How do I stop sweating?

August 18, 2005 10:41 AM

I have a tendency to sweat, like a lot. It's not as cool as you think.

I have been losing weight recently by excersizing, and I am taking 10mg x2 adderall a day for ADD. I am doing pretty damn good for myself, trying my darnedest to run my business and go to school. One little problem, though: When I am in a social setting like at a party, I tend to start sweating. Like, sweat will pour down my face. There has been occasions where I had to leave, change shirts, calm myself down, and come back.

Last night I went to a dance club and realised I can actually dance. That pesky sweat problem, well it came right back. I sweat more when i'm sober. You would deduce that this is some form of social anxiety, but I am a social person and I get along quite well with others. I know that these things happen and I try not to let it get me down, but lately it has been a big problem for me. It will happen wether or not I take my medication.

My dad was a "sweater" as well. What can I do to change this? I really, really want to kick this.

I am 6 ft, 260 pounds. I am overweight but not horribly so. I have been jogging and going to the gym to curb my weight and it has been very successful. If I continue to lose weight, will my sweating become reduced? Also, I went in to the doctors the other day and my temperature was 99f. Mefite community, I need some advice!

posted by Dean Keaton to Health & Fitness (23 answers total)

Previously on Ask MetaFilter.
posted by grouse at 10:45 AM on August 18, 2005

I go to meetings for anxiety, and a guy there has something that sounds the same. It's not to do with weight for him - he's a builder and quite active.

He said it went away from when he was in his 20's to when he was in his 50's. He only gets it when he goes inside - a situation which makes him anxious.

I'd guess that it's a combination of slight social anxiety and having a natural tendency for it to happen. I reckon most people have some feelings about being in a social setting.

If you don't have a lot of anxiety, maybe treating it would be a bit much, but maybe something like hypnosis or visualisation could help.

Good Luck, J
posted by lunkfish at 10:51 AM on August 18, 2005

Response by poster: Is this social anxiety? I used to have anxiety because I was pretty much an anarchist outcast all through middle and high school - I hated it. But fortunately I had good friends and I grew out of that part of my life. Does this have something to do with my past, like my anxiety? I have a low body image, which is definately a double edged sword; It forced me to excersize in the first place but romantic situations are unsuccessful because I am afraid to "go first". Huh. Maybe I have it.

I also used to mouth things I would say in uncomfortable situations by myself, as if I was reliving that memory that caused me to be uncomfortable... social anxiety this could be.
posted by Dean Keaton at 11:25 AM on August 18, 2005

I lost about 100 pounds (now at 225) and incorporated regular exercise into my life. I used to sweat in everyday situations, now I can walk/job on the treadmill for 20-30 minutes with minimal sweating. Losing weight definitely makes a difference.
posted by kdern at 11:25 AM on August 18, 2005

Response by poster: Thanks kdern, I have another reason to keep running.
posted by Dean Keaton at 11:28 AM on August 18, 2005

I'd say anxiety is an over emphasis of feelings that everyone has, so there's not a clear line between having it and not. It might be useful to you to look into it as things like building confidence and breathing right in social situations can't really hurt.
posted by lunkfish at 11:45 AM on August 18, 2005

If I continue to lose weight, will my sweating become reduced?

I am 6-2 and went from 236 to 170 this year. I would have to answer yes, sweating reduces with weight loss (unless it's more of a physical-emotional problem or side effect from medicine or somthin'.)
posted by Doohickie at 12:24 PM on August 18, 2005

Social anxiety remedy: I think it is called propananol. It works miracles for me, daily. Good luck.
posted by madmath at 12:44 PM on August 18, 2005

If you have true hyperhidrosis--overactive sweating due to a kink in your sympathetic nervous system--there is a surgery that can be performed. Freakily enough, it involves making a tiny incision and snipping a few ganglia in the chest--an endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy.

I'm no expert in this area; I just used to work in a hospital's neurosurgery department and the docs there performed this surgery frequently enough. As far as I know, there is a genetic component to hyperhidrosis, so it's not surprising that you would have a problem if your dad does.
posted by Sully6 at 12:46 PM on August 18, 2005

Well, I'm a sweater as well. Adderall will make you sweat ridiculously. I have taken it for the purpose of enhancing my workouts only, about 40mg in the morning and that keeps me sweating and hyped up all day.

No deoderant has been able to stop it.
posted by AMWKE at 1:16 PM on August 18, 2005

Sully, the surgery you reference only helps with hyperhidrosis confined to the hands and/or feet. Generalized will not be helped and can sometimes be made worse through it.

There are some oral meds that have a side effect of reducing persperation but it's iffy and the side effect of constipation is no thrill.

I've found the biggest help for me has been to wear undershirts when possible and keep an eye towards clothing that doesn't change color when wet. If you see me in Target wetting my finger and touching something it's not a fetish, tho no less disgusting. Sorry. Wash stuff you buy before you wear it.

Drysol and the like, referenced in the older AskMe linked above, can help but I personally don't find it worth hassling with daily. Your mileage may vary.
posted by phearlez at 1:42 PM on August 18, 2005

Already mentioned in the other thread as well but Certain Dri works great. Put it on before you go to bed and you're good for at least a day.
posted by trillion at 1:49 PM on August 18, 2005

"Sully, the surgery you reference only helps with hyperhidrosis confined to the hands and/or feet."

