How to stop sweating caused by medication

All medications come with potential side effects. A common side effect of many drugs is excessive sweating, also known as hyperhidrosis.

Some medications can overstimulate the eccrine glands, which regulate your body temperature, to produce more sweat than usual.

There are two types of hyperhidrosis:

• Primary hyperhidrosis: This is a health condition that typically causes heavy sweating in a specific area. It is not a side effect of medications.
• Secondary hyperhidrosis: This can result from a health condition or a side effect of a medication.

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What medications can cause excessive sweating?

Many medications might cause excessive sweating as a side effect. For example, a 2020 case report discusses two cases of hyperhidrosis caused by dupilumab (Dupixent), a biologic medication used to treat conditions like eczema and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

A 2018 paper also suggests that various medications — including antidepressants, cholinergic agonists, and hypoglycemics — may cause hyperhidrosis. It also indicates that sildenafil (Viagra) may be a cause.

Some other medications that may lead to secondary hyperhidrosis include:

• dopamine agonists like pramipexole (Mirapex) and ropinirole
• selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) like sertraline (Zoloft), fluoxetine (Prozac), and citalopram (Cipramil)
• antipsychotic medications like risperidone (Risperdal) and ziprasidone (Geodon)
• insulin

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How to manage excessive sweating

If your hyperhidrosis is due to a medication, stopping that drug or switching to an alternative may be an option, but only with a doctor’s recommendation. Doctors will generally weigh up the benefits of a medication versus the severity of its side effects to decide whether stopping or switching is right for you.

You can manage excessive sweating with medications and medical procedures like the following:

Topical aluminium chloride

Topical aluminum chloride (Drysol) is available in prescription strength to help treat excessive sweating by obstructing your sweat gland ducts.

As the effects of this medication are temporary, you need to reapply it twice per week. Long-term use of aluminum chloride may help reduce sweating over time by destroying the cells responsible for secreting sweat.

Anticholinergic medication

Anticholinergics can help you manage the symptoms of excessive sweating. These medications block the signals from your nerves to your eccrine glands, preventing sweat production.

Depending on where you’re experiencing the sweating, a doctor may recommend topical or oral anticholinergics.

As oral anticholinergics are only effective at high doses, they have a higher risk of side effects, such as blurred vision and dry mouth.

Oral anticholinergics for hyperhidrosis include:

• glycopyrrolate (Cuvposa)
• oxybutynin
• benztropine
• propantheline (Pro-Banthine)

If you only experience excessive sweating in specific areas, topical anticholinergics, like glycopyrronium tosylate (Qbrexza) cloths, may be enough to manage your symptoms.

Iontophoresis

Iontophoresis is a medical procedure that helps treat excessive sweating. It involves passing a mild electrical current through water and into your skin.

Doctors often recommend this procedure when medications and antiperspirants don’t work. It’s also particularly effective for excessive sweating on the hands and feet.

Iontophoresis provides long-term results and comes with no serious side effects.

When to speak with a doctor

If you’re taking a medication that can cause excessive sweating and is affecting your life, consider speaking with a healthcare professional about treatment options.

You should also speak with a doctor if:

• at-home treatments like antiperspirants aren’t helping
• you experience unusual sweating for more than 6 months
• sweating is affecting your daily routine

Summary

Many common medications can cause excessive sweating, known as secondary hyperhidrosis.

If excessive sweating is affecting your daily life, consider speaking with a healthcare professional. They can help determine the cause and create a treatment plan to help ease symptoms, such as switching medications or undergoing a medical procedure like iontophoresis.

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