Sweating...lots of sweating.

[HCEarwicker]

Hi all,

My first post here.

I'm in my late 50s and have been using  a low-ish dose of methadone (30 mls) for over 20 years. Until 5 years ago I was also using Heroin and cocaine, but have been illicit-drug-free for those 5 years - so very stable on 30 mls of methadone a day for some time now.

All is hunky dory, apart from the excessive sweating that I've discovered is a common side effect of (long-term?) methadone use. It's very uncomfortable, embarrassing and expensive (lots of washing and ruined clothes). A quick google revealed BIPERIDEN as a possible wonder cure, but a call to the nhs confirms it's no longer available in the UK.

I've read of OXYBUTYNIN, but it's usually prescribed for bladder control and while at my age I could use perhaps a little more bladder control, I DO wanna be able to pee when I wanna pee. (Heavy-duty anti-perspirant doesn't cut it, BTW). 

Anyone aware of any other treatments?

Thanks.

[OP8S]

Running your wrists under the cold tap , got told that by a pregnant women at my work who noticed the beads of sweat dripping off me. Seemed to work, for a while...until I started sweating again of course.

[Silver Nitrate]

is this something that only long term methadone users get? well apparantly not as i get it to a degree but usually when im due my next dose, or if im really active(which is when you expect to sweat anyway)

ive heard of people constantly sweating all the time though, doesant sound good.

[HCEarwicker]

Hey thanks for the tip, OP8S, but wrist-rinsing doesn't work for me - as you say, temporary relief at best. I guess total immersion in a cold bath might work, but when you're out and about...I wonder what happened to all the horse-troughs in London town?

Silver Nitrate - I've not done a survey, but from what I've read online it seems that (lots of) sweating is pretty common with long-term methadone users, and some not-so-long-term users too. Of course, you're gonna sweat a bit if you're cutting down, late with your next dose, or exercising. I don't sweat all the time, but I only have to go for a walk - summer or winter - and I'm wet; forehead/face/neck and back in particular. It's got worse over the last 3 or 4 years. Although I'm getting on and my sprinting days are over, I'm not at all overweight or in any other way ill...

So, unless and until I knock methadone on the head, it's a medicinal/chemical solution I'm looking for (my GP has sent me off to do some research).

Here's hoping someone with a bit of medical/pharmaceutical knowledge reads this thread!

[OP8S]

Yeah, I'm on the move a lot at work, often going from one room that is at one temperature to another room which could very easily be hotter still. Makes it look like I'm knocking me pan in & working hard I suppose  but yeah, generally it's a bitch. Their was a lady on here that had obtained drugs in Egypt if I remember correctly that had a side effect of stopping her sweats but when she returned to ask her GP about them I think she found that they were drugs used to treat Parkinsons & her GP wouldn't prescribe them to her, as to how & why she got them in the first place is lost in my memory somewhere I'm afraid, but you might find them in a search if you try some different terms. It was a while ago & I'm pretty sure I didn't dream it...pretty sure...

[Jules]

If you do a search on the forum, you'll see that we've had many threads running about sweating and, sadly, nobody's come up with an absolute solution - just things that work for individuals.  I know someone who's suffered with the same problem for years - mainly the head and face, even in cold weather.  I'll watch this space in case someone can enlighten us!

Jules

[HCEarwicker]

OP8S - the drug that used to be prescribed for Parkinson's, stops sweating and is available in Egypt is very likely to be BIPERIDEN, the stuff I mentioned in my first post. My GP would have prescribed it (he understands how and why it works and is cool with it), but it's not been available in the UK since 2006, I think.

Thanks, Jules - I haven't yet searched the site (was hoping to save myself the trouble ), but I will check out what others have come up with... and keep an eye out here.

[bp]

Sorry you haven't managed to get a definitive solution to your problem but I'm sure you will find that being a member of the forum is a positive experience with lots of support from fellow members. Welcome!!

Beryl

[OP8S]

OP8S - the drug that used to be prescribed for Parkinson's, stops sweating and is available in Egypt is very likely to be BIPERIDEN, the stuff I mentioned in my first post. My GP would have prescribed it (he understands how and why it works and is cool with it), but it's not been available in the UK since 2006, I think

Oh well, at least my memory isn't as bad as I thought! As for the sweats anyone with anymore ideas are very welcome. I'm not so bad if I stay in the same temperature enviroment but running about experiencing changes of temperature are bad. It's like my bodies thermostat ain't workin in time ? Never had this problem with gear but I suppose I would just take enough to keep me going through the day at work, instead of taking the whole dose for the day at once like I do with meth.
Good luck, If you come up with an original idea then patent it...there's thousands of sweaty meth users out there!

[HCEarwicker]

Well all is not yet lost...There's the other anticholinergic drug I mentioned (don't ask me what it means, but Biperiden is anticholinergic), OXYBUTYNIN - the one that's still prescribed for bladder control - to check out.

But before taking yet more medication to compensate for the side effects of medication, I'm going to try Driclor, the extra-strong anti-perspirant, again. I've still got some from a previous prescription my GP gave me. I've discovered I didn't use it properly when I first got it. I used it like a normal anti-perspirant, expecting it to work immediately, but you have to apply it every night for at least a few days before it kicks in (blocks the sweat glands). And you can use on it your forehead - just stay well clear of eyes, ears and mouth. I'll let you know in a week or so if it works.

And thanks for the welcome, Beryl

[MattYorks :) :-)]

Hello there HCE.

All I can remember is Clonidine...

My friend, about ten years ago was prescribed clonidine(clonodine), and she told me that they were for sweating off Methadone. I only just started to use gear back then so I didn't need them as much as her but they did work for me about 2 years later. Tho I'm not sure what their proper use so, but they were prescribed for sweating she tell's me.
I think this was a common practise years ago but now I think DR's are reluctant to prescribe this.

Im not even sure that there proper use is for sweating.

[OP8S]

Clonide decreases noradrenaline & is used for Anti-hypertensive treatment. One of it's side-effects are fluid retention. I think a took some years ago when I was doing a home detox, a mate gave them to me & said they would help...can't remember if they were much use for that. It was a while ago & one detox is pretty similar to another ( shite ).

[MattYorks :) :-)]

I can only remember them putting me to sleep about half hour after taking them.. Happened everytime.

[OP8S]

Yeah, that's listed as another side effect, dunno if your GP would prescribe it for sweating while on meth. Worth asking though.

[HCEarwicker]

Hi Mattyorks,

Thanks for the Clonodine suggestion. Googling about a bit, it seems that it's mainly used to control high blood pressure. It also reduces the shakes and Restless Leg Syndrome, so I can see how it might be useful for de-tox. But apart from the fluid retention effect that OP8S mentioned, I haven't come across anything that suggests it might stop sweating. Seems a bit heavy duty too - other possible side effects and so forth...

Day three of the Dricolor routine - I'm using it on my forehead to start with. If that works, I'll see if I can get a load of it and splash it all over. A bit of a palaver, but apparently you only have to top up with it every few days once it's taken effect. If that doesn't work, I'll ask my GP about the other anticholinergic I mentioned, OXYBUTYNIN.

I'll let yall know what happens.