Hmmm...I thought that there were procedures that could reduce sweating from the nipple line up. But again, I'm not expert or a doctor. Just passing along info that Dean Kenton may want to investigate further. The Wiki article I linked to mentions some of the side effects. A surgical intervention certainly isn't something to choose lightly.
posted by Sully6 at 2:12 PM on August 18, 2005

Adderall will make you sweat ridiculously. I have taken it for the purpose of enhancing my workouts only,

WTF?
posted by fixedgear at 2:44 PM on August 18, 2005

In the meantime until you get this problem taken care of, I'd highly suggest picking up some Certain Dry. Works like you cannot believe. Hard to find but well worth it.
posted by pwb503 at 3:05 PM on August 18, 2005

Hyperhidrosis patient here. The surgery is performed differently by different surgeons. I ended up with my axillas much drier, and dry hands. My feet were never dry. There are potential side effects, like compensatory sweating (my trunk now perspires). Oh yeah, and my facial sweating quit. IANAD, check with yours and see if this may be the condition and what your options are.
posted by 6:1 at 4:01 PM on August 18, 2005

And, yes, in social situations my perspiration is worse, you worry about becoming sweaty, it can be a vicious cycle.
posted by 6:1 at 4:03 PM on August 18, 2005

Except for the meds part, I've had remarkably similar experiences. I had my first panic attack at age 20 and had about a dozen or so between then and age 30. My panic attacks became most frequent and unmanageable as I starting running, starting losing weight, neared the completion of my bachelors degree and hit 40. My PAs manifested themselves just like yours: steady trickles of sweat confined mainly to the head. Sweat profuse enough that people would ask if I was all right. And I did feel all right, that is, except for all that fucking sweat pouring down my face and neck for no apparent reason.

I've always been at least socially competent - and at times, quite charming. The tough part of social anxiety is the internal monologue that goes on while you're talking to someone else. Cognitive Behavioural (or is it Behavioural Cognitive) therapy helps you to pay better attention to the nasty things you might be saying to yourself while your mind is otherwise engaged. So if your problem turns out to be a social anxiety thing, take heart, there is effective therapy.
posted by klarck at 4:54 PM on August 18, 2005

I'm also a sweater, also on Adderall. But I don't remember not being a sweater, so I don't think that's it--though I did go through a period where my armpits, and just the armpits, would sweat like mad from the exertion of sitting in a chair. That started far before the Adderall, and Drysol did the trick for it. Put it on every day for about a week, then reapply about once a week thereafter. About two years later I don't actually need it anymore, though the general sweating problem hasn't gone away.

So, um, Drysol will at least help get rid of the armpit stuff (don't put it on your face). Regular trips to the bathroom for paper towels is how I've dealt with the rest.

AMWKE: Holy shit, that is a ridiculously bad idea! Do you have a sleep disorder that made you start taking it or something? I'm on 40mg/day prescribed, and that's a medium-high dosage. I'm going to assume you're taking it in the XR form, because the short-release form would be driving you nuts and if it didn't it meant your body was accustomed to it in a way that's very, very bad. I suggest you start knocking your dosage down immediately if you don't want the dependency to get worse. As it is you're probably going to have to deal with a few months of feeling sluggish and tired whenever you stop taking it (at least I did when I decided to wean myself off since I wasn't doing concentration-related activities).
posted by Anonymous at 5:17 PM on August 18, 2005

Sully6, 6:1 - interesting, that. When I first investigated it about ten years ago the consensus was that nerve snip helped -only- hands and feet. Which makes little difference to me - my issue is largely my back, which can at times look like I laid down in a puddle.

Yeah, I can hear everyone lusting for me. *mr0wr*. -sigh-
posted by phearlez at 5:36 PM on August 18, 2005

Response by poster: I don't think what I have requires surgery - I don't have to sweat, it just happens when I'm in a stressful situation or not used to my surroundings. Maybe when I continue to lose weight the situation will smooth itself out. I will look better, hence feel better, and be more prepared to be smoothed out in those stressful situations.
posted by Dean Keaton at 7:09 PM on August 18, 2005

Botox is an approved remedy for hyperhidrosis. It can be injected into your palms, armpits, etc. It's not as great for the feet, but it can be done. The great thing about this treatment instead of the surgery is that it doesn't have massive side-effects. Contrary to sensational media reports, it is incredibly safe and effective. If your palms sweat in heat and high-stress situations, it is an incredible feeling to be sweat-free, and it becomes a learned repsponse, so your body learns to deal with these situations and sort of re-wires it. Now, this isn't ideal; it takes a few times, but just losing weight isn't always the solution to sweating. I know a very many people - some who look like granola crunchies - who have been greatly aided by the advent of this treatment. It really changes your social life. I've tried Drysol, Certain Dri, etc., but they dry me out, give me a rash and are a pain the butt to use. E-mail me for a more detailed testimonial, but if it's something that makes you nervous and doesn't look like it's cured due to weight loss and/or confidence and/or OTC solutions, it's an incredibly useful remedy. My email's in my profile.
posted by fionab at 10:36 PM on August 18, 2005

One other thing: get your thyroid checked.
posted by fionab at 11:00 PM on August 18, 2005