply to idloveacat]

Hello,

My GP although very good constantly told me post my CA that the chest pains, heart flutters etc were just me being "hyper aware" "hyper sensitive" "hyper anxious" etc, I have since had a CT Angiogram which found that my RCA is now narrowing again around my stent but I also now have heart disease in multiple parts of my proximal circumflex, lower anterior descending artery and distal RCA...so it would seem I wasn't just "hyper" anything, I actually have issues, I now have the problem of waiting for my cardiologist review to see what can be done...

[TheBigHonree]

Hello Bepto,

I would be making an appointment to see my GP if I was getting those issues just to rule anything serious out.

I was on apixaban for about 10 months and I think the only real issue I had with that was I started getting quite heavy nosebleeds for a period but they settled down and I came off apixaban in October last year, taken of bisoprolol recently as it was making my pulse rate dangerously slow and the ramipril gave me a cough for a few weeks but none of these particular meds gave me those issues that you are describing.

Definitely get in to see your GP if not getting any joy out of the consultant....

[Alibaloo]

Hi Bepto

I was diagnosed with Heart Failure with preserved ejection fraction about 8 years ago. I have been taking Furosemide 40mg twice daily for about 10 years now and there is no particular side effect that I can contribute directly to that. I am also on Nicorandil 10mg X 2, Monomax XL 60mg X 2, Nifedipine 40mg, Candesartan 16mg, Levothyroxine 50micro g, Simvastatin 40mg. I would suggest that the pins & needles are due to poor circulation as a result of the HF, I get that also. The Eplerenone is a diuretic and will be to replace the Furosemide. It would be worth asking your doctor if the pains in your upper arms / shoulders could be arthritis.

[Jarf]

Have you tried using your gtn spray for arm pains. I do, as arm pains are more frequent than chest pains in women.

[Bepto]

I don't have a gtn spray, should I have one?

[Hullensian]

Have been taking Apixaban since May 2017. As regards pains - no problems when I first started to take it, but now, sometime I awake with aching limbs, cramp, pins and needles and sometimes I don't, so sorry, can't comment on that aspect as unsure whether a drug would cause occasional pains.

However, due to the fact that there is no antidote for bleeds (eg internal organs), I try to be careful not to bang my head, fall off steps, ie do anything that may cause an injury. Plus, ensure your dentist is aware you are taking this drug. I do bruise more easily and if I cut a finger, it sometimes, not always, bleeds profusely, so I just follow GP advice and press it with a clean cloth.

Would also suggest you consider wearing some type of ID band. I purchased mine on-line. Velco fastening, with a slot in which one puts a water-proof piece of paper listing meds. I have 3 so I can wash them.

[Bepto in reply to Hullensian]

I have only been on the Apixaban for 3 days and have had the arm pains for a few months now so must be something else causing it.

[Hullensian]

Well, I wonder if my symptoms are due to my being prescribed the statin Rosuvastatin in June last year. Know I won't get anywhere if I question the GP as my husband has been taking statins for years and when he complained of pains, cramps and pins and needles, he was taken off them for around a month to test if any different. There wasn't so GP advised him to retake. He is just like me (different statin) and has episodes of problems. My GP's opinion - when I complained of feeling tired all the time was "Do you want to stop taking your medication and get back your energy levels, but risk having a Stroke, or do you want to continue taking them and reduce the risk?" I am also taking Bendroflumethiazide, Sotalol, Evacal D3 and a weekly med. for osteoporosis. Obvious to me that there is a link to pains, etc with that lot! One good thing, I don't have to pay for my prescriptions.

Regards