Sweating and opiates - HELP It?s ruining my life

[Queenbean413]

I?m hoping that this is in the right place. I sweat horribly bad on my prescription opioids. It is soooo embarrassing and I can?t even date because it is so bad. I found a product called Odiban. You put it on at night before you go to sleep. It?s a spray or you can use your hands. But it itches and burns so badly that I can?t even fall asleep without using hydrocortisone cream, which I think lessons the effect. But then instead of sweating on & around my face I sweat on my head where my hair is. So my face might be dry but then my hair soaking wet which is kind of hard to hide. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to reduce sweating? I Even sweat when it?s freezing cold, the minute I get nervous excited or exert any energy the Sweat starts flowing all over my head and face. And neck. I?m sure this is an age old question, I?m just hoping for some new answers!

 

[T. Calderone]

It's not uncommon for certain medications to cause fluctuations in perspiration to some extent. I used to get real sweaty and I assumed it was from the methadone I took at night but it turned out to be a hormonal issue. Have you recently increased your dose?

 

[Lorne???]

Which opioid are you taking?

And try antihistamines-hydroxyzine if possible,(or promethazine) otherwise 25-50mg diphenhydramine, or ~20mg Cetirizine (long acting, enters the CNS less, so effectively non drowsy at low reasonable doses)

Different opioid types can have different side effects, though it could be unrelated, as T. Calderone pointed out

Really more info is needed-what opioid, what dose, have you increased the dose, or otherwise changed other medications recently, etc although antihistamines should help -actually Doxylamine at night(Unisom Sleeptabs, the classic type and it's not genetics, not the gel caps, which are just fancy Benadryl) may be useful in the PN; it is sedating and relaxing, and a potent antihistamine; 25mg may improve you significantly (25-100mg of Hydroxyzine or promethazine)

Honestly it seems like some anxiety symptoms, which lends credence to hormonal changes or a side effect, from perhaps a different drug?

 

[Queenbean413]

I take 30mg 3x/day roxies and ER hydrocodone. No recent changes and this has been going on ever since I started taking them. I did go off everything (to reduce tolerance) and it got better, but it did not go away completly. I had tapered down and was only opioid free for a week or 2. But the sweating got better. I’m also on thyroid meds, Wellbutrin 30g (was on 150), Could this drug causes night sweats because I’ve recently started getting those horribly as well. And I just increased my Wellbutrin dose. But the sweats during the day are the same as they were before increasing the Wellbutrin which I have taken prior to being on opioids with no issues. My dr’s pass it off as a side effect of opiates, and I’ve been prescribed Clonidine (a blood pressure med known in low doses to help sweating), and that didn’t help at all. It’s really, really bad...so bad that my room was cool and I was soaking wet after unloading the dishwasher. It’s literally ruining my life, but not taking the meds would be worse due to pain. I don’t even know what dr to ask because my family dr and pain dr has no ideas of what to do for me. I’m female, so maybe I should ask my OB/GYN? But first I’d like to try something y’all suggest. Because I have a feeling he’s not gonna know what to do either.

 

[Zopiclone bandit]

I can't speak for medical opiate use but I have used heroin for 14 years & I feel your pain.
It's something I have just come to accept sadly, some days I can change my top 2/3 times, I wish I had an answer for your problem but your not alone there.

I wish you the best.

 

[Queenbean413]

Thanks. Apparently I’m not the only one out there with this pro, because this thread has more views than any other ones but no reply’s ����. I’m so tired of living with this and sooooo embarrassed when people ask me why I’m sweating so much. I honestly don’t even like going out with my friends because I know I will sweat and forget about dating (I’m a single 40yr old widow). The Odiban works great for anyone who wants to stop face and hairline sweating and it really works on any part of the body...but it stings and itches and needs to be used right before going to bed. You can use hydrocortisone cream to stop the side effects but I do think it weakens it a bit. But after using it a few times (waiting a few days between uses) it will continue working for quite awhile. So anyone looking for something to help, there ya go. I haven’t tried putting it in my scalp, I’m afraid it would cause me to loose my hair or something. And unfortunately if you block sweating from coming out of one area it finds a way out through another! In my case my entire head that is covered with hair.Ugh!

