Thank you for the information!
OMG! After 2 years of this, using all sorts of topicals, taking supplements like magnesium, ordering glycopyrollate from another country, seeing doctor after doctor and having blood test after blood test without relief, my GP started me on a blood pressure medicine. I had been given propranolol before without success, but this bp med fixed my cranial Hyperhidrosis issue! It was a calcium channel blocker called Amlodipine. I took 5 mg a day, and just a few days later, I could have cried because I was so happy that this side effect was resolving this FINALLY. I walked blocks on very hot days and finally felt “normal”. Then itching and a skin rash appeared (which is a side effect that only happens to 1% - lucky me) and I had to be taken off. I researched deep into the catacombs of the Internet, and sure enough, there are some reports of calcium channel blockers working for others. I’ve called Pfizer and Lupin Pharmaceuticals (the makers of NORVASC and the generic Amlodipine), but they have no research on this. I hope to find something that acts similarly, but without the side effects that I experienced.
Hi brad537,
Can I ask if you live in the UK or in the USA. I am from the UK and alot of these meds that are mentioned are prescriped for people in the USA. When i went to my doctor about 6/7 weeks ago he asked me are any of these you have seen prescribed to people in the USA well they where and he wasn't prepared to give me any of them. He has put be on Clonidine, started on 2 tablets twice a day no change, put me up to 3 twice a day bit of a change but nothing wow. Going to ring back tomorrow because they said their is other things we can try, so I will let know. X
Hi Missy7581. I am in the US.
My doctors understand my frustration and want to help, so I’ve been fortunate that they will mostly let me try anything that I ask for. I, like most here, have spent countless hours researching blogs and medical sites for anything at all that I can try. The Amlodipine was given to me because my BP readings were fluctuating and indicated pre-hypertension. There wasn’t even a thought that this would help the sweating! Amlodipine is the generic name for Novasc here in the US, but it seems that anything in that family of BP med (calcium channel blocker) should offer the same benefit. Good luck, I hope you get some relief.
I was very interested in your message, I have not been having the symptoms as long as you but am still finding them very embarrassing, I tend to wear headbands to stop it dripping I onto my shoulders or face, but it is difficult when you want to get dressed up. Doctors I have seen seem to brush it off as a fact of getting older and not one has offered any treatment, I have been thinking of going back to the GP and asking again, but getting an appointment is difficult and as I don't have an emergency it seems inappropriate to take one of the few appointments there are, I just use fans and open doors and Windows, any self help ideas are welcome.
Hi brad437
Clonidine are for blood pressure but they are bot working but they have higherd them once and have said they can go higher but they do course you to h
Have low blood pressure but i have been fine blood pressure wise so I am goung to ring them tomorrow about increasing the dose and see how i get on and I will let you all know. X
Hi Katie h
You shouldn't have to live that way or feel that way. I have suffered with this terribly head sweating fo 8 yrs now and in June of this year I decided enough was enough and I wasn't being fobed of anymore. I had a big wedding coming up and it was making me so anxious just thinking of this facial & head sweating in this wedding. I phoned my doctors told what had been gojng on and that I new their where meds they could put me on only from joining this group and he put me on Clonidine 2 tablet twice a day done nothing so put me up to 3 twice a day and I do see some change but not much but they have told me they can go higher or try other things, as where before they just brushed it of but not this time. I had all the different medication people had or were on written down on paper so I could read them and they give me meds over the phone, I just thought 8 yrs I've not gone to party's, weddings any type of gatherings out of embarrassisment but because i had proof he give them to me over the phone. XXX
I have been on other blood pressure meds and they didn’t do anything for the sweating. Some BP meds are in the family of beta blockers, some are Ace inhibitors, some are alpha 2-agonist, and some are calcium channel blockers. It’s specifically the calcium channel blocker variety that helped me. Clonidine is an alpha 2-agonist.
I’ve been tormented with excessive head sweating for the last 20 years. it has ruined countless social events including my wedding in the most humiliating way I can imagine. I have spent many years avoiding even common social situations.
I have recently started to date again and go on job interviews. This condition is absolutely detrimental to both persuits.
After reading this discussion and others online I tried over the counter oxybutynin patches which did not help at all.
I went to the doctor and asked for a prescription of oxybutynin. The Dr was not familiar with this usage as it is off-label. I took printouts from this discussion and told him how much this condition affects my life. He was hesitant to prescribe it but did his own research and decided to let me try it. He prescribed up to two 5mg tablets per day.
It has absolutely and completely changed my life. I am able to do anything I want now without worrying about head/face sweating. I take Oxybutinyn only when I know I’ll need it, about an hour before a social situation, on an empty stomach. I take one 5mg tablet for most things, two if I anticipate heavy physical activity or extremely stressful situations. I can even stay dry when everyone else is sweating.
It does cause dry mouth and my contact lenses get dry so I carry eyedrops and a toothbrush /paste which both fit easily in my pocket. I don’t mind because my pockets used to be filled with washcloths to wipe away the sweat. Because it stops normal sweating I am careful not to let my body temperature get too hot. The Dr. also told me to be careful to urinate regularly even if I don’t feel the need to go as the Oxybutinyn reduces the feeling of a full bladder.
The tablets are not very expensive and I was able to get a discount using GoodRX to bring the price down even more. It costs less than a dollar for me to be able to enjoy social events like a normal person. Incredible!
