MiraDry? Avert? Secure wipes? Xanax?

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jjpb15

Member
I'll try to make this quick. First, just found out about it yesterday - I think this forum is a really great thing.

27 y/o Caucasian male, have had severe generalized HH since 12 y/o. It starts and is most severe from armpits (axillary) and forehead/face (craniofacial), but eventually I sweat from literally everywhere. I've built some type of social anxiety about it, which exacerbates the condition. (I should note that the only medication I currently take is Propecia (finasteride).

Clinical strength anti-perspirant never worked. By the time I got to College, I had to do something about it. Got 2 vials of Botox spread between Forehead and Underarms. Works sufficiently, but because I sweat everywhere only helped for those areas and certainly not 100%.

Situation only got worse getting to law school. I was aware that ETS was available but knew the risks and that compensatory sweating was the likely result. So I did nothing about it because I didn't think I could do anything but continue to get Botox (which was already expensive as it is).

1. I'm looking into Miradry now for axillary (underarm) sweating. Does anyone have experience with that procedure?

2. Also, I have just ordered a trial version of Avert (2mg). I (like many others on here I'm sure) have literally been told by so many people that I sweat more than anyone they know. I'm "that guy". Examples: walking down street I will sweat easily from forehead and underarms, talking to someone in a public/social setting will start to sweat easily, even just sitting down if it's even room temperature I may sweat but it gets even worse when I get anxious (and that happens very very easily).

Does Avert dry up your skin? Would it affect things like acne (since it dries certain secretions)?

I will start with 2mg in the morning on empty stomach and take from there.

3. Secure Wipes - should I try in conjunction with Avert?

4. Has anyone who has HH possibly due to and/or because of social anxiety also ever tried Xanax?

All advice and counsel welcome.
 
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Rickyberkey

Member
Hi jjpb15. Unfortanately not every post gets responded to but there is a lot of information about the questions you asked in the many posts in this forum. I also suffer from HH (mostly scalp and facial but once the sweating starts it is hard to turn it off). It has also caused or added to existing social anxiety issues for obvious reasons.

ETS surgery does not have many fans here in this forum.

I just recently started taking Avert and while it is helping, it is not the magical pill I was hoping for. I'm still experimenting with dosages and using it with combinations of other things.

Best of luck to you. Keep asking questions here but also just start reading the many previous posts and use to search function to find specific topics.
 
J

jjpb15

Member
Thanks for the response Rickyberkey

I've read a lot of the forum so far and it's been helpful.

Hopefully I get some results with Avert and Secure.

I might look into Xanax because often my sweating is exacerbated in social situations where I'm put on the spot or something to that effect, and then I panic and then comes the sweat.
 
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Rickyberkey

Member
Yes, things may have been discussed in previous posts but it always helps a newcomer if someone can at least acknowledge their presence. There are no official "greeters" or "responders" here, people just pop in and out on occasion once they discover the forum. I don't know if Xanax might help. I sweat profusely even when I'm all alone but it can definitely be triggered in anxious situations. You should at least try the Xanax. As for Miradry, I hadn't heard of the procedure before. Sounds promising if underarms are your main problem but there seems a likelihood of that sweat just coming out elsewhere.
 
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Sprawling

Well-known member
Although we do have people come and go, we also have a group of regulars. Xanax is not on the list of substances that benefit many. Miradry is fairly recent and has been discussed.
 
J

jjpb15

Member
Interesting - OK thanks Rickyberkey and Sprawling.

So after browsing the various posts, it seems like Avert/Secure has had at least some success and is the best bet right now.

Would you agree with that?
 
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Sprawling

Well-known member
Facial sweating is a tough nut to crack. Secure wipes, Maxim wipes work for some. For underarms, Odaban ( stings less), Certain Dri, or any of the prescription strength 20% Aluminium hydroxide. These might also work on your forehead. Medication wise: glyco if you can tolerate it.
 
J

jjpb15

Member
I'll try Secure wipes and Glyco starting tomorrow when they arrive from pharmacy.ca.

I've noticed the botox I received 2 weeks ago in my armpits and forehead have not worked like they usually do. Further, it seems I have compensatory sweating on my chest, stomach and back.

Hopefully, the glyco will work for that.

Finally, I'm really starting to realize that, while I sweat very easily at the outset, I also have "sweating episodes" ie. I start to sweat in a social setting, then I realize that I'm sweating and get serious anxiety, and the sweating becomes uncontrollable. So my goal is to a) somehow stop the sweat at the outset and b) figure out a way to work on the anxiety that comes with the sweating.

