Sweating problem (bit yuck)

Symptoms and treatments
1

OK, I do know it’s hot today, and there can’t be many people who haven’t got just a little sticky. However, I’m very self-conscious I’m sweating buckets.

Today I met up with a friend to view the art students’ final year exhibition (all very good!)

Although I usually live and die in jeans, as mentioned in a recent thread, because I can only wear trainers or lace-up walking boots on my feet, today I realised it was too hot, even for me, to go out in heavy denim, so I chose a casual, long white gypsy skirt, that doesn’t look too awful with white trainers…

Only one practicality I hadn’t thought of. Within just five minutes waiting for the train, I could feel I was absolutely dripping with sweat, running down my lower back, and all down my legs. And no, I hadn’t wet myself, I’m positive, but that’s exactly what it felt like. I could feel my undies were soaking, and I was scared to sit down on the train, in case it caused a damp patch on my white skirt, and everyone would assume I’d had an “accident”, even though I hadn’t.

When I got to the station at the far end, I had to lock myself in the ladies, and literally towel myself off, with loo roll and paper tissues, before embarking on the next stage of the journey. I was so worried I’d have wet patches everywhere.

Has anyone found any help for this - either medication, OR a really good anti-perspirant, that you can spray everywhere, and have confidence it works?

I was already wearing cotton undies - in fact cotton everything - which is supposed to be better than nylon in this respect.

I’ve known for some time that I get sweaty with only minimal exertion, or even a slightly warm day, let alone hot. But I’d never really thought before about the impact on my choice of clothing - possibly because I don’t worry about it when I’m just lounging about at home.

But it almost got to the point I couldn’t go today, when I realised my mistake about the white skirt. I was standing at the station wondering whether to go home and change, but that definitely would have meant telling my friend I wasn’t coming, as the trains are just one an hour.

Sorry about the yuck factor, but can anything be done? Has anyone found the problem diminished post menopause, as I haven’t very many years to wait?

Tina

2

Aww Tina, I really do feel for you. I went through the same experience, it’s a nightmare. My Gp asked me to try citalopram 20 mg, it’s been shown to help menopause symptoms. It worked for me. I’m 58 now and happily postmenopause :slight_smile: Good luck x

3

Hi Noreen,

Sorry, the Citalopram’s a no-no for me I’m afraid. I tried it before - but not for sweating - but found it the work of the Devil. Didn’t agree with me at all - none of the SSRIs do, and SNRIs were even worse.

To be clear, I don’t believe I’m menopausal. That was mentioned more in hope, than because I think it’s related. I believe it has something to do with MS, because it first started years ago, in parallel with the other MS stuff. I remember one time showing my mum the sweat running down my back (it was February!), and she said: “Tina! There’s something wrong with you!”

Of course, I tutted and rolled my eyes, and ignored it.

I now think it’s a variety of Uhthoff’s Phenomenon, although I don’t notice a general worsening of symptoms - just terrible sweating after only very modest exertion. Of course, that may all be part of it too - modest exertion for “normies” may be more like a BIG exertion for us MSers, which certainly doesn’t help.

Tina

x

4

l can imagine how uncomfortable you felt Tina. My daughter has similar problem and is always worrying about sweatmarks - She uses Driclor [for the treatment of hyperhidrosis- heavy sweating] if she is going somewhere special. You have to make sure you follow the instructions -do not use on broken skin or straight after shaving armpits. But it does work.

5

Tina you have my sincere sympathy and I do mean sincere…this happens to me all the time now…it used to be only now and then.

Like you I have as much cotton as possible in the way of clothing. I use a frio neck band and wrist bands which help a little.

In my case I believe it to be MS related, I am post menpausal by 17 yrs or so and I turn deep crimson and wringing wet.

I lay on a big bath sheet at night and sometimes have to change it during the night and NO there is no nightime “activity” it just happens.

I do have a fan beside my bed and go from hot to cold…broken thermostat !

Even my oh says it is because I am overweight, like I really need that kind of comment … it is hurtful.

Sorry you had such a nightmare day worrying about this, wish I knew how to help you but hopefully others will have more ideas.

Ell

6

I agree, since diagnosis my thermostat does not work :frowning: I am either too warm or too cold but unlike you Tina never have a problem with profuse sweating…not since being post menopausal. Have you thought about acupuncture? Some GPs do it. X

7

Try Odaban, order from a pharmacy. I’ve been using it for 20 years. Apply at night once every few days. It can itch like made before you get used to it, but it really works. Several members of my family have had a proplem with troublesome perspiration and it’s helped us all!

8

I can empathise with you Tina, I’ve been like this for a couple of years now. I only have to do some hoovering etc and my face, head and back just pour with sweat. I’ve also got more sweaty " down below" recently which feels very embarrassing. I’m always getting hubby to check whether I have any or left any wet patches behind.

It’s not always in hot wetaher, it can be freezing outside but I still sweat. Sometimes I wake up during the night and I’m soaked through. I’m 51 and I think I’ve just started peri menopause as I’m getting irregular periods now. I’m also about two stone overweight so it could be that I suppose but it’s horrible isn’t it.