 

[T. Calderone]

I see a couple possibilities. Hyperthyroidism could also contribute to excessive sweating. Is this the condition you have?

 

[T. Calderone]

You mentioned some things earlier that have the propensity to increase perspiration and opiate medication is one of them. Tricyclic antidepressants can do this too but Wellbutrin is not in that category. Since the problem got better when you took a break, it's quite possibly related to that. Is your thyroid condition hyper or hypo?

 

[Queenbean413]

It’s hypo - that’s the slower thyroid condition right? It would make one gain weight and be tired? Then that’s the one I have. The meds I’ve on Synthroid (sp??) and one other work great so I no longer have any of those symptoms.

 

[Keif' Richards]

Well, this is definitely a shitty thing. The temperature insensitivity and hyperhidrosis are hallmarks of Opioid use. Different people will tell you of different methods they use, but there's no medically or traditionally accepted remedy for the condition.

I really can't make any suggestion with confidence, but I do know that drugs like Clonidine (Catapres) are among a few different first-line treatments for the condition. It's actually, commonly prescribed for women who are in the midst of menopause with some kind of positive effect. You're probably aware, but Clonidine is used for the same purpose in acute withdrawal.

I see no reason why you couldn't give Clonidine a shot and see if it helps you out. If not, we can go from there.

 

[Lorne???]

^Oxybutnin is an effective treatment

Anticholinergics are the go-to, or the closest thing to a go-to, anyway, there are multiple rx options though oxybutnin is the main one

Again antihistamines are your friend; 4mg Chlorpeniramine maleate, or 25-50mg diphenhydramine shall help, perhaps immensely

Until or unless you get a RC option, that seems best- 1st gen H1 antagonist medications or Cetirizine (antihistamines)- you have hypothyroid, though it can change, you also said that being opioid free or reducing dose helped, so it probably is the opioids, or at least that is the primary factor- anyway give an antihistamine a try, not to clash with Keif, though an OTC antihistamine May give you an idea of how RX options would work-although clonidine woukd probably be next recombination after anti-cholinergic drugs(and less side effects) so if you can get it. Cool-though 25ng doxylamine,(better yet Promethazine) for example could nick two problems at once - there are other, RX anti-cholinergics to try, the side effects can be very unfunny though

 

[Rakim]

I tried this a few years back and felt as if it did something...by something i mean like about a 20-30 percent diff.....the thing i speak of is sage leaf which apparently is approved by German health authorities for the treatment of hyperhidrosis .... is included in a number of formulations for relief of hot flashes & night sweats. I went with Solgar 2 caps a day noticed improvements within a month...price is cheap....worth a blast...also had some random comments about skin...my skin...something to do with it looking nicer....mainly from Embroided Dandy's!!!

 

[Queenbean413]

I already tried Clonidine, but it didn’t even put a dent in the sweating. I’ll try the antihistamines. Not sure if any of those are OTC but if not maybe my dr would be willing to give me a script. Thanks!

 

[Queenbean413]

I have some promethazine- Phenergan I believe it is also called. I was prescribed it due to nausea I had with changing my meds. It makes me sleepy, so if I just take it at night would that be enough to work? How soon do you think I will feel any effects, if it is going to work?

 

[Lorne???]

It is a slow to intermediate acting medication, and potent 1st gen antihistamine with anticholinerguc effects

Are they tablets? If so, anywhere 30-90 minutes, though it could take longer for full effect (Tmax is up to 4 hours...)

It should help, In theory, based on two mechanisms: it’s anti-cholinergic effects, and CNS active H1 antagonist in general reducing or eliminating most opioid side effects

Take it a couple of hours before sleep, because of onset-25-50mg, 50mg probably the best bet, though you could start with 25, or even 37.5-you have tried it, so you have an idea of dosing, presumably

Hope that it helps, Queen