Q? about my body's scary response to exercise (long) please help

Hello, I wonder if anyone can help me with this. 

I have exercised in the past by walking around the neighborhood and occasionally biking - did this most of the summer 2006 and averaged about 2 miles at what I thought was a brisk pace.  Haven't really exercised since September 2006.

Today I went to the gym for the first time in my life.  I've never used a treadmill before and I guess it's different than what I was doing before, because you can plug in the pace and incline etc.  So I started off very slow, level 1 incline and 2.5 mph pace.  Seemed pretty easy and I wanted to do more, so I stepped it up gradually.

I ended up doing level 4 incline at 4.0 mph.  Did that for about 15 minutes and my hands and fingers started feeling "prickly" like when your hand falls asleep.  I kept it up, though, didn't feel bad and I was getting into it.  I've had carpal tunnel for awhile and it was feeling like that feels. 

Then I looked at my hands.  They were all bloated up like sausages!  My fingertips in particular were red and looked like balloons ready to pop!  Seriously, my skin was almost bursting and my fingers were twice the size they normally are.  I was scared so I stopped.  I drank my water and sat down to rest.  It took my hands and fingers about 10 minutes to "deflate" back down to normal.

It was very scary.  I wonder if I was about to ....  I don't know, have a stroke or something...???   I have carpal tunnel (sp) and in the past when I was pregnant with my daughter I was in the hospital for the last month with Toxemia.  I need to google that because I don't really remember what Toxemia is.  Anyway...

Does anyone know what this is from, or has it happened to you, or AM I GOING TO DIE if I keep exercising?  Maybe I should just take it alot slower?

Please!

If you are really concerned go see a physician but I have had similar things happen to me when I get hot from exerting myself and my fingers will swell and get kinda tingly.  Usually its nothing a bit of rest and a nice long drink of water won't cure.  I find I have less of this if I drink during my exercise... so try keeping a water bottle with you.  

There's no way moderate exercise will ever kill you - but it can save your life.

However, what you described does sound kind of scary.  Remember on all those exercise programs in the small print where it says, "consult a doctor before starting new exercise habits"?  I guess in your case there's actually a point.

I would continue walking at a light pace and do a lot of stretching (yoga or tai-chi) and see my doctor asap.

I'm sure it's something simple like water-retention or nerves. 

Okay, THANK YOU for letting me know that I'm not the only one!  I guess I over-reacted a little. 

I don't have a physician and I don't have insurance so I can't really afford to just go to a doctor to find out stuff like this for sure.  And the gym is in the college next door, not a real gym, so there's no one there.  All the signs say stuff like "If you die it's not on us" so I guess I got a little freaked out.

I will keep my water next to me from now on, and take it slow!

Here check this out :)

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hand-swellin g/AN01403

This link explains well what is happening and says its common and offers some tips for managing it :) cool so now we both know and here I thought it was because I ate too much sodium lol ;)

I have had this happen to me but the reason for mine was menopause.  and after i got outside and cooled down and rested it went away. It still happens sometimes but i know what it is so I don't worry. but you should see your doctor if you are unsure.

I've had this happen. I always chalked it up to my Raynaud's Disease. Now I think maybe I need to see the doctor about it....EEEP.

This used to happen to me on my walks! I kinda felt it was a circulation problem and it was very scary and painful to the touch.

Then I got a puppy and started walking my puppy. Then I noticed that the hand that held the leash was NOT swollen and the hand that was hanging on the side was! I took puppy home promptly and went for a long walk around the neighborhood but this time I bent my arms at the elbows and pumped my arms as I walked (I emulated the girls I see power walking). My hands did not swell up this time or any time since whenever I pump my arms, including on the treadmill! So maybe you can try it and see if this alleviates the swelling. Best of luck to you!

I googled for proper walking form, and lo and behold, here's a paragraph from one article that actually confirmed this: "Straight arms on long walks lead to problems with swelling, tingling, and numbness of the fingers or hands. Bending them will not only eliminate this problem, it will also help you gain upper-body strength and tone your deltoids, biceps and triceps."

Thank you for all the different replies/suggestions/opinions. 

I am going to:

1. try for the proper walking form (came naturally to me while exercise walking 'round the neighborhood, guess on the treadmill I was just concentrating on not falling off or looking like a doof)

2. get in to see a dr. as soon as I can, and

3. PRAY that I'm not about to hit menopause.  :)  I would like to save that for way later in life.

My fingers swell up too, mostly if it is in warm, humid weather.

If I exercise at nighttime, I don't have this problem.

Mine do this too when I run or walk a long time and holding my arms up over my head tends to help reduce the swelling.