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?

[OakLeaf]

I sweat a lot too. I've joked here before that after a workout, I like to jump in the shower to dry off... But as far as I can remember, I've always sweated.

Is it more humid than past years in your area? It sure is here. I had to put a beach towel on my spot on the couch, and the hottest it's been in the house is only 85°, it's just that humid.

+1 that increased sweat volume (and conservation of sodium) is part of heat acclimation.

I like to sweat. It's hard on dress clothes for sure, though.

[emily_in_nc]

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?

1. It's mostly during exercise, not at night, but the exercise doesn't have to be intense if it's humid out. Just walking around town can get me dripping.

2. No medications/supplements

3. No. No other symptoms that would warrant testing. My PCP says I am embarrassingly healthy. Low cholesterol/BP/triglycerides. I did have my thyroid checked a few years ago, and it was normal, but I've got no other symptoms that would indicate a thyroid issue. The increased sweating has come on gradually in the past couple of years, which is why I attributed it to perimenopause, possibly.

Any thoughts? It definitely sounds like I am not alone.

[emily_in_nc]

I
Is it more humid than past years in your area?

Not really. It's always humid here (NC) in the summer.

[KnottedYet]

Me, too!

Started around the same time as my hot flashes (which do not make me sweat, they just make me want to rip off all my clothes and run naked through the trees).

I carry a bandana pretty much all the time in my purse. I can use it to mop up the ludicrous rivers of sweat from walking up a flight of stairs, and also use it to put my hair up if my sweat-flood ruins my coiffure.

The excess sweat thing is probably my least favorite part of perimenopause. No-one can see my hot flashes or the other personal details I'm experiencing, but the sweat is undeniable. Icky.

[emily_in_nc]

I carry a bandana pretty much all the time in my purse. I can use it to mop up the ludicrous rivers of sweat from walking up a flight of stairs, and also use it to put my hair up if my sweat-flood ruins my coiffure.

The excess sweat thing is probably my least favorite part of perimenopause. No-one can see my hot flashes or the other personal details I'm experiencing, but the sweat is undeniable. Icky.

Sorry you're suffering, but your experience does make me feel a bit less strange. I also carry a bandanna with me a lot of the time. The older ones that are really soft are perfect for this task!

I wonder if the sweating will moderate once we're totally through with menopause? One can dream....

[KnottedYet]

Sorry you're suffering, but your experience does make me feel a bit less strange. I also carry a bandanna with me a lot of the time. The older ones that are really soft are perfect for this task!

I wonder if the sweating will moderate once we're totally through with menopause? One can dream....

My mom swears it ends when you actually hit menopause proper. She and my Grandma had the same sweat problem.

She says it takes about 10-15 years in our family before it all ends... oh, goodie....

[Trekhawk]

Thank goodness it is winter here because in summer I sweat a huge amount.
I have noticed that it seems worse over the last couple of years but I don't know if that is to do with perimenopause or not. Good to know I am not the only one that finds this annoying.

[Crankin]

I've had it, too. I am almost ten years postmenopause, and it did take a long time to go away.
My hot flashes didn't make me sweat, either, just get incredibly hot.

[new2ride]

I am beyond peri-menopause (had a total hysterectory in 2001) and I've noticed that I am sweating like a pig. I never used to sweat like I do now. Sweat drips down in my eyes when I ride, it drips off of me when I'm working in the yard. Last night I was decorating my bike for the 3 day breast cancer event & sweat was falling off my face. I sweat at night time.

Grant it, it's been extremely hot & humid, but it doesn't matter, I sweat when it's not hot & humid. Every morning like clock work when I'm getting ready for work, I get so hot and I can't stand it (that's probably a hot flash) and I start sweating.

Hopefully, it's like one poster wrote, maybe it's a sign of fitness. When I ride as a crew member for the 3 day, I'm sure I will be soaked at the end of the day.