Just started taking Avert

[John88]

Hello everyone, been a long time lurker here. So I suffer from hyperhidrosis on my scalp, face, and arms. After years of just hoping it would go away, instead has gotten worse. I first told my internist that I thought I had social anxiety, he gave me Zoloft, which didn't do crap and only gave me some realistic bad dreams.

At my last appointment I brought up hyperhidrosis, and told him I'd like to try Robinul, he sort of just brushed it off- didn't seem to care or know much about it. Instead he gave me Clonidine 0.1mg (half a pill twice a day) because I have high blood pressure. He said Clonidine will help with the sweating as well. Well it didn't do anything for the sweating, so I ordered some Avert 50x 1mg and 50x 2mg online. Just started taking 1mg a day when I wake up, and WOW it's amazing! I don't sweat as easily or as much as I used to. But for some odd reason my nose still sweats, not as much, but still beads up sweat (who the hell sweats on their nose?).

Before taking Avert, sweat would start pouring down my face within 5 minutes from ANY kind of light activity. Tested the Avert and washed my truck the other day in 102 degree weather, normally would be dripping sweat, but nope only had very light sweat. Normally after taking a hot/cold shower I would start sweating immediately after getting out, and would sit in front of the fan for 15-30 min, no more! My family members can't call me "sweats in winter" no more hahaha.

Couple of questions though.

I told pharmacy.ca I have high blood pressure, they said they don't recommend taking Avert, because glycopyrrolate increases heart rate? Also said I would need a prescription or Doctor's approval from now on to order it (if that were the case I'd be getting Robinul with insurance)... Anyone else with high blood pressure taking Avert?

Anyone take Avert and still go to the gym? I've actually stopped going to the gym because the sweating was getting to me. I feel I'm spending more time wiping off the sweat than exercising. Within 5 minutes the sweat just starts dripping off my face, and I'm wiping away constantly every min. My arms start dripping too. Kind of embarassing, by the end of my workout my towel is heavily soaked, and front half of shirt soaked (all from head and face).

Sometimes I feel like I'm sweating, but when I touch my skin, it's dry? Anyone else get that feeling?

 

[paidinfull]

You're not supposed to do any physical activity when you take these pills (Avert, robinul), because you can die.

 

[Jezza]

You're not supposed to do any physical activity when you take these pills (Avert, robinul), because you can die.

I'm not sure about that, there are several people who claim they work out and be active while on avert or other anticholinergics. There's also this:

Effect of glycopyrrolate and atropine on thermoregulation after exercise.

That said, IF you were considering working out obviously taking it slow and seeing how you're body reacts to the 'new situation' would be adviseable. Also as for the BP maybe you can buy a device to check your BP now and then to see if it's not rising out of control.

 

[Metal_isthe_Answer]

I get a small red spot right above the right side of my lip, and right under the nose, its semi rare, but its very irritating, combine that with my having one eye and I feel like people are staring at me all the time.
Considering how badly I hate having attention drawn to me its incredibly frustrating, also what I dont wear my name tag at work.
Im a big fan of the comic strip Pearls Before Swine and the artist Stephan Pastis said he hates wearing name tags at industry events saying it sends the signal of "hey talk to me, lets be friends" and thats the wring signal to send

 

[margiehope]

OK--first, glad you're getting good results--that's quite a low dose.

My blood pressure is a little elevated, so pharmacy.ca needed my doctor's OK, which they got. Don't know how you can avoid that, or should.

I can remember exercise class before Avert--needed a towel handy, had to cover tops of machines, and just generally looked and felt gross.

On Avert, I take a lower dose. You may overheat, so hydrate,hydrate,hydrate.

Not dead yet.

 

[margiehope]

Thanks Jezza for this information--it seems to me to say that after exercise, sweat is inhibited with glycco,(that's why we take it) but there's no significant increase in core temperature. This is a good thing.

 

[John88]

Hey everyone, just a little update of the past few days on Avert. Just some simple situations where I would normally be dripping sweat off my head/face.

- Went out to dinner at a bbq place that is very crowded, compact, and hot with tons of grills on- forehead was just a little moist.

- Went shopping at grocery store 3 times so far- No more constantly wiping my face off within 5 minutes of entering, no joke. I can actually read labels and take my time now, instead of wanting to get the hell out of there asap out of embarrassment.

