OB-GYN (Obstetrician-Gynecologist) Questions Sweating

Sweating?

I am 36, non-menopausal and non-perimenopausal. I have PCOS (with the weight gain, insulin resistance, anovulatory infertility, periods are whenever they feel like happening).
I have had normal blood tests (many in the last year to attempt to solve this issue) and my BP is normal. Fasting blood sugar was around 88 when checked a few months ago. I was checked for Lymphoma and Leukemia. Thyroid normal. FSH was normal.
I am overweight, but I have been all of my adult life and have never had this issue before. Other than an anxiety/panic disorder, I am healthy.
It seemed to come out of no where and hasn’t stopped since Sept 2021. I was taking Cymbalta and Bupropion at the time so my Doc switched me to Prozac. Didn’t help. Switched from Prozac to Escitalopram, no difference. I’ve changed other meds in that time and my Doc does not believe this is related to meds. I have never sweat much even when I would do heavy activity.
About the sweating: exaggerated sweat reaction to minimal activity (washing dishes, doing hair, walking dog slowly, cooking, etc), wake up soaked every morning with only a handful of mornings waking up dry or somewhat dry since this began. I feel overheated quickly and have to dry my neck and back of my head on the scalp. I wake up with full body sweat and legs even feel wet. Not just behind the knees, but all over. Armpit sweat is normal regardless of activity. All the sweating is coming from my scalp, face and neck during the day and legs, scalp/face/neck at night. I have never had oily, acne-prone skin, I have successfully treated seborrheic dermatitis with Ketoconazole shampoo (I stopped using it in case that was the cause, didn’t make a difference). I feel extra hot in temperatures that should be comfortable.
I have changed what I wear to bed, adjusted temperature of the home, tried different pillow cases, tried no-sweat brand lotion on my neck before bed, slept in different locations in home (sofa) with minimal blankets, slept inclined (seemed to help somewhat). It’s not just during sleep, though, so I’m not sure focusing on just that would help? I do not get “hot flashes” just sitting still. I have to moving to trigger it except in my sleep, I don’t move much at all. That’s actually been an issue forever because I wake up sore from not moving. If I sit, I’m fine. I have noticed heating up just standing up a few times, making the bed, during anxiety when leaving home, etc. I never had anxiety sweats before March 4, 2020. I was getting on a plane in Florida sweating and having anxiety. I was sweating from the back of my head/neck and face and had never had that happen before. I didn’t experience sweating again until it became a daily thing during day and night (usually with no active panic or anxiety) in 2021.

Things I have tried that I didn’t mention:
Homeopathic menopause tablets
OTC menopause pills from Walmart
Daily: Black Cohosh, Vitex (Chaste), vitamin D, C, B12, methylated folate, calcium tablets, ashwaghanda.
I meditate daily, in therapy for a year, I got a dog that I walk and generally love my life. I do have some past emotional trauma and have been working through grief since March 2020 but I feel like that’s better. I spent a lot of my teen and adult years in a constant state of stress and I was able to, in the past few years, work on putting that behind me. I was diagnosed with anxiety at 16 and it wasn’t a problem for a long time until my late 20s. I have also been diagnosed with Agoraphobia (it’s also getting better). Everything in my life is headed in the right direction and I have minimal stress, a great husband and cute dog. I have no kids, my own home and I am currently not working due to the mental health-related issues I am working on.
I am desperate for help.

Female | 36 years old
Complaint duration: 1.6 years
Medications: Propranolol, Escitalopram, Vyvanse, Lamotrigine
Conditions: PCOS, IBS-D

3 Answers

OB-GYN(Obstetrician-Gynecologist)Sweating
I dont know if your meds have any effect on this. Anxiety & stress can. Drysol Deoderant can help sweating. . You may need to see someone in the endocrine field.
If you can consider seeking out an integrative, functional medicine provider, there is more to do for PCOS, anxiety, and hormone imbalance than traditional, conventional medicine. It starts with a whole foods diet, lower carb to reset the insulin/PCOS connection as well as stress-reducing techniques. It's very possible the regular labs haven't been shedding light on the root of hormone instability - blood work is weak for that but a more holistic, integrative, functional provider can do better testing and provide more answers for you and sometimes, restoring some natural hormone balance can help everything from mood to anxiety and more https://www.ifm.org/find-a-practitioner

If that is out of your budget since most don't take insurance then consider learning more at https://avivaromm.com/pcos-natural-prescription/

Dr. Karen Kaufman, MD Kaufman Health and Hormone Center 720.639.2736








You may want to try to see a Functional Medicine Doctor with the designation ND.