Excessive sweating during peri-menopause

[emily_in_nc]

Anyone else experience this? I'm not talking about hot flashes, but just plain old garden-variety sweat pouring from my face, head, neck, chest, back, etc. I seem to sweat a lot more on bike rides than I used to, have to wear a sweat band under my helmet always. I also seem to sweat more than I used to doing basic stuff outside on hot/humid days.

For example, today we had to lug 20 boxes down three flights of stairs to our car. Yes, it was muggy, and DH was sweating a bit too, but I was dripping sweat on the boxes from my face. Had to dry off my face/neck/hair and change tops before we could drive to the shipping place.

I noticed this on our recent trip to Belize, too. I would sweat a LOT more than DH when we were taking walks around town or riding our cruiser bikes. I was not breathing hard or over-exerting myself.

I'm slender and fit. I did some googling, but mine is not the typical excessive sweating I read about online, which mostly affects the feet and hands, sometimes the underarms. This is not anxious sweating, but exertion sweating, even when I don't feel that I'm exerting myself all that much; it just seems to be a strong reaction to heat and humidity, stronger than I remember having when I was younger.

Has anyone else experienced this around the peri-menopausal time? I recently turned 50 and am still having periods (somewhat irregular). I'm hoping it's a change of life thing and won't continue forever, as it's annoying and somewhat embarrassing as well!

Thanks!

[zoom-zoom]

Maybe it's not peri-menopause. I've always heard that heavy sweating is a sign of good fitness...especially when one sweats for no apparent reason. It's the body's way to prepare for exertion, since it's become accustomed to sweating to cool itself during intense activity.

I sweat like a friggin' horse!

[Kerry1976]

I'm not peri-menopausal but I've had that issue for years. It is awful.

[rollinat]

I sweat a lot too, and definitely more since I moved to the US - living in Scotland most of my life hasn't really prepared me for heat! I had hoped as I lost weight it would improve but it hasn't really. I take regular medication so thought it might be that though my doctor says not. I certainly have to pick outfits with care these days - extremely annoying. Comforting in a strange kind of a way that I'm not alone!

[Juliegoddess]

Hon, you are NOT alone! I sweat like a PIG. I HATE it. It seems to me like I've always been this way, but I really don't remember it being so bad until after I began nursing my babies. However, I stopped nursing nine years ago!

Now I'm 43, and I really don't feel it has anything to do with heading into menopause (and I DO have other signs of the beginning of menopause, BTW). I just SWEAT....a LOT!! It's SO embarrassing. My BF is usually comfortable or on the cool side, and I am always sweltering. If I am in a hot place, like inside a car when the weather is warm, I can literally feel the sweat dripping down my head, on my face, dripping off my chin. If left in a warm area for too long (or even a not-so-warm area), my hair will literally look like I just got out of the shower...and it's all SWEAT. YECH.

And let's not even SPEAK about what happens during sex! Sweat POURS off me. Good thing the BF thinks it's "hot"...er, yeah, dude, it IS...

The idea of cycling to work is great, however, it's simply impossible for me. I'd have to shower the minute I got there, and it wouldn't matter one bit if it was 80 degrees outside, or 40. My hair would be plastered to my head, soaked with sweat. My clothes would also have to be changed.

I don't when or if this will ever stop, but I deal with it. If it IS a sign of being healthy, well then I must be DAMNED healthy!

~The Sweat Goddess ((grin))

[indysteel]

Out of curiosity, are you noticing an increase in persperation when you're sleeping or during times other than when you're exercising? Are you taking any new medicines or supplements? Have you had your thyroid and blood sugar levels tested recently?