August 12th, 2024
by Jenna Murphy
Have you ever sweated for no apparent reason? You haven’t been exercising today or really been outside at all, and yet it still happens? Recent studies show that some of these cases actually may be caused by the influence of certain types of drugs, such as cholinesterase inhibitors (e.g., Alzheimer’s treatment), SSRIs (e.g., depression medication), and even opioids. In general, drugs that affect the central or peripheral nervous systems can alter this kind of sweat production. In short, these drugs can overstimulate your sweat glands.
Ideally, it is optimal to either reduce intake of these drugs or get rid of them completely in replacement of something new to decrease this unfortunate side effect, since everyone is different when it comes to choice and availability of certain prescription drugs. However, it’s also common that there is a percentage of people who do not respond to this kind of treatment and are constantly on the lookout for something new they can try.
According to Koen P. Grootens (M.D., Ph.D.) in the American Journal of Psychiatry, it is estimated that 14% of individuals taking tricyclic antidepressants experience hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating). Grootens suggests that Oxybutynin, usually a medicine that treats an overactive bladder, has also shown to be helpful to those who experience hyperhidrosis in some cases. There was two cases that they references, one of an individual with panic disorder, and another with recurrent and severe depressive episodes with psychotic symptoms and agitation. After multiple “common” treatments for these episodes, after Oxybutynin was added to their therapy, hyperhidrosis completely stopped without any side effects for both cases.
References
Grootens, K. P. (2011). Oxybutynin for Antidepressant-Induced hyperhidrosis. The American Journal of Psychiatry, 168(3), 330–331. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.2010.10091348