Sweating side effect

[Ravenstag]

I get the most aweful sweating from my medications. It can be the middle of winter and I feel cold but my face looks like I've just splashed water on it.

I'm a checkout chick so I'm constantly moving and it's so embarrassing. I get multiple customers a day asking if I'm alright or commenting on how hot it is. Sweet is just pouring off me, getting in my eyes, dripping off my nose. I'm worried people will be grossed out by me handling their food and potentially dripping on it.

Does anyone know some sort of solution for this? Like facial antiperspirants or remedies. Anything? I've been dealing with it for years and I don't know what to do.

My face is the worst but I do sweat all over. When it's particularly hot parts of my skin get painful, like I'm being hurt with needles. Mostly around my shoulders, neck and back. It really hurts, and on a few occasions even happened on my face. It's like I can't move or I'll be hurt with a thousand needles.

I can't deal with this any more.

[Nurse_Jenn]

Hi Ravenstag,

Welcome to the beyondblue forum. Great to see you reaching out here. I hope that you find some comfort in knowing that you are not alone in relation to experiencing medication side effects. If you use the search feature above and enter ‘side effects’ you will find many others have posted questions and concerns about medication side effects. I am sorry to hear that you are having such a tough time. It sounds really hard and uncomfortable.

My advise to people is that if the side effects are tolerable and not distruptiing your quality of life and the medications are positive on your mental health, then record and track them and see if they are improving or worsening over time and have regular visits with your prescriber. If side effects are interfereing with your quality of life and causing you distress, then it’s time to visit a GP or pharmacist and have a medication review.

From what you describe, it sounds like a visit to your GP is in order to find a strategy to reduce the side effects you describe. There are many ways a GP will do this such as looking at your medication dose, medication interactions and also reviewing alternative medications that you may tolerate better so you can have reduced side effects. Do you have a GP that you can book in with?

Sometimes pharmacists have advise as they have so much experience with medications however they will often ask you to book in for an appointment with your doctor as they can’t prescribe most medications.

Side effects are common but when they are causing distress in your life, it’s time to get some additional advise.

Let us know how you go with your GP. I am hoping that others may be able to share a common experience here as well so keep checking back.

Wishing you the best possible outcome,

Nurse Jenn

[PamelaR]

Hi Ravenstag

Welcome to our forums. Nurse Jenn has given you some excellent advice about going to visit your GP to get a medication review.

I just wanted to pop in to say. I too perspire (sweat profusely) often at inappropriate times. I've been doing this for years, long before I took medication. It's unclear what causes it, hormones? thyroid function? hereditary? My dad use to perspire heaps - always at dinner time after eating - chillies!!

However, on reflection recently, my father's perspiring may have been anxiety (PTSD). Dinner time was never a very nice time in our household. It was a time for my mum to launch an attack on dad (for anything). Also, in hindsight often my perspiring, especially in public or in a meeting, could very well be related to my anxiety too.

I've been doing a little of what Nurse Jenn suggested above and that is monitoring when it happens, what I was thinking, what I was doing. And yep, I think it may well be anxiety. There was a time when it was hormone related, i.e. when I went through menopause (night sweats).

Just thought I'd let you know you're not alone with your sweating! And not just because of medication.

Kind thoughts

PamelaR

[Doolhof]

Hi Ravenstag,

It is unfortunate when a medication that is to assist us with one issue causes another!

Sweating profusely as you seem to be doing must be difficult in your position. I too agree a chat with your Dr or maybe a different Dr would be beneficial.

If you don't mind me asking, how do you cope when you are away from work? Is the sweating just as bad?

Hopefully you will find some answers and receive some relief. I experience different side effects with various medications.

All the best from Dools

[Ravenstag]

It's just as bad away from work.

I've seen my psychiatrist the other day and he thinks I'm doing well enough with all my other medications that we could maybe get rid of one. So we're seeing how that goes and if it helps with the sweating.