REALLY Embarassing... Excessive Sweating?

[AnnShh]

This is REALLY embarassing for me to post, but maybe there's someone else here who can feel my pain!

I have awful excessive sweating of my underarms. As in, I'll just be sitting here doing nothing and I sweat. I think it's linked to anxiety, because if I'm around people I don't know or if I'm nervous about something it is a lot worse (ie: I had surgery last spring and was really nervous, and as I was sitting there waiting I could feel the sweat dripping down my armpits). It's like a viscious circle- I get anxious meeting new people, which worsens the sweating, which triggers more anxiety, etc.

My already low self confidence has been made worse by this. Spring is coming and I know I soon won't be able to wear sweaters to class... and I don't want to constantly have to wear black or dark blue. Going out with friends is awful because I want to look cute, but if I wear anything I look cute in, it will be obvious that I sweat. A lot. And I'm at a point in my life where there are guys I would love to ask out, but I don't because I fear that once they realize that I have this problem it will be a turn-off (not that I'd blame them).

Clinical strength anti-perspirants haven't helped. I've read about botox and surgeries... which I might be willing to try if people have had good experience with those. But I'm at a loss and I am sick of having to worry about this problem.

Is there anyone here with this problem? Have you found anything that helps?

 

[Spoof]

I sweat profusely because I'm a northerner living in S. Louisiana. Granted everyone around here does it, so you could move down and fit right in.

This won't solve your issue but have you tried a bamboo shirt? They're awesome at evaporating water and look dry quickly. I can get drenched and look dry in a few minutes, which is nice. My boobs sweat the most due to ye ole bra and there's nothing like walking into the store with a wet chest to gather attention.

At least you would know nobody could see that you were sweating, and when it's 100 degrees out these shirts are really nice to be in. )

 

[AnnShh]

I sweat profusely because I'm a northerner living in S. Louisiana. Granted everyone around here does it, so you could move down and fit right in.

This won't solve your issue but have you tried a bamboo shirt? They're awesome at evaporating water and look dry quickly. I can get drenched and look dry in a few minutes, which is nice. My boobs sweat the most due to ye ole bra and there's nothing like walking into the store with a wet chest to gather attention.

At least you would know nobody could see that you were sweating, and when it's 100 degrees out these shirts are really nice to be in. )

I'm actually from up North initially (then moved to VA which is kind of in the middle) and am going to school in Mississippi. So I'm fairly close to you!

I haven't heard of the bamboo shirts and will look into them. I have an Under Armor shirt I like, but the problem with that is that although it dries fairly quickly, it's also pretty tight fitting so it soaks through faster.

 

[threewingedfury]

I've always had a problem with sweating. I wear tank tops almost every day in the summer for this reason and many camisoles are worn underneath boleros and baggy shirts to cover up the sweat during the winter. I can't handle coats or long sleeve shirts, they're just far too hot. My worst is my feet though. When I was a child, I'd have to throw away shoes every month because they smelled so bad from my feet sweating. This was a pain in the arse considering I was in a size 12 by the time I was in 5th grade and it was hard enough to find shoes to fit me that weren't mens. Luckily, I learned that wearing flip flops 365 days out of the year helped out a lot. My feet just don't sweat at all with flops on. Totally embarassing when you're wearing flops in the snow, but at least I wasn't wasting money on shoes anymore.

I've learned that when I shave my arm pits, I sweat a lot more, so sometimes I kinda try to make it longer than the majority do before I shave. I've tried clinical strength and prescription strength deodorants and they don't help either. I've tried vinegar and baking soda before also, and they don't help either.

 

[kimbt622]

i have terrible sweating under my armpits too. its ridiculous i even sweat through my shirts in the winter! its freezing! so annoying. but i do have general anxiety and take medication for it, so you might be right with the link between the two.

 

[Spoof]

I've learned that when I shave my arm pits, I sweat a lot more

Yea I figured that out down here too. I mean, living in WA I never sweated, REALLY sweated like you do here.

Unfortunately the place I get my bamboo shirts from closed down, so I can't recommend any. I get them as baggy as possible and use them when I trim horses - I've never sweat so much as when bent over in the summer trimming. Even my undies/shorts get soaked.

 

[Lynn & The Chins]

I believe that Botox has been used in the prevention of hyperhidrosis, or excessive sweating.

http://www.medicinenet.com/hyperhidrosis/article.htm

Good luck...

 

[RNmama2girls1chin]

i just wanted to post that I too have had this problem and my family physician perscribed Hypercare (Drysol) and its wonderful. I put it on every other day and after getting though the initial irritation and figuring out how to apply it to reduce irritation i love it.

