No Sweat

[EarthMother]

As I was reading a post tonight about the effects of the Sun and POTS symptoms, it struck me how many folks said they didn't sweat.

I've never had any of the fancy vandy tests, like the sweat test. But I certainly have noticed a dramatic change in my body's sweat response. When I was younger I sweat like a pig ... well you know what I mean. But in the last few years, I've stopped wearing deodorant. I just don't seem to sweat anymore. I guess I thought it was because I don't do much anymore either. But now that I think of it, I don't tend to sweat when I'm outside in the sun either. Not like I use to.

I carry around a little water mister bottle and am continually spraying myself to feel cool. (My dog thinks this is a fun game ---- EEEEEEW!)

Other than nightsweats, when I can still soak through all the covers, my body doesn't seem to perspire at all.

Is this part of autonomic dysfunction?

[erikainorlando]

Hi.

I am not sure but I will tell you that I have never been much of a "sweater"but I find that the littlest amount of activity will make me very hot and perspire now. I hate it...and I have noticed a very big difference in my tempurature regulation for what it is worth.

Erika

[mjan]

Yes I think for most of my life I have not sweat and felt sick in the heat/sun.

Then I actually was tested and they waited..and waited.. taking my temp and nope....I just didn't sweat or hardly at all.

When I was going throug Menapause.. I ONLY had hot flashes around my neck..little sweat..but hot flushed feeling.

No wonder I get sick in the sun. BUT.. I love the sun.. and the warmth..but only for a few minutes.

Jan

[ramakentesh]

I get sweaty hands and palms pretty much constantly while I am upright.

[Sunfish]

yes, in short. abnormalities in sweating - either too much (hyper) or too little (hypo) or not at all in any or all locations of the body - is a definable component of autonomic dysfunction. which is the very reason that there are two types of "sweat tests" that are sometimes done as a part of research, diagnosis, etc. this does NOT mean that everyone needs the tests nor that they are necessarily all that helpful (save for another confirmation of abnormality or dysfunction for some of us) but if you've noticed your own changes "unofficially" it could certainly be part of your dysautonomia. that said, there are changes that ALL women experience as far as sweating less/ more/ differently as they age. which is why - without testing - it's impossible to say whether the changes you've noticed are "dysfunctional" or "just" a normal variant of "growing up" so to speak. b/c there is a wide range of what's "normal" in the "normal" population as well (as well as people with abnormal sweating issues who are "normal" in every other way. even without testing though i would think that a more educated/ knowledgable physician (in the realm of ANS issues that is) would be able to give some feedback based solely on a clinical description/ report (in re: to whether what you've noticed is indicative of ans dysfunction). clear as mud?

melissa

[firewatcher]

Like Ramakentesh, my hands and feet sweat almost constantly when upright, and if I stand in one place too long: my face too. Unfortunately, my hands and feet go cold too. (it is embarrassing to have to shake hands like that!) I used to sweat a lot, all over, but now it takes extreme exertion or extreme heat for anything else to sweat. I am always so cold, even outside last July, I was in jeans and a t-shirt and everyone else was drenched in shorts and bathing suits.

[ramakentesh]

Yeah that sounds exactly like me - even the cold part. I get cold very easily. Just sitting in my house in shorts on a summer day even at 43C heat outside my feet can feel cold!

I sweat under my arms when standing too long as well as my shirts can demonstrate. It pours out of my palms and i usually have to wipe them on my jeans before I can shake hands with people.

[bizbiz]

When I first got POTS my palms would literally drip with sweat. I remember the computer mouse used to look like someone had poured water on it. This was very unusual for me. My POTS has slowly improved since then and sweaty palms are no longer a problem for me unless I am feeling bad - the other day I was feeling very POTS-y and noticed that my palms and feet (!!??) were sweating.

If I go for a power walk or do some sort of physical activity I seem to sweat a normal or 'appropriate' amount on my body.

However my feet are ALWAYS cold! Sometimes they get so cold it's painful - during my pregnancy I used to hang my feet in the bath tub with HOT water and read a magazine just to get some relief they were that painfully cold!

[Broken_Shell]

Hi All,

Add me to the list. Before developing dysautonomia I sweat like a normal person in response to heat. I was very active in dance and when we did outdoor performances in 90 degree heat I was drenched. The loss of sweating was one of the first symptoms I noticed after the onset of my dysautonomia. I would get light-headed and sick feeling at dance or while in the sun, but would not sweat one drop while others were rolling with perspiration. Like many others have commented, the only type of sweating I do now is a "cold" type of sweating on my hands, feet, and occasionally my armpits, but it only happens when I am having increased autonomic symptoms and is never in response to heat. If I go into the heat, I just get unwell feeling but never sweat. I did have an abnormal sweat test at autonomic testing center. I know that both too much sweating and lack of sweating can occur with dysautnomia, and there can even be variations across the body (for example, someone can loose the ability to sweat on the left side of their body while retaining it on the right.)

~ Broken_Shell

[jjb]

I have always though I sweat more than usual. I have to use drysol.

I can also soak the bed with sweat. My daughter recently did not sweat at all on the sweat test. I knew she had at least HYPOhidrosis (aka anhidrosis). My mother also does not sweat, well except for her hairline.

This I was told is a sudomotor issue or cholinergic nerve issue ... peripheral neuropathy I think.

I have been wondering though why I would sweat more than usual (hyperhidrois) while my mom and daughter sweat less than usual. They are both part of the same problem and recenlty I learn those with hyperhidrosis can go on to have hypohidrosis.

Last night I was exercising hard. I noticed my feet did not sweat at all.

For the past five years (immediately after my daughters birth, my feet and hands would get terribly hot while trying to sleep. To the point I would need to put cold packs on my feet. So I am now concerned I am headed in the direction of also not being able to sweat.

[jjb]

Oh, I just wanted to add, for those that do have trouble in the heat, there are cooling vest and materials that can be helpful.

I bought a couple for Ava last year.

I recommend these instead of the ones with the icky gel inside:

http://www.coolingapparel.com/

[Guest elyag]

Sweating never used to be a problem for me, in fact I decided to pass on the sweat test when I went to Mayo in 2203.

Last summer I noticed I didn't sweat like I used to. Now, no matter how hot it is, I only sweat a little under my arms. Although when I'm in excessive heat I still feel really sick. Makes me wonder if my dysautonomia is progressing.

[ramakentesh]

maybe thermo-regulation could also be an issue for me? I just tend to feel cold a lot even when its not.

I read somewhere that nitric oxide (which may play a role in POTS) regulates body temperature.

yeah Bizbiz - ive had my feet in hot bathes when i am bad many times and betablockers/dhe only makes this worse. Tends to improve when i do though which is good.

[all4family]

Hi EM,

I don't sweat at all in my arm pits, but under my breasts I sweat profusely! To the point I look like a nursing mother who hasn't been able to find her kid for 5 feedings! But I had the QSART test, and everything is normal there.....soooo don't really know what that means. Oh...and I get the lovely night sweats too, even if it's cold. What I understood from talking to my doctor was the night sweat thing is related to the ANS, but that if you don't sweat at all that is what they were looking for on me.

Suzy