Excessive head and face sweating

Like you, I too have spent thousands upon thousands of dollars on doctors and tests. I live in NYC and have access to some of the most highly rated medical professionals and facilities, only to have come up empty handed. It's so frustrating.

Based upon info I found in one of these threads, I was even ordering glycopyrollate from Canada (I have since gotten my primary to prescribe it). I take it only when absolutely necessary (important events/meetings) as the side effects are awful for me though. Major dry mouth, very red in the face, and sometimes a headache. It's better than nothing, but it's not something that I can take every day, even if I lower the dosage.

3 years into all of this, during a few follow up doctor appointments, my blood pressure readings were a little high. So, totally unrelated to the sweating, my primary doctor started me on blood pressure meds. The first caused my potassium levels to drop dangerously low, so about 2 weeks later she switched me to a calcium channel blocker (amlodipine). Amlodipine was like a miracle for me. Within just a few days, everything was "normal", and I walked to the store and back in 90 degree temps without any problem! I really was like, "finally!". I can't even begin to describe the relief that I felt. Then, sadly, in the second week I started having major itching and developing skin rashes, which apparently only happens to a small percentage of amlodipine users. Yay me! I debated if I could live with the side effects, but the rash just kept getting worse (face, head, arms) and I had to be taken off. I've researched this and there are only a handful of similar cases where calcium channel blockers had this effect, but no one has really investigated further. I then started trying to understand how this BP med works, hoping that I could find an alternative way to achieve the same results without the side effects. I have even contacted the manufacturer for information, but they didn't have much to offer. They did report it to the FDA and noted this "cure" as an "adverse reaction" though - both the positive results and negative results that I experienced. I don't know if everyone would have the same results or if I am just a fluke, but at least this gave me some hope that I will find something to fix this problem. Thats where I am today...8 months later...still trying all sorts of dietary changes, vitamins, etc. trying to emulate what this pill does.

I totally understand what you're going through. It's not easy.

I also know exactly what you're going through I have the same thing . went to the doctor today and he prescribed me Glycopolate . we'll see what happens but I wanted to let you know if you have Facebook there are a few groups for people who have hyperhidrosis. lots of info.

thought i would chime in in case you all didn't know... there is an entire hyperhidrosis community on Reddit. it's under r/hyperhidrosis, or just Google "Reddit hyperhidrosis".it's a pretty active community... almost 8000 members.

I have had this condition all my life. I'm so sick of people asking if I'm alright. Hell no I'm not alright. My face and head are dripping like a fire hose.....alright ? I did waste money on Botox but all it did was make me look like a sweating stroke victim. Please know I understand. One day........................

I'm checking it out now, thanks.

sure thing! i used to sweat randomly in meetings at work.. i would just say i thought i was coming down with something. i got so used to hearing "are you alright?".... I've been on glycopyrrolate for about 6 years now and i haven't had a single sweaty meeting. there are a lot of good suggestions on Reddit and the moderators are really good at keeping the spammers at bay. I hope you find something that works for you!

and of course knowing you are sweating just makes you sweat more. horrible...

Wondering what dose of Amlodipine were you put on?

I have been searching for relief from this horrible sweating and have tried a number of things through my GYN and GP's suggestions; increased hormone replacement therapy dose by taking one extra tablet per week, reduced my thyroid replacement dose, as it was a tiny bit too high), stopped all magnesium supplements, etc., even tried the expensive towelettes you blot on that are supposed to keep you dry for up to 7 days, but they only helped a little to keep the sweat drips from burning my eyes, but didn't help in general.

I a rare autoimmune disease and have been on steroids (methylprednisolone) nearly continuously for about 11 years. My rheumatologist says the sweating is from the steroids. It certainly gets a little better when the dose is lowered, and is worse when the does is high. He said I won't ever be off of them completely for life.

However, I did not have this sweating problem for the first 7 years I was on them, so I am entirely not convinced it is the steroids causing this whole problem, although I'm sure they do contribute.

I also take Tramadol and Lyrical for muscle pain. I have been told the Tramadol can cause sweating, but it is the safest and most effective pain reliever for my condition.

I was recently put on Amlodipine for my elevated BP in addition to the Beta Blocker Toprol I was already on. The Amlodipine is a very small dose (2.5 mg). So far no side effects, but no decrease in sweating either.

I wonder if increasing the Amlodipine dose a tiny bit more (if I ask my cardiologist) would help my sweating, so wondering what does was effective for you?

AMLODIPINE BESYLATE 5 MG TAB is what I had been prescribed. My issue began randomly as well. When it started, I was in generally good health and was not taking any medications. I had not even been to a doctor in years! Good luck!

