HELP! excessive sweating!!?
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Treatment - Secondary hyperhidrosis is treated by first addressing the underlying disorder. If a patient is on hormonal therapy then administration of an anti estrogen (ciproterone acetate) can give relief to sweat attacks. Primary hyperhidrosis patients and secondary hyperhidrosis patients experiencing moderate to severe sweating not relieved otherwise may benefit from the following treatment modalities; Antiperspirants (Drysol), Iontophoresis. Medications (anti-cholinergics), Surgery.
Antiperspirants - The first therapeutic measure recommended. Aluminum Chloride Hexahydrate (20-25%) in 70-90% alcohol applied in the evening 2-3 times per week. Less effective over time (within months). High incidence of skin irritation. 10% Glutaraldehyde. Good clinical result in 72 hours. Brown discoloration of the skin occurs. Effective in individuals with light to moderate hyperhidrosis, but not always. Must be repeated regularly for life.
Iontophoresis - Tried, if antiperspirants not effective. Used to treat palmar, axillary, and plantar hyperhidrosis.
Low intensity electric current (15-18 mA) applied to the palms and/or soles immersed in an electrolyte solution.
Has to be repeated regularly, initially in 20 minute sessions several times/week, gradually stretching out the interval between treatments to 1-2 weeks. The results vary: many patients (70%), suffering from light to moderate hyperhidrosis, are happy with the method, some may consider it too time-consuming or inefficient and comparably expensive. It is difficult to apply in axillary, and impossible to use in diffuse hyperhidrosis of the face or the trunk/thigh region. Side effects include: burning, electric shock, discomfort, tingling, skin irritation (erythema and vesicle formation). Sweating returns after cessation.
Medications - No specific medication to treat hyperhidrosis. Sedative (psychotropic) and/or anti-cholinergic drugs commonly used. Many side-effects. Dry mouth "cotton tongue". Accomodation difficulties of the eyes (hard to focus eyes). Many others. Not generally recommended for treating hyperhidrosis. Low dose anti-cholinergic agents may decrease excess sweating without causing incapacitating side-effects in those few individuals who suffer only from profuse truncal sweating. A dosage necessary to normalize the amount of sweating is rarely tolerated.
Hello. I know exactley how you feel. I have hyperhidrosis too and its so annoying and sometimes depressing. I can't hold hands with anyone, work with papers, and I have to wear socks all the time or else I will leave a sweat spot on the tile floor. I am on my second medicine and now neither of them have worked. It pisses me off, I wonder seriousley why me? So I know its hard but remember that you're not the only one out there that is dealing with this too. Oh and medicines to try: drysol and Maxim anti-perspirant good luck!
Some resort to having botox injected in their problem areas to paralyze the nerves that trigger the sweat glands to secrete sweat. In the underarm, the doctor has to inject it 15-20 times on different sites in one armpit alone. Although some doctors choose not to give anesthesia so it's kind of painful but bearable.
One more thing, it stops the sweating temporarily, maybe 4-9 months? Hey, at least it's cheaper than surgery! :-) SOme insurance companies partially cover the treatments.
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