Anxiety and Sweating

[ryno23]

I was wondering what the best medications are for stopping excessive sweating and anxiety.  I think the anxiety causes the sweating.  But the sweating affects my life more than the anxiety.  Is an anticholinergic drug the best choice?  I thought that might help my chronic stomach pains too.  (I am currently taking Lorazepam, Propranolol, and Atarax - with limited results)

[Marin600]

Hi!  Please call the office and try to find out what percentage of this endo's patients are thyroid and adrenal.  Yes, all the glands are interrelated, but if he mainly sees diabetics, and has never seen anything wrong with adrenal mixes apart from Cushing's and Addison's, the deck may be stacked against you.  Of course, WE could be barking up the wrong tree!  Many diabetics once had the opposite condition, or hypoglycemia, which is most definitely a big factor in my superfragilistic sweat glands!  So far, I don't have diabetes.  In addition to the books I referenced above, read Solved: The Riddle of Illness, by Stephen Langer, MD (great book about thyroid deficiencies)  Have a friend call, if you're worried about starting off on the wrong foot with that office. Then, too, his knowing that you're there because of your grandfather may be just the impetus he needs to not quit until he's solved your problem.  Tell us what happens, ok?

[Victoria60]

Pranayam, won't hurt, since it is breathing excercise, i will send some reading materials and also some video links

[ryno23]

Thanks for all the info.  I just scheduled an appt. with an endo. today.  My grandpa sees him for diabetes and swears by him.  we'll see.

[ryno23]

I would love to hear about "pranayam" breathing exercizes. I used to do a yoga class but i hurt my back and havent been able to participate.  That really helped me with my anxiety while I was able.

[Marin600]

All endocrinologists are not created equally.  I'd ask at a health food store.  Employees there have heard all kinds of difficult-to-solve cases, and which docs don't quit hunting until they find solutions.  I really loved my one endo and his staff, but he went strictly by numbers for thyroid med.  He did prescribe Armour for me, on which I feel much better than other meds, but I was about 100 % certain, by symptoms described in Solved the Riddle of Illness, that I needed more, and he wouldn't hear of it.  Reluctantly I changed to a holistic doctor.  Reluctantly, only because I really liked my endo.  I love my holistic dr and his staff, too.  Do try to read Breakthrough.  I suppose there isn't a single book I've read where I agree with all that the author says, including that one.  But the reason you're posting here is that you're asking questions for which you've not received answers.  You're on the right track.  No matter how well-intentioned, drs are human, and you know how you feel and whether their solutions are working for you.  Only you can know that as well as you do.  Your dr, if he's pretty sharp (I say he universally; women are every bit as good as men at being docs), will have a very good idea, but because we're all unique, he won't know 100%.  What would work for 99 others might surprise him completely when it wouldn't work for you.  Please do try to read the three books I've mentioned, very carefully watch what you put into your body, and see if there's a link.  Sugar and -ose ingredients are really bad on me, and I know it, and most of the time I'm good, but sometimes I just gorge on it.  I aways pay, too.  Wish we had a hypoglycemic forum; maybe there's one at another website.  There is an extensive adrenal insufficiency forum here, where you'll learn that most of our problems come from the scarcity of docs who recognize anything but the two extremes, Cushing's & Addison's, and so many miserable patients fall somwhere between those figures.  The best thing, besides careful eating and nutritional supplementation, for you to do is to become as educated as possible, the better to select doctors, and the better to be able to discuss your situation with them.  Google Women to Women in Maine, a holistic clinic that I've heard a lot of good things about.  Be careful, though, to select an endocrinoligist who specializes in adrenal or adrenal & thyroid.  Too many of them just don't recognize anything but those extremes, and you're wasting your time, money, & hopes with them.  Best wishes in ferreting out your answers.  Tell us what happens.

[Victoria60]

I would suggest doing "Pranayam" the breathing exercise from Yoga, thousands of people have overcome their anxiety problems by following and doing yoga...
if interested let me know i can search some materials and post..

[ryno23]

Thanks Marin.  I too thought it might be some type of adrenal gland thing.  My doctor did a blood test and everything was fine (i.e. hormones, vitamins, minerals).  Would an endocrinologist be able to find something that he couldn't?  Maybe I will look into that.

[Marin600]

Read Breakthrough by Suzanne Sommers and schedule an appt with the closest source she lists in her reference list of hormone-savvy drs---and I don't mean just any endocrinologist.  Take a really good, potent multi-Vit-min.  Generous amounts in the formula for the B's (esp pantothenic acid), C, D, and E, calcium, magnesium and protein.  Read about the adrenals.  Adrenal stress can cause excessive perspiration.  Read about low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), which also can cause excessive perspiration.  Adrenal Fatigue: the 21st Century Stress Syndrome by Wilson, and Low Blood Sugar and You, by Carleton Fredericks.  Remember that toxins have to leave the body via body orifices, which includes sweat glands.  Poor diet with junk food, sugar, processed foods with their chemicals & preservatives), household and industrial chemicals a lack of plenty of pure water---chemical-laden "city" water---all create toxins.  Then we take meds on top of all that!  No wonder we sweat!  Haywire adrenal glands have to be murder for our anxiety levels.  If we level out our adrenal stress, or, better yet, eliminate it, our anxiety tends to do the same.  Protein, or protein drinks, so long as they're not sugar-laden (high fructose fruit "juice" from concentrate!) are good at helping to stabilize.

[ryno23]

Yeah. I've taken lexapro and paxil before.  The lexapro gave me bad headaches and the paxil seemed to make me sweat more.

[cnote]

sweating comes with anxiety... even normal anxiety... sweaty palms etc.

i know when im having an anxiety spell i sweat in my sleep really bad...

its normal...

do you take an anti-depressant? besides your biodiazapines?

when i was on lexapro, it stopped my night sweats.

[No Excuses]

I don't know about any medication but I can tell you, I sweat realy bad when I am anxious!!!