That's why I asked about a combination of Advert (glyco) and Xanax. Xanax, presumably, would stem the anxiety that might curb the "sweating episodes".
 
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Rickyberkey

Member
I have exactly that same problem. I sweat excessively under normal conditions but in social settings it can become uncontrollable. Lately I can't even manage to get through a haircut in a cool room especially after I was verbally humiliated by a very clueless hairdresser. Some have had some success with "beta blockers" for general social anxiety.

I recently started using Avert and it has helped a lot but is not a total answer. I think I will try the Secure wipes as well in combination but that won't help much on my head which is where it all usually starts. It's hard to work out just the right time to take Avert as it really doesn't seem to have much effect except on an empty stomach and it takes several hours to kick in. I'm hoping this will lessen my anxiety problems because they are defiantally tied in to the sweating outbreaks.
 
J

jjpb15

Member
Do you notice, thus far, whether Avert works better on certain parts of body? (ie. chest/back vs. head vs. face vs. underarms)

It seems like the theory of "stacking" might help - where you employ a bunch of different anti-sweating techniques to fight the HH. Avert + Secure + Odaban + Botox + whatever else.

I need to figure out whether my anxiety, while maybe initially caused by the sweating, has no become the bigger problem.
 
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sean_turner74

Well-known member
jjpb15 said:
I'll try Secure wipes and Glyco starting tomorrow when they arrive from pharmacy.ca.

I've noticed the botox I received 2 weeks ago in my armpits and forehead have not worked like they usually do. Further, it seems I have compensatory sweating on my chest, stomach and back.

Hopefully, the glyco will work for that.

Finally, I'm really starting to realize that, while I sweat very easily at the outset, I also have "sweating episodes" ie. I start to sweat in a social setting, then I realize that I'm sweating and get serious anxiety, and the sweating becomes uncontrollable. So my goal is to a) somehow stop the sweat at the outset and b) figure out a way to work on the anxiety that comes with the sweating.

That's why I asked about a combination of Advert (glyco) and Xanax. Xanax, presumably, would stem the anxiety that might curb the "sweating episodes".
Click to expand...
I have the same problem, and I think that's the root of my excessive sweating problem. I don't sweat at home by myself or when I'm alone; it's 95% when I'm in public and in social situations.

Some people will think I'm crazy, but hypnosis actually helps me deal with social anxiety and general anxiety. I started to listen to downloadable hypnosis mp3's last year, and it's made significant improvement in lowering my anxiety and stress. My HH isn't cured, but what hypnosis does is help your mind deal with stressful situations better, so you can calm down and reduce the severity of the sweating episodes.

I will still sweat in social situations, but instead of me freaking out about it and making things worse, I'm not as self-conscious, so the sweating episode isn't nearly as bad. I no longer shy away from social situations either.

Hypnosis is helpful (just don't expect it to "cure" your HH; it's for reducing anxiety).
 
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jjpb15

Member
For those that have been using Avert for a while now, how much do they recommend starting with? I was thinking of 2 or 3 mg in the morning on empty stomach.
 
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jjpb15

Member
Just popped my first 2 mg of Avert on empty stomach. It's super humid and hot out today - going to go test this out. Will report back.
 
J

jjpb15

Member
Didn't notice much of a difference on 2mg of Avert yesterday.
Took 3mg of Avert today, had a dentist's appointment about an hour later and I sweat through my shirt in a place (my chest below my pectoral muscles).

I also just got Botox 3 weeks ago in my armpits and forehead. I think this might be some compensatory sweating from that. Though I should note that I've been getting botox for 7 years now. I noticed that it's starting to wear off this time around. I might need more botox in each arm and forehead.

Anyways, so far, not very satisfied with Avert / Glyco.

Any thoughts?
 
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Modam

Active member
given your level of sweating, you'll probably have to take more avert to see an effect. Keep upping the dosage, eventually it will work, though the side effects may be unbearable (dry mouth chief among them). I wouldn't give up on it just yet. I have relatively minor hand and feet sweating, and I need 4mg to see it go away completely.

Another medicine I've never tried but seen mentioned on these forums is pro-banthine. It seems to be effective for some people, so if you hit a wall with the avert that might be another option.
 
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wannabedry

Well-known member
so is there anyone here that has done the miradry procedure for armpits?? also any news on when they will do any trials on other body parts aside from just underarms for those of us with post ets compensatory sweating?? i found an interesting forum with people discussing miradry which has doctors commenting on the possibility of miradry being used for treating compensatory sweat. very interesting
Can Miradry Be Used to Treat Hyperhidrosis on Body Parts Other Than the Auxiliary Area? Doctor Answers, Tips
 
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