Beauty

[decaf]

@monicakm  

I messed up registering on the other site.   I had a different nickname and username and every time i tried to sign in it was a problem.  I deleted that account and started over.  I wanted a new name anyway, so it's a perfect time to do that. 

You're probably already aware that a common side effect of cymbalta (and some other classes of drugs) is excessive sweating.  Do you think  your sweating problem could be related to being on that?  My excessive sweating started when I started on cymbalta about 8 or 9 years ago.  I was on it about two years or a little longer.

For me, it continued after I stopped that medication, it's never stopped.  Cymbalta increases seratonin.  Being on too many seratonin inducing drugs at one time, or high doses of just one of these drugs, can be so dangerous.  I sometimes think most Fl doctors don't even check patient drug interactions.

Living in Florida is just terrible dealing with this, you understand, you're in Texas.  I'm just praying the scalp botox shots I got last week help.  I'd be thrilled with 50% improvement.

Hey, which  so forum you like better, the new one or this one? I'm still having trouble adjusting to the new one.

[monicakm]

@NYCLatinaMe 

I didn't see anything insensitive 

[NYCLatinaMe]

@decaf Thanks for the name change story.  I will go over there, but will wait til things simmer down.  Will go faster if they shut this!

I have never taken cymbalta, but my sweating started after I had been taking anti-depressants (SSNRIs, like Cymbalta) for about 2 years, so I didn't see a link.  I didn't know what was wrong with me.  The only different thing was that I had been taking a biotin supplement, and my drugstore had run out of the one i took regularly, so I bought and started a bottle with a higher dosage.  And the excessive sweating started after that.  A google search did find that older women (more than 10 years older than me, in their 60s) could have excessive sweating when on high biotin (association not causation - so not necessarily cause an effect).  So I quit that pretty fast (no biotin since then - mid-2018), within a week, but I was now sweating like crazy.  Didn't stop when the biotin stopped.  I made an apointment with my gp (I asked for a physical because I was due), and I couldn't get there on time because I was sweating so much I couln't get dressed!  Hard to dress when every pore is sweating.  So they rescheduled me.  In the meantime, I have a session with my psychiatrist and he tells me could be the anti-depressant.  So we decided to try anti-sweating medication (Benztropine), which I took for just under 2 months.  Too many side effects.  I was wrapping up a big multi-year project at work, there were management changes, so I decided to take a sabbatical starting early 2020, so I could heal.  I tried several anti-depressants without any reduction of sweating and the other significant side effects I was experiencing, so we decided I would go off them.  The sweating was significantly reduced, but not eliminated (the other side effects are gone).  so now excessive sweating just triggered by activity, not just all the time, and more particularized to the head.  I sweat everywhere, but that is normal.  I think only the head is excessive.

And quitting the biotin didn't hurt my skin or nails!  They are going strong!

[decaf]

@NYCLatinaMe it certainly seems these antidepressants and cymbalta have side effects that don't end when you stop taking the drug. I've had the same thing and I took the cymbalta 8 or 10 years ago I'm not quite sure and it's never gone away.

Btw, I watched the Dr. Mercy show, the segment with the young woman with the sweating palms feet and underarms. It seemed the doctor had a great plan the way she tested for the hyperactive sweat glands with the iodine and also how she marked off her hands and feet for the shots. Those hands and feet had to hurt like h*ll!  I know the 8 or 10 shots my doctorput in my forehead were very painful.

I'm still head sweating, when I'm getting dressed or in a rush or outside in the heat and humidity. I guess I'll be calling the doctor if this doesn't improve in the next few days, I sure hope it does.

[NYCLatinaMe]

Hi @decaf It was good to read your report and I hope you are going better.  

I read it on or about the date you posted it, and your post caused me to do some research about how botox would work for cranial hyperhidrosis, and then I started drafting a response, but while I was trying to type this post my computer started malfunctioning (needed a software update) and I haven't been able to write my response until now.  Took me a few days to get my computer working properly, but part of the delay in responding was that I had to do an overnight sleep study.  Turns out I am suffering from sleep apnea and had to be fitted for a sleeping apparatus.  Yuck.  The "sleep" in sleep study is a joke because who can sleep with wires and breathing tubes attached to 20 places in my body?  I don't think I have recovered from that night of non-sleep (Oct 14).  And I was referred to that study by a doctor who sent me an email telling me she was quitting the practice, so I haven't had a doctor explain to me the significance of my test results or next steps.  So a lot on my plate.  But I am hopeful that addressing this issue may also address some of my other health issues.