- Went to a labor day bbq at a park when it's 100+ degrees out, and about 20 people I don't know so little anxiety there. Sweated just as much as everyone else, actually saw someone sweat more than me for once.

- Minimal sweating after taking a shower, before it was terrible- I feel sorry for girls who have to put makeup on with facial hidrosis.

- Played poker with strangers, minimal sweating because it was hot in the house. Face felt very hot at random times, in which I'd normally start sweating.

- Cutting the grass in 90 degrees, I'd normally have a shiny face and arms with sweat constantly dripping off my face within 10 min. This time, I still sweat but it doesn't get to the point where it drips off my face.

- Cleaning the house sweeping, mopping, vacuuming, etc.. Sweat, but no wear near dripping status.

- Doing the dishes, little moist- not bad at all. My mom actually walked by and looked at me and said, "wow amazing how you're not sweating".

- Went to the computer store to find parts for my custom pc I'm making (been holding this off for a long time because of the sweating).

- Lastly, taking a dump! Normally sweat would start dripping constantly, and my arms would get so wet, my elbows will start sliding off my thighs- just reading the news on my iphone.


This is all varying between 1-3mg of Avert a day. I average 1mg a day, 2mg when little stressed, and took 3mg in seperate doses only once on the day I went to the bbq (gave me a headache, but that could've been because I smoked way too many cigarettes and only slept for 3 hours that day).

Side effects so far: bloating, little tightness in chest at times, dry mouth/ throat/ eyes/ nose, feeling hot inside randomly, skin feels hot sometimes as well. Nothing unbearable.

I still need to test Avert out at the gym, will probably only take 1mg early in the day and go gym late evening.

I'm going to finally schedule my doctors appointment. I was supposed to go last month, but I did not want to re-experience the previous visit- full waiting room 45 min waiting and sweating = worst nightmare (I always hesitate/ avoid this because I start sweating as soon as I sit down in the waiting room, and everyone is just staring at me).

But so far so good! I love Avert! Little pricey, but totally worth it! Definately reducing my stress and anxiety levels. I don't know why I didn't buy this years ago... Though I feel taking Avert everyday is not healthy for me, even in small doses, but it's so hard to resist. Maybe the excitement will wear off.

 

[margiehope]

You probably WOULD be OK taking Avert daily--it does not cross the blood/brain barrier--but, I don't take it if I don't need it (cool, not going out, etc.)

Continued good luck!

 

[John88]

Dang it, Avert seems to have lost some of its effectiveness on me . I'm starting to sweat a bit taking 1-2mg of Avert now. Before 1-2mg kept me 90% dry for most of the day. Now probably only 65-70% and seems to wear off faster now. Oh well, still better than nothing. Might have a few beads of sweat rolling down my face, but atleast it's no where near like before.

 

[John88]

So sad, Avert is no longer working for me. Was so embarrassed the other day at the hardware store. Had a worker help me find something. Took long, and the sweat started pouring, so I told the worker forget about it, and walked away. Was on my way to the cash register with what i had, and saw the line, then just put stuff I was going to buy on a shelve, and headed towards the exit. While walking out a worker asked me, "hey boss, you alright?" because the sweat... This was on a 2mg Avert.

So pretty much Avert is no longer working at all now, except making me feel like crap with the dry mouth. Back to the super sweaty me!

I am so thankful and happy my jury duty got cancelled on Monday, it would've been absolute hell.

Going try to stay off avert a week or so, hopefully it works again.

 

[SweatParty]

Hey man, I'm not sure why you had a few days of it working fairly well and then suddenly not working at all. I don't remember reading other stories of it wearing off that quickly.

I've been taking it 2.5 years now (kind of hard to believe) and it is still as effective as when I started. However, certain rare days, I just start pouring sweat. Maybe it's the situations I'm in, or the weather. I will say that it has been least effective for me in high humidity weather. In that case, I sometimes don't even try taking it, because I know I will sweat anyway, and it dries my mouth, so I'm a bit uncomfortable.

Regarding exercise, there've been a couple hot summer days where I've been on the pill and then done some brief running outside, and suddenly felt very tired and almost like I was going to pass out. So I am very leary about using this before exercising, but others may react differently.

Overall it has been a huge success, especially at work. Now I rarely have to worry about dripping sweat at the office all day.