BTW, I am really enjoying dating now and socializing, doing all the things I’ve missed out on for so long.
hi dan 90929 i must find oug if we can that meds here in the uk my life is so boring dud to the sweating drives me mad an makes you feel do depressed at times im so very pleased you have found something an nos youf life is sonewhat normal now goid luck with the dating to
Hi margarte 5,
I’ve been suffering the same for yrs but i just couldn’t cope anymore so I spoke to a different doctor and I honestly thought he was going to say yr on far 2 much meds to take another tablet but he didn’t. I take 3 Clonidine in the morning and 3 in the evening. I am not100% but I would definitely say 75% because it ruled my life. I continuously looked like I had stepped out of the shower, I only had to be sitting in the chair and I would start to feel the water coming out of the pores of my head & running down my neck, face and basically feel like i was burning. But these are helping so far touch wood. XXX
I don’t know if you have tried this product, but there is a box of packets called SweatBlock. Each packet contains a wipe that you can use to dab over your face, hairline, neck, etc, and it stops sweating wherever you use, it for about a week.
You apply it at a time when you aren’t sweating, let it dry overnight, and shower or wash as usual the next day.
Pros: I was dry everywhere I used it, even when sweating elsewhere, and it lasted for at least a week.
Cons: Unless you’re bald, you can’t use it all over on your head. (I did soak it into my scalp about an inch or so into my hairline.)
It’s kind of expensive, $19 a box. The box only contains 8 packets (if you need to use 2 wipes each time, a box will only last 4 weeks instead of 8.)
So far I am pleased with not having my face dripping all over the place!
is this a prescription?
DRYSOL is a bottle of liquid you dab all over your head before you go to bed and wake up and wash it out when you shampoo. Stops head sweating for a week. Sounds like the same thing as your face wipes. I bet they’d work great together. My insurance paid for the DRYSOL .
Oxybutynin absolutely changed my life! I commented on this thread about it many months ago. its wonderful to feel normal.
Thanks! I will give that a try!
This is a follow up to my original post.
I have recently completed a 3 day project which required both heavy physical activity and close extended social interaction with hundreds of strangers for around 12 hours per day. Normally this would have been an absolute nightmare filled with anxiety and lots of sweat, trying to sneak away for a minute to dry my hair and face which never really worked. I took one 5 mg oxybutinyn each morning and stayed completely dry the entire time. I always thought the sweating was caused by anxiety but it turns out to be the opposite. The anxiety was caused by the sweating and fear of sweating and ultimately having an uncomfortable social situation. With the sweating gone, I had zero anxiety and actually enjoyed all three days, meeting and talking to people, taking time to actually enjoy the conversations.
This stuff to me is a life changing miracle. It has absolutely made me a different person. If you have excessive head & face sweating that causes problems in your life you should absolutely give this a try. I just ordered 180 tablets for $46 which will last me at least 3 months but probably closer to 6 months. That’s without insurance.
FINALLY! I’ve been suffering from this for at least 10 years. Countless doctors and tests, not to mention thousands of dollars only to be told it’s probably perimenopause, or that there’s nothing wrong. “It’s not like that!” I’d plead for them to understand. I even went to MAYO Clinic for full workups. I thought they were the gold standard. Would keep at it until a diagnosis could be given. NOPE. That’s when I gave up. It was 2015. Now I barely leave my house. Only if I HAVE to. People try to understand, but don’t fully get it. Finding this today has given me new hope. I feel a special kinship with each of you, because I KNOW you understand. 
Like you, I too have spent thousands upon thousands of dollars on doctors and tests. I live in NYC and have access to some of the most highly rated medical professionals and facilities, only to have come up empty handed. It’s so frustrating.
Based upon info I found in one of these threads, I was even ordering glycopyrollate from Canada (I have since gotten my primary to prescribe it). I take it only when absolutely necessary (important events/meetings) as the side effects are awful for me though. Major dry mouth, very red in the face, and sometimes a headache. It’s better than nothing, but it’s not something that I can take every day, even if I lower the dosage.
3 years into all of this, during a few follow up doctor appointments, my blood pressure readings were a little high. So, totally unrelated to the sweating, my primary doctor started me on blood pressure meds. The first caused my potassium levels to drop dangerously low, so about 2 weeks later she switched me to a calcium channel blocker (amlodipine). Amlodipine was like a miracle for me. Within just a few days, everything was “normal”, and I walked to the store and back in 90 degree temps without any problem! I really was like, “finally!”. I can’t even begin to describe the relief that I felt. Then, sadly, in the second week I started having major itching and developing skin rashes, which apparently only happens to a small percentage of amlodipine users. Yay me! I debated if I could live with the side effects, but the rash just kept getting worse (face, head, arms) and I had to be taken off. I’ve researched this and there are only a handful of similar cases where calcium channel blockers had this effect, but no one has really investigated further. I then started trying to understand how this BP med works, hoping that I could find an alternative way to achieve the same results without the side effects. I have even contacted the manufacturer for information, but they didn’t have much to offer. They did report it to the FDA and noted this “cure” as an “adverse reaction” though - both the positive results and negative results that I experienced. I don’t know if everyone would have the same results or if I am just a fluke, but at least this gave me some hope that I will find something to fix this problem. Thats where I am today…8 months later…still trying all sorts of dietary changes, vitamins, etc. trying to emulate what this pill does.
I totally understand what you’re going through. It’s not easy.
Hi iv’e been suffering with this for years now & i’m fed up with all this sweating,iv’e tried numerous things but nothing has worked.I bought an antiperspirant called FACADE ALUMINUM FREE. Iam pleased to say it has helped my face sweating alot & my hair has been dry for one whole day now, because as a rule my hair is plastered with sweat.I will let you all know how i get on with this product so fingers crossed.