I look at other people around me and they always look so cool and carefree and there’s me sweating like I’ve just run a marathon…lol…

I’ve read about a product called sweatguard which claims to be wonderful so I might give that a try…Can’t offer you much help I’m afraid but let me know if you find a miracle product. x

9

Thanks for the thoughts and suggestions, folks. I was worried it might seem a bit trivial, because some here are suffering real incontinence - which I am not. But at the same time, I was getting worried the sweat problem was bad enough for that to be the assumption, if it started showing through. It’s interesting that it’s almost exclusively below the waist - where I had most of my symptoms following a spinal cord lesion. My forehead isn’t dripping - my lower back, legs, and bum cheeks are! So it looks like it’s definitely a wiring fault. The parts that didn’t work properly before are now the ones that don’t seem to know when to stop sweating. Unfortunately, the location does nothing to lessen the embarrassment. Sweat marks round the armpits, whilst still unpleasant, aren’t going to be mistaken for anything other that what they are - just sweat marks. Sweat marks around the seat of one’s clothing, on the other hand, are open to drastic misinterpretation. I don’t find it spontaneous, like a hot flush - it ALWAYS follows some sort of activity, but that activity can be very mild - basically just walking. It’s very rarely happened in bed, or at home at all, because I don’t walk far enough. The only time at home has been pain related. Occasionally - not often now, thanks to medication - I’ve had a very severe cramp, from toe to groin. The pain of that is enough to have me bathed in cold sweat in seconds, and has forced me to strip the bed and change nighties, before. But at least severe pain is a rational explanation, and almost acceptable, in a way. I think extreme pain brings most people out in a sweat. But I resent being like it from an undemanding five minute walk round the corner. I would be interested in trying the Driclor or the Odaban. Otherwise I’m going to have to be very careful what I wear, and go everywhere with a wad of kitchen towel/wet wipes in my handbag, and be looking for a loo to “freshen up” all the time. :frowning: Tina x

10

Ooh, Odaban and Driclor both online at Boots, without prescription, so could order without the embarrassment of having to discuss it at the counter (in earshot of the queue). Odaban also says it’s safe for “intimate areas”, which could apply here. Think I’m gonna get some! T. x

11

Glad you raised this point Tina as I suffer from this too-any little exertion like wlaking the dog and I sweat mainly in the groin area too which is embarrasing. I often have to take spare underwear to work to change into. Glad there are some products to try. I think its MS related.

Cathy

12

Hi Cathy,

I’m glad I raised something, if it helped anyone else who might have been embarrassed. There are very few problems nobody on this forum has ever had before, so even though I don’t consider myself badly affected by MS, I’ve quickly learnt there’s no need to be bashful - someone out there will have had whatever it is.

I haven’t dashed out and bought either of the antiperspirants yet - a bit of a down day, after what were probably the over-exertions of yesterday.

But later last night I did a bit of research, and you may be interested to know there are even wick-effect quick-drying knickers! They seem aimed mostly at adventurous types who travel a lot, and may want to keep dry in various adverse circumstances - and presumably for their washing to dry quickly, too, if they only have a brief stopover. They are a lot more expensive than normal knicks, and wouldn’t win any awards for glamour, but I wondered if it was worth investing in a pair or two, just for that added bit of comfort and confidence. Even if I wouldn’t wear them every day, they’d be ideal for a day like yesterday, when it was exceptionally warm, and I had a light coloured skirt on.

Tina

x

13

Tina I have found this post really interesting and hadn’t thought about it until you put this post on. I have noticed that I do sweat a lot more than I used too and like you say without the exertion. I used to work in retail that involved moving heavy bags of ornamental stones and gravels and I didn’t sweat whilst doing that. Like others said my therm is broke too Barney

14

I have the same problem however it’s usually just my head. Literally getting up, dressed and coming downstairs can bring it on. My hair is naturally curly and I hate my curls and staighten it - an incident of sweating leaves me all curly again.

My GP prescribed Pro-Banthine 15mg which I take 3 times a day, it works wonders and I now leave my physio class looking like everyone else rather than someone who’s just run a marathon!

Sarah x

15

Oh Sarah, what a shame you haven’t learned to love your curls! I struggled for years trying to tame my naturally curly hair - mostly because of disparaging comments from my mum - from whom I inherited it. She didn’t like hers, so was always criticising mine, too. Liberation came when I learnt not only to accept, but to celebrate that I have naturally curly hair - much envied by some. Now I don’t muck about trying to straighten or style it. Instead I use products designed to enhance the curl, and just finger dry, or leave to dry naturally. I still have a hairdryer, but haven’t used it in so long, I’m not sure I know where it is! All of this is quite incidental to getting ill of course, but I’m so glad, now, that I don’t have a rigorous daily styling regime, as it takes up so much time and energy. Sorry, I digress from the sweating problem. I will try the non-prescription suggestions first, but if I have no luck, will consider asking my GP. I do worry slightly whether it is unhealthy in any way to stop oneself sweating, but I can’t really go around worrying that I might literally be leaving puddles, so I think the time has come that something needs to be done. Tina x