sweating my (insert body part here) off!!!! ;P

I am leaving in....oh about half hour to see my PCP and last time i sa her i mentioned that im sweating so much i feel like im going through menopause but i knew im way way too young to have and she said "yeah, your too young to have menopause" kinda like i was stupid and really thought i had menopuase dispite the fact that i said "im sweating so much i FEEL like im going through menopause even though I KNOW IM WAY WAY TOO YOUNG" and she also ignored it and didnt ask me any more questions or perscribe me anything. i dont want to take pills for it but i just wanna try some prescribed deoderant. anyway, anyone have any suggestions about anything i can suggest to her for the sweating ....like a type or brand of deodorant she can prescribe. THANK YOU!!!!



JO

I went to the blog of Dr. Jana Burson who actually is the physician of one of the mmt programs located in North Carolina if I am not mistaken to see what she says about sweating and Methadone.
Below are her comments:

All opioids can cause flushing and hot sweats, but methadone is probably worse than the others. This is because when it’s used to treat opioid addiction, we want the patient to go up to a dose that blocks the opioid receptors, and the hot sweats from methadone seems to be at least partially dose-related. Why does this happen? We don’t exactly know, but it has to do with the effects of opioids on the thermo-regulatory centers in the brain.
Excess sweating can also be caused by opioid withdrawal, so if there are other withdrawal signs or symptoms (body aches, runny nose, nausea, stomach cramps), the sweating may improve with a dose increase. About half of all patients on methadone report unpleasant sweating, but some patients report dramatic, soaking sweats. The sweating for these patients is more than an inconvenience. These are bad enough to interfere with life.

Medications For Sweating Caused By Methadone

There are a few prescription medications which can help this severe sweating.
Clonidine, a blood pressure medication, blocks sweats to some degree in many patients.
Anticholenergic medicines, so named because these drugs block the effect of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine in the involuntary nervous system, block sweating. Anticholinergics tend to dry all secretions, causing such common side effects as dry mouth and dry eyes. These medications can cause more serious side effects, so they must be prescribed by a doctor familiar with the patient’s medical history. All of these medications have been used for excessive sweating with various degrees of success, in some patients. Some examples of anticholinergics include:
oxybutynin (also used for urinary leakage)
bipereden (used in some Parkinson patients)
scopolamine (also used for sea sickness)
dicyclomine (used for irritable bowel syndrome)
For unusually bad situations, Botox can be injected under the skin of the most affected areas, like armpits, palms and soles. Obviously, this is somewhat of a last-resort measure.
Other Ways To Treat Methadone Induced Sweat

Many of the common sense things do help somewhat, like wearing loose clothing, keeping your house cool, and losing weight. Regular exercise helps some people. Talcum powder, sprinkled on the areas that sweat, can help absorb some of the moisture. Antiperspirants can be used in the underarm area, but also in any area that routinely becomes sweaty. The antiperspirant can be applied at bedtime so sweating won’t interrupt sleep. There are prescription antiperspirants, like Drysol or Xerac, but these sometimes can be irritating to the skin. Avoid spicy foods, which can also cause sweating.
Make sure the sweating isn’t coming from any other source, like an overactive thyroid, and check your body temperature a few times, to make sure you don’t have a fever, indicating the sweating could be from a smoldering infection. A trip to the doctor should include some basic blood tests to rule out medical causes other than the dose of methadone.

http://drug.addictionblog.org/can-taking-methadone-cause-excessive-sweating/

Form what I've been told it can take a few days for your system to get used to the new dose. Do you have a certain day of the week that you have to ask for the increase so that it can be given by a certain day?
At my clinic we had to ask by Wednesday to receive it by Monday of the next week.
On the crappy side? Does your dose seem to wear off during the day after dosing?

Your screen name is fine with me and I don't think anyone has any problem with it. You should see some of the ones I've seen over the years. If anyone is offended I'm sure they will let you know.
May I ask what dose you are on now and how long you have been on that dose? Or should I say the previous dose?

you want to get to a dose that holds you from one dose to your next without any cravings or withdrawal symptoms. One where you can function and not worry about weather or not you are going to go into withdrawal before dosing again.
Everyone is different, so what may be good for one person may not be good for another. Treatment needs to be individualized to match the person being treated. Some people require higher doses than others and vise versa. Listen to what you body tells you, it will never lie to you


I a going to give you some information that you can read that may help. Educate yourself as much as you can about Methadone. In the long run it will help you many times over. Remember, no one can have too much knowledge

http://www.atforum.com/SiteRoot/pages/addiction_resources/DosingandSafetyWP.pdf
You can also find some great information on our website, www.medicalassistedtreatment.org

Some people say Vitadone helps the sweating idk because I get kidney stones when I take vitamins, but your clinic probably sells vitadone behind the counter.

But it sounds to me like you are not at a stable dose yet. I had to get to 210 milligrams and with a split dose before I got out of withdrawals.

Hey Jo,
How have things been going with you?
Are you feeling better and did you ask for the increase in your dose or did you decide that an increase wasn't necessary?

I see that you have been logging in to read so I wanted to check in to say hello to you. When you have some time I'd like to hear from you okay.

I have had very few side effects from methadone that have been bad enough to even mention, except, that is, for sweating. I also take Lexapro for depression, and this medicine also makes me sweat. My sweating is an isue for me, but I deal with it best as I can. I normally carry a small towel with me, ezpecially when its hot outside. Despite the sweating being an issue for me, it is something I choose to accept and deal with. Yes, its bad, I can sweat even when it isn't hot or even i'm doing nothing. Add in the fact that the Lexapro compounds the sweating problem AND being overweight, I can sweat and sweat until i'm soaked, but still, the benefits FAR outweigh tbe negatives. I have been clean and sober for 3 years as of 9-5-12, and methadone has played a major role. I would rather sweat all day than return to using. Thank goodness for air conditioning.
Seth

I believe if or when you get to your right
dose for YOU, I believe your sweating will stop...mine did, I couldnt go anywhere
I was embarressed I thought it was menopause, nope...I got my dose right and now its all good..

Oh Oh Oh Oh BEFORE I FORGET....I wanted to ask you all a question, I keep reading about how if you have Hep C that you will probably need a higher dose than someone who doesnt have hep C, is this true and should I bring this up to my councelor and Dr since I DO have hep C? And....What should I say exactly Because Im not entierly sure what it means when you have hep c and are on methadone. Ok Thanks Guys/Gals!!

Jo,
If you feel like you still need that increase find out what day the doctor is in and make arrangements to see him. Talk to him about how your feeling and request the increase. Make sure that every time you ask for the increase you write down everything that is said. Same goes for your symptoms, write them down. Take notice of what and when they occur.
Do some research on Hep-C, I know that I'm always saying that about one subject or another but if it is something that affects you personally, you need to know the facts. Methadone is safe on the liver so it is acceptable in Hep-C patients.

Here is a link for some reading for you on Hep-C and in the meantime see if you can get in and talk to the doctor about your increase. The sooner you are on a dose that is right for you, the better you will feel if that is what is making you feel the way you do.
http://www.hcvadvocate.org/hepatitis/hepatitis_C.asp

http://hcvsupport.org/forum/index.php