Facial Sweat (Anxiety Related)

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Piglet Boy

Well-known member
Hi,

I am new here. I hope people can bare with me and chime in.

I suffer from social anxiety/shyness. I guess you could say I have a combination of both. The worst thing is my physical reaction, which is hyperhidrosis on my face, particularly when I am in anxious/embarrassed situations.

Often times I could be very concentrated in playing cards, games, or working on my car/computer and I would immense my face w/ sweat.

I am wondering if seeing a dermatologist would help?

I have given ROBINUL a try, and was wondering how long it takes to kick in? I suffered a panic sweat attack one day, but that was within 1 hour of taking ROBINUL (1MG). Later in the day, I do feel the dry mouth.

My other question is, what dosage can I go up to?

2ndly, can I take this w/ ATIVAN ?

The odd thing was, I took 1MG a while back, and was in an intense on the spot situation that would have killed me with sweats. I even had to walk a few blocks. But I didnt' manage to sweat at all, and felt as if my sweat was suppressed.

Thanks
 
margiehope

margiehope

Well-known member
You need to talk to a doctor or pharmacist about whether you can combine the two meds.

Likewise, about dosage, you should ask the experts.

BUT, since you're looking for some peer help, I can tell you that when I first took Avert (Canadian version of Robinul), I was told "up to 8 mg a day in divided doses".

You should take it an hour before you eat. I take from 2 to 6 mg first thing in the morning and that does me for the day.

There shouldn't be any great length of time before it "kicks in". Yeah, dry mouth happens, but for those of us helped by the med, it's a fair trade.

Good luck!
 
Porter

Porter

Member
Piglet Boy said:
I suffer from social anxiety/shyness. I guess you could say I have a combination of both. The worst thing is my physical reaction, which is hyperhidrosis on my face, particularly when I am in anxious/embarrassed situations.
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I don't know anything about the medications, but you could try finding ways to reduce your anxiety as a way of controlling the hyperhidrosis. It'll take longer than the medication, but should also help in other ways. You could see a therapist about the anxiety/shyness, or try a book like Living fully with shyness and social anxiety, by Erika Hilliard. There is a chapter devoted to dealing with blushing, but the same techniques should work for hyperhidrosis. I won't go into detail now, but I can if you are interested.

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Piglet Boy

Well-known member
Porter said:
I don't know anything about the medications, but you could try finding ways to reduce your anxiety as a way of controlling the hyperhidrosis. It'll take longer than the medication, but should also help in other ways. You could see a therapist about the anxiety/shyness, or try a book like Living fully with shyness and social anxiety, by Erika Hilliard. There is a chapter devoted to dealing with blushing, but the same techniques should work for hyperhidrosis. I won't go into detail now, but I can if you are interested.

P
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PLease share. I have tried a lot. Its a chemical imbalance imho.

I do fight my nature and gather courage to speak out, be social, etc. But the natural reaction of my body just prevents me so..
 
Porter

Porter

Member
Piglet Boy said:
PLease share. I have tried a lot. Its a chemical imbalance imho.
Click to expand...

Ok, here's some info, just in case it's not entirely a chemical imbalance. If you start to sweat in response to anxiety in a social situation, it's your sympathetic nervous system causing trouble. That's your fight or flight response kicking in. Sweating in particular prevents the body from overheating. The author of the book I mentioned conjectures that it is also a protective value, in that it makes you slippery and hard to grab.

Once the sympathetic nervous system has kicked in the adrenaline the parasympathetic nervous system comes along, presumably after danger has passed, and slows things down. In extreme stress, where there is no possibility of either fighting or getting away, it can actually cause you to freeze.

So basically, the idea is to try to gain some control over your body and particularly the sympathetic nervous system. Several ideas:
* Grounding: move your attention inward and focus on how your body is touching the ground. Focus on the feet, if you are sitting your butt, if you are laying down, wherever the ground touches you. Notice fabric textures, hot, cold, dampness, etc. Focus on your breathing. I believe the idea is to move your focus away from a stressful situation, imagined (my problem usually), or real.
* Self-regulation therapy
* Paradoxical approach: try to take control of your sweating. When you are calm, try to practice sweating. You should find that you can't force yourself to sweat on command.
* Taking ownership: when you start to sweat, tell your self you are in control and that you are forcing yourself to sweat. The contrast is saying to yourself, "oh no! I'm sweating again! Make it stop!" which you might find stress you out more and makes it worse. This method is the authors own observation about blushing, and isn't backed up in research.
* Reframing
* Visualization

If you google any of those things, or look at the book (there are references to more detailed works on the different techniques), you should be able to find more detailed information. Hopefully this helps as a starting point though.

P
 
C

creative title

Guest
I also suffer from hyperhidrosis and shyness (made worse by hyperhidrosis) but I live a fairly normal life. I think the trick is to press on despite the sweat and try to forget the embarassing moments everyday. But don't avoid the embarassing moments- easier said than done.
 
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overcome.

Well-known member
I can relate to the facial sweating, it's pretty horrible to deal with. I'm using a beta blocker for the past few days again (propanolol), and it's helping a little. Although the sitautions in which I find myself increasingly anxious, it's less effective. It gives me a bit of a confidence boost, though.
 
Rexus

Rexus

Well-known member
Does propanolol (Inderal) help with decreasing sweating? I've been trying it recently but all it does is make me feel dizzy/nauseous. I wish robinul/avert was available here, we only have ditropan, which has very annoying side effects.
 
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overcome.

Well-known member
I'm beginning a prescription of propanolol for the second time, I don't know how long it'll take for it to really work, but I can feel a slight difference so far. When I was on it the first time (up until November time), then I could go the supermarket and stand in the checkout line without sweating as badly. I went to a restaurant a few times too, and a large family party without being as bad as normal. I'd say it did help, it did boost my confidence.
 
Rexus

Rexus

Well-known member
aha
Does the full effect need a while to accumulate? I felt the sweating increased today. I've been taking it for 2 days. I feel a bit hazy like somewhat confused a bit and your memory loses a bit of its capacity and I'm fatigued and slept a lot. Do you encounter these effects? Does it get better? I'm just starting to learn about this drug and if there's hope in it for my facial sweating I'll keep using it. And yes I have to say I feel a little bit more confident, but the sweating is still there.
 
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overcome.

Well-known member
I've noticed the sweating is still there also. It's kind of weird that it hasn't helped the way it did before for me, I'm hoping it will. While shopping for clothes the other day, browsing shops, eating out I noticed I was sweating a lot. I didn't even want to take off my hoodie in the restaurant as my back was pretty sweaty. I hated it. Propanolol won't be a miracle cure for you, but I hope it'll help you. You'll just have to wait and see for the results.
 
Rexus

Rexus

Well-known member
Well, I think it's making my sweating worse so I just stopped it since it's making me a lot of dizzy and fatigued as well. I found out about a drug called ZONISAMIDE, some woman was saying it helped cure her hyperhidrosis. Anyone heard of this? Btw, do these with facial sweating suffer from burning ears? My ears burn and get red, and it all just makes me love myself and my condition even more. I'm just being driven insane.
 
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Piglet Boy

Well-known member
I don't think propanolol will work. A lot of this is a case of over-active nerves. Factor that w/ our conscience, and it can be easily triggered.

I"ve tried lexapro, propanolol, benzos.

So far, robinul and ativan (as needed) helps. Although if I stun myself w/ ativan, I am relaxed.
 
gg1101

gg1101

Well-known member
my brother takes propanolol. i've taken it with robinul a couple times when i had a presentation to give, should be ok. but i'd ask a doc. i'm a risk taker.
 
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