Excessive Perspiration - A "New" Symptom?

[iheartcats]

I remember many years ago (pre-POTS) I went through a phase where I had excessive perspiration, mainly the armpits. It was embarrassing and uncomfortable but living in a cold climate at the time I covered it up and used some strong antiperspirant.

It is now back and I suppose it could be 'one of those things' and I am just unlucky...or it could be related to ANS. It's really gross and uncomfortable. Calm and not doing much on a not too hot day I'll sweat like crazy, full wet armpits. If it's hot or I'm busy, it's even worse. It's not good on my clothes either.

And it's mostly just the armpits! Sometimes the face, but I blot that easier.

I just bought Certain Dri (which I hear can work wonders but can itch/be annoying at first) as people recommend to try that before a prescription kind. I hope it helps, but I'd love to get at the root of the problem, but that's unlikely.

[skiberthoud]

I'm right there with you Cat_Lady! I regularly have beads of sweat rolling down my arms. I have always (well, for many years) sweat a lot, but not like I have been the last 6 months. I know about the embarrassing and uncomfortable part of it, too. I use underarm sheilds to protect my clothing and limit the "embarrassing" factor - they are a life saver for me. I've had to try a couple different ones to find ones I love. I have a new endocrinologist who has some sneaking suspicions he's looking into. I'll let you know if we find anything out. We think mine in endocrine related instead of ANS related. When I had my qsart test the neurologist said I had no problem sweating and that I sweat more than 3x the norm. How is that "no problem" sweating? lol. it's just a whole different kind of problem sweating...

Sorry your dealing with this same icky issue!

[lieze]

I had that problem as a teen and noticed it here lately.

Funny though this summer I was convinced that I no longer sweat at all.

I think I just don't know when to sweat maybe?

I'll be interested to see what you find out about this.

[kayjay]

Sometimes I sweat too much... other times not at all. Now I sweat a lot at night. I do know that my body temp is higher than normal. Before I knew I had dysautonomia I thought that I often ran a low grade temp. Certain dry should help but you may find you sweat more at night or in other places... like behind your knees. I wonder if your "normal" temp is also higher then 98.6. Mine is usually just under 100.

[comfortzone]

Sometimes I sweat too much... other times not at all. Now I sweat a lot at night. I do know that my body temp is higher than normal. Before I knew I had dysautonomia I thought that I often ran a low grade temp. Certain dry should help but you may find you sweat more at night or in other places... like behind your knees. I wonder if your "normal" temp is also higher then 98.6. Mine is usually just under 100.

My connective tissue disorder doc mentions I'm a "possible POTS" - though other docs don't think so - so I just figure I'm 'pots-like' - but not fitting diagnosis criteria to a T -- not textbook. Anyway I'm 53....and I had the sweat test this summer - I guess everything was normal. Yet - I'm a 'never sweat' person till 2 years ago. Most recently it's worse - say since January this year. The distribution is 'all over' -- so when putting on nightgowns at bed time - the waistband on my clothes is wet, my shirts are damp all over mildly (so I wear athletic wicking T's often now so no one sees) and slacks feel damp. So I just attributed it to menopause maybe. I mean I'd heard that once - that women can sweat more in 'those years' -- but my face at work at my old job would just pour sweat if I was warm in summer or indoors in summer...having me mop it or be really embarrassed. So crazy when you've never done this your whole life LOL! I rather despise aging lately - I'm not doing this gracefully - at all. I thought 'getting old' stuff didn't really get 'attention' until your 70's.... I'm being visited early and am at a loss....

[mkoven]

I've had a terrible problem with sweating under my arms for years-- at least since my 20s. (I'm 43). I'm allergic to anti-perspirants, and can only use deodorants, which means hiding the inevitable stains with the right blazer, overshirt, etc. No pastel colored silk shirts for me! Often I have icy hands and drenched armpits. My spouse tells me he can tell how my day was by the extent of the pit stains!

I've also started in on perimenopausal hot flashes, but those are different.

[iheartcats]

I didn't know they sold shields you can put in your shirts so I must look those up. I'll try that to help not show my huge pit stains.

It is intriguing many of us have some kind of sweating issues! I know I'm not having hot flashes yet (boy, I can't wait for that - sarcasm!).

I prefer the 'not sweating enough me' but she has gone away for now. The worst of it is how it varies so much over time.

Tablet: Let me know what you find out from your testing. I still am not 100% what this POTS is...even if it is post-viral is it throwing something else off making it worse? I'm still digging!

[sue1234]

Tablet, if you are sweating that much to have it rolling off of you, I hope your endo is looking into Cushing's.

I barely sweat, and when I do, it is in the underarms. But, what little bit I do smells like a man!! I have gotten out of the habit of wearing deodorant, as I barely sweat and don't really go anywhere. But, now I bought deodorant and keep it in the car for when I go to a doctor's appt.

I can sweat at night, very lightly, behind my knees and in the elbow creases. That's when I am burning up and have to throw the covers off. BUT, put me out in 90F heat, and I don't sweat. I just get hotter and hotter.

The not sweating in heat is worse for me than not being able to stand for very long!