Sweating on Cymbalta

[liveoak]

I am sweating like crazy on Cymbalta. It is REALLY REALLY BAD since we are having 100F weather, and I am sick of walking around in soaking wet tshirts. My head is the main place I sweat, so I walk around with damp (short) hair too.

Has anybody found ANYTHING that helps alleviate the sweating?

I can't have a social life with all this sweat!

[Velvet Elvis]

It's possible a beta-blocker or alpha+beta blocker would help. Blood pressure meds. They are dirt cheap and have the potential to help a bit with anxiety as well.

As your doc.

[Silver]

LiveOak, clonidine is often used, but it's so damn sedating for many people that you might not get to enjoy the effect. Even small doses pack a powerful antihypertensive punch.

Cyproheptadine works pretty well, but it's even more sedating than clonidine for a lot of people... however, you can get away with weenie doses of the cyproheptadine sometimes.

Baby doses of prazosin or terazosin can get used - starting at 1 mg and inching up - but these also have some sedation effect, and they are antihypertensive. Plus, if the Seroquel isn't already helping, adding one of these almost certainly isn't going to do much, as Seroquel has its own alpha-adrenergic effects.

Adding a beta-blocker to an alpha-blocker isn't for the faint of heart... so to speak... because of the high chance of orthostasis. In basic terms, you have a high probability of standing up and then falling over.

So I wouldn't put that high on your list. THis is why beta-blockers don't generally get added to Seroquel.

Anticholinergics can be used - the one I've seen the most on is Cogentin. The side effects of anticholinergics are inherently sucky, because they are, well, anticholinergic. Still, might be worth looking at, because it can work pretty well.

I believe adjunctive Remeron has been used, but I'm not certain.

Drysol is the paint-on anti-sweat stuff. Worth looking into if you don't want to add anything with central effects.

Hope that helps you get started. I'd start by talking to your psychiatrist about the cyproheptadine or Cogentin, looking at what you're taking right now.

I can pull up refs for you later, if you'd like. This is an off-the-cuff post.

[Tenebrae]

Drysol is the paint-on anti-sweat stuff. Worth looking into if you don't want to add anything with central effects.

can you paint this on your face too!?

i swear the sweating is just torrential on this stuff.

all

down

my

face

it's gross.

[Silver]

If I recall correctly, it's pink and shiny (but I might well have that wrong.) But, then, so are humans, if they're sweating. There may be prescription antiperspirants that aren't pink, that's just the one I recall. Unfortunately, you can only use iontophoresis on palms/soles.

Botox works pretty well. Seriously. Secondary hyperhidrosis is a legitimate use for it.

A dermatologist would know which antiperspirants can be used as facial topicals. I would strongly recommend against grabbing most drugstore rollons and patting them on your face, although I've had friends who've done it, after checking for hypoallergenicity, noncomedogenic labels, etc.

I forgot one oral med - oxybutynin/Ditropan.

ETA: Here's a site for the International Hyperhidrosis Society. Note: It has very much the look/feel of something pharma sponsored, but a cursory click around it finds some decent enough information.

[Artemisia]

It's possible a beta-blocker or alpha+beta blocker would help. Blood pressure meds. They are dirt cheap and have the potential to help a bit with anxiety as well.

I wish my BP wasn't low as it is...

[alphachic]

Liveoak:

Have you had your hormone levels checked? A lot of these meds can affect that if you are female. Particularly if you are on birth control pills or any form or hormone therapy (pre or post menopausal). The sweats may be starting or related to that. Also, somebody should check your thyroid levels.

Hugs, alphachic

[LikeMinded]

I forgot one oral med - oxybutynin/Ditropan.

Bingo. Oxybutynin is supposed to cross into the brain a lot less than Cogentin and Artane (supposedly it shouldn't hit the thinking faculties as hard). Its approved purpose is to reduce urinary incontinence (a malady often affecting the elderly, people who don't want their cognition hit to begin with).

I am not trying to be a pharma plug here, but oxybutynin essentially cured my excessive sweating (which is considered due to a pre-existing brain condition, as it started well before I was on any regular meds at all). I still sweat when I should be sweating (e.g., hot weather, doing physically/coordinationally-challenging work, etc.), but I don't randomly and inappropriately sweat to the point where all my clothes are dripping wet and I lose enough blood volume to almost pass out (almost got moved off a flight at the San Francisco airport when that happened last year).

Oxybutynin in instant-release form is also a generic drug (the XL form to my knowledge is brand only, aka Ditropan-XL). I take the generic instant release formula (2.5-5mg 2-3 times a day, so semi-PRN). IMO it is worth discussing this drug with your pdoc, GP, or neurologist.