Thank you! Good luck to you as well. -

I too am on amlodipine, but it hasn't helped in respect to sweating. My mind is just boggled that there are so many of us suffering from this, yet so far I've yet to find a physician who wants to explore the root cause. Perhaps we as a community can figure out if there is a common denominator amongst us. For example I had lyme disease when I was young. I also had a tibia transplant and have a hardware store of metal in my leg. Perhaps we all had our tonsils removed. Or some sort of deficiency that otherwise falls in the "normal" range It just seems there's got to be something.

I'll look into it. It's just what I'm dealing with is specific to sweating from the head. And it is something always triggered by heat or slight activity. I call them "episodes" because I get very aggravated and then when it finally stops, I'm completely drained/tired.

I'm so sorry you've always suffered from this. Did doctors ever come close or care to figure it out, or was it more of a deal with it situation? I don't even bother dry my hair anymore. There's no point. I'm so glad to have found people like you who understand.

oh yes, my hair is totally wet again after i dry ir. i have a fan blowing right on me HUMIDITY SEEMS TO BE MY TRIGGER. I live in the south so humidity is a constant in all but a few months Make-up slides off My collars are always wilty sprung looking, it even runs into my eyes No, they asked if my family had a history. Mom did, but not as severely. As a funny/not funny thing, when i was little, my mom had used that ROUX stuff to color her sideburns. in church I noticed these big brown dots on her blouse that just kept dripping her sweat had melted that color and it was dripping on her geez this is some devilish stuff.

Same here! I have soaking wet hair even as I'm blow drying! I have a fan also blowing right on me as I blow dry. I live in Florida with the high humidity also.

what dosage?

have you ever wondered if the ones with sweaty palms/underarms aren't the lucky ones?

I actually feel that I would prefer having sweating in underarms and/or palms, instead. These are locations that are easier to apply topical antiperspirant methods.

When your whole head, hair, face, neck, chest, and groin area are affected, it's hard to use anything but a systemic solution to the problem! (My arm pits, feet, and palms are not a problem for me at all.)

The best I can do with the topicals is blot them around hairline and hope they at least keeps the sweat from running into my eyes. They do tend to make my face break out if I use them on my face.

Humidity also triggers mine, well as physical activity and anxiety. Humidity is the worst though, it looks like I'm standing in a shower with sweat just running off my head and face.

I have been taking oxybutynin for a few months now and it is a complete cure for me. 5mg or 10mg completely solves the problem and I can do anything with no sweat! Even if other people are hot and sweaty I'm completely dry. That's a good feeling after so many years of torment.

Wow! That is so exciting to me, to think I could possibly be relieved of this horrible sweating that makes family activities a completely unfun experience for me!

We love to go to Disney World, and are annual pass-holders, but I have begun to dread the trips, because I always am so sweaty an miserable while walking around, even on the cooler temperature days. I'm embarrassed because I am the only one in the crowd dripping sweat down my face, my hair soaking wet and plastered to my head. I feel so uncomfortable and unattractive!

Thanks to all who have suggested Oxybutynin or Glycopyrrolate. I am going to ask my doctor for a prescription for one.

I know that feeling well. I'm a completely different person now, I don't shy away from activities and social events any more, I actually have been enjoying them lately. Definitely try Oxybutynin but be prepared with information for your dr because it's an off - label usage and very few people have ever heard of this as a hh treatment. Good luck to you, I hope it works as well for you.

I will do that! Thanks for the advice.

I had already started a file of abstracts from peer reviewed journal articles regarding the use of Oxybutynin and/or Glycopyrrolate for HH in research trials; the success rates, and the side effects.

Take care!

OMG! Same! I have at least one fan, cool shower, and turn the A/C down to 65. Lower if I can get away with it. Still sweat. I've found the mineral makeup helps with not leaving an imprint on those you hug, but my makeup artist friends are appalled with the thought of using it

I can't wait to see. I will absolutely be thrilled. thanks!

I am on a very low dose of Amlodipine for my blood pressure, along with a Beta Blocker Toprol. I haven't noticed a difference in the sweating, but wondered what kind of dose you were on when it worked to stop the sweating?

Wondered of I can talk to my cardiologist about reducing my Toprol and increasing the Amlodipine to try it out.

I have improved slightly; I don't sweat as quickly and for as long when in a chilled environment like I was before, but I had attributed that to a reduction in the steroids I take for an autoimmune disease. It's possible the slight improvement was actually due to starting the Amlodipnie.

brad437 Disregard that question on dose. You already answered that for me. Thanks! I had forgotten that I asked you that before. Old age. LOL!

Didn't see this earlier, sorry. i must have had blurred vision from sweat in my eyes. If you find anything, pass it along as will I.