Hello Karen,
I don't suffer with excessive sweating...i have hot sweats where i burn up but no what your losing and other members will answer in due course.
The sweating your having is called (hyperhidrosis) and the info i'm adding on it will help other members having it who are'nt sure also.
((Hugs Terri)) xxx
(Symptoms of hyperhidrosis)
Profuse, ongoing, abnormal sweating (doctors call it hyperhidrosis)— more than the body needs to keep cool—can occur under two circumstances. In the first, called “primary hyperhidrosis,” the sweat glands are overstimulated by specific areas in the brain for no apparent reason. In other words, the sympathetic nervous system (part of the autonomic system) goes wacky. The other category is “secondary hyperhydrosis,” in which another well-defined disorder is responsible. The most common causes are:
• an overactive thyroid. (That’s the first thing to have checked.)
• any infection, especially one accompanied by fever.
• a malignancy, of which you may or may not be aware.
• obesity. Overweight people tend to sweat too much.
• menopause. The decline in estrogen production often results in hot flashes accompanied by sweating.
• diabetes. When not well controlled, sugar levels that are too high or too low can result in abnormal perspiration.
• abnormalities of the immune system. Some diseases, such as lupus, can cause excessive perspiration.
Treatment of hyperhidrosis depends on the cause. Obviously, the first step is to determine whether you have any of the secondary causes and then treat them.
In primary hyperhidrosis, for which there’s no apparent cause, treatment is directed at controlling the sweating. This can be done by medications, antiperspirants (prescription-strength, if necessary), Botox injections, iontophoresis and, when all else fails, an operation on the nerves of the sympathetic nervous system. The most common oral medications are:
• tranquilizers.
• anticholinergic drugs, of which there are many, belong to the atropine family and act on the nervous system to reduce symptoms. However, this medication is not free of side effects, especially in elderly people.
• NSAIDS (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), such as ibuprofen, often curb excessive sweating.
• calcium channel blockers (such as verapamil), normally used to control blood pressure.
• a drug called catapres (clonidine), also used to lower blood pressure.
One popular option is injections of botulinum toxin (Botox) directly into the sweat glands every few months, which can reduce gland activity. Botox and most other treatments are temporary, so those seeking a permanent solution may opt to have the sweat glands removed surgically.
Iontophoresis delivers a low electrical current to the areas that perspire most to disrupt sweat production. It is usually done while the skin is submerged in water. (Pregnant women or anyone with a pacemaker should not use this therapy.)
Sympathectomy, cutting the nerves that transmit the messages to the glands that trigger sweat, should be considered only as a last resort.