 

[Rebecca]

I wear black shirts a lot in the summer. It increases sweating a bit, but the sweat doesn't show so I count it a win.

 

[AnnShh]

I try to wear black or dark blue, but it gets boring after awhile... I have to wear that all year round (or deal with showing the sweat marks) since I think my issue is a combo of excessive sweating (from heat etc...) and anxiety related.

 

[Nervousings]

just a tip with the clinical strength deodorant...
i found it was never working for me, then i started using it at night, right before i went to bed. when i wake up in the morning i apply normal deodorant and have had no issues!!

 

[Rebecca]

I try to wear black or dark blue, but it gets boring after awhile... I have to wear that all year round

Me too, as I also sweat when I walk around in the extreme (well extreme for California) cold. I make up for it by wearing colorful skirts, but yes it does get repetitive. In high school, before I started wearing skirts, everyone assumed I was some rebel-against-the-establishment goth kid.

 

[Parka]

I use Drysol/Hypercare on my palms, the soles of my feet, and underneath the two cantalopes glued to my chest. I tried using it on my armpits but it burned the skin right off. I did use it at night as directed, but I guess I sweat a lot at night. It reacts with your sweat to form a lovely acid that's murder on sweat glands and skin alike. I use Certain Dri at night and antiperspirant/deodorant in the morning. And by the way, the clinical strength junk is no stronger than your regular Mitchum stuff. Check the back of the bottles.

I still sweat a lot but honestly I'm at the point where I'm satisfied if I don't SMELL. There's also something called glycopyrrolate you can ask the dermatologist for as an alternative to Drysol. I don't have a pharmacy that mixes around here so it wasn't worth it to get it, but if you do, give it a shot. The bamboo clothing also does help, especially in the sock department. You can also try the little pads designed for the armpit area. Some are called dress shield I think.

One time I was really really nervous in the airport because I was going to visit a friend I hadn't seen in years, and sweat through 3 of the 4 shirts I had in my carry on bag because I knew I'd get sweaty. So I ended up cutting a maxi pad in half and sticking that in my armpits, and it worked just fine. I wouldn't recommend it on a regular basis but it was effective and kinda humorous!

 

[Jeanette]

Well, I don't have a super-problem with sweating, but I do sweat more than a regular person does. I have found (and I don't mean to be insensitive), that since I have gained some weight, I tend to sweat a lot more. My doctor told me that "there is no easy fix... loose the weight and you'll stop sweating". I was a skinny-minnie and then I gained about 60 lbs. Not sure if you have a weight issue, but going to the gym and sweating it out there is better than going out and sweating on your date.

 

[AnnShh]

Well, I don't have a super-problem with sweating, but I do sweat more than a regular person does. I have found (and I don't mean to be insensitive), that since I have gained some weight, I tend to sweat a lot more. My doctor told me that "there is no easy fix... loose the weight and you'll stop sweating". I was a skinny-minnie and then I gained about 60 lbs. Not sure if you have a weight issue, but going to the gym and sweating it out there is better than going out and sweating on your date.

As odd as it sounds, I actually noticed that I started having this problem when I lost weight. I was probably abou 20 lbs overweight when I was 14-15ish, then I got a job working at a horse barn and lost 30 lbs so I looked great and was at a good weight. Around that time, I started having the horrible sweating issues. Now I'm still at a good weight, I'm physically fit (Army ROTC) etc. I'm thinking it's anxiety related because I can sit in my dorm room and not sweat at all, but the minute I'm with other people, esp if I don't know them, it starts up.

 

[saphire]

I have found that I need to wash my armpits 2 times a day after shaving - I sweat and smell a little. that is now.
At one point, I use to sweat alot for the same reasons as yourself and too much cafeine. I cut down on the intake of coffee, chocolat, soft drinks with cafeine and it has solved my probleme to about 90%.

 

[alpayton]

I don't know if this applies to the situation at hand or not, but thought I'd throw it out there as food for thought...

Some medications increase your body's core temp and cause one to sweat more easily. I WAS taking one that did that to me and since I stopped taking it, I don't have that problem anymore. When I did take the med, if it was anywhere around 72-75 degrees, I would break out into a sweat. Just getting ready in the morning, I would sweat so much, it looked like I had just finished a workout or something...the hair around my neck and ears would be wringing wet. Since I no longer take that med, I no longer have that problem. And yes, Summer was absolutely horrid for me while I was taking it. Walk outside to get in the car, and have to wipe sweat before I could even get the car started.