The reason I was researching was to see if I could find more information about how botox works for cranial hyperhidrosis so I could share that with you in addition to satisfying my own need to know.  We have both discussed how physicians just don't give us all the information that we need.  

I am hopeful your botox wil still work because the literature I read stated botox may take a full 2 weeks to kick in.

What I read indicated was botoxing an entire scalp requires about 150 to 200 injections in total.  The articles that I saw were about injecting botox in the scalp to preserve blowouts after workouts, not necessarily hyperhidrosis.

I also saw that for cosmetic purposes forehead lines typically require 30 injections and frown lines at the top of the nose 10 injections, so I think total forehead would be 40 injections.  I would think it would be similar for hyperhidrosis, though WebMD states botox is injected into muscles to treat wrinkles and into skin to treat excessive sweating.  

Botox for hyperhidrosis works by blocking communication between nerves and sweat glands, botox blocks the neurotransmitters that stimulate the sweat glands, essentially paralyzing them.
Botox for wrinkles works by blocking communications from the nerves that would otherwise tell the muscle to move. Once those muscles stop contracting, lines or wrinkles release, resulting in an improved appearance of the skin,
It is this blocking of communication that takes several days to work.

So I hope this delayed info is still interesting and helpful.

I would love to hear how you are doing now.  Hope all is well!

[monicakm]

    @NYCLatinaMe 

Did you upgrade your OS to Windows 11?  I just did that two days ago.  I may be getting to old to learn a new OS except for the fact I'm not the total geek I used to be so my computing needs are like 3/4 what they used to be.  I like the new features (the ones I've discovered anyway).

Have you looked up all the problems caused by sleep apnea?  There are MANY!  Some of which can be life threatening.  How are  you doing with the mask?  What type did you get?  I had a sleep study test done one time.  They came to my house.  Came back the next morning to get the equipment and said they'd be in touch.  A few  weeks later I called them only to find out that the lab burned down and all files/results, etc were destroyed.  Dr never reordered it.  

I can't even imagine all those shots in your head (or any place for that matter).  But I'm a certified sissy.  Maybe you're not.

[NYCLatinaMe]

Hi @monicakm I am an apple user, so it was an apple OS system.  But my computer is still slow after the upgrade.  I think I abuse it, open too many windows at once.

Have no idea how I go about getting the equipment for the sleep apnea.  Weirdest thing, it was my gyn who thought I may have it, but she couldn't refer me to the sleep study directly, so she referred me to an ent who ordered the test.  I received an email telling me the ent had left the practice, but was contacted by the sleep center to be fitted for a cpap after I did an at home sleep study (maybe like yours), which monitored my breathing and heart rhythm, and probably other stuff.  For the second sleep study at the sleep center, they covered me with about a dozen + sensors and electrodes that monitored my brainwaves, breathing, hearth rhythm, oxygen saturation and muscle movements, and watched me and listened to me via monitor ALL night.  And I was hooked up to the breathing machine.  Horrible.  So I think I am not a sissy.  The following morning had to remove lots of goo from my hair and elsewhere.  I have the paper test results but have no idea what they mean.  The technician at the sleep center told me my first at home sleep study had definitely resulted in a diagnosis of sleep apnea, but didn't know why no doctor had contacted me to discuss.  Just weird.  My pcp is actually a pulmonologist, so I am thinking maybe he could be my treating physician for this.  But I am concerned that he never thought to have me evaluated for this and may be dismissive.  So maybe I should get from my gyn a new ent.  The gyn and pcp are not in the same practice group.  Stressed by all this.  So no mask/breathing machine yet.

As you mention, the sleep apnea may be responsible for my other health issues.  We will see what happens when I begin treatment.

This sleep apnea thing is why I postponed exploring the botox treatment for sweating.  I would do the 200-300 injections if they would stop the sweating.  Just can't deal with it now, until I address other issues.  Cool in NY, so not too bad right now.  Basically, a lost summer for me.

Thanks for asking!

[decaf]

@NYCLatinaMe  Thanks for thinking of me. It sounds like you've been really busy, and a shame it's not with any  fun stuff!  I sure hope you only get good results from your sleep study.  Obviously, after you get a new doctor. They really should have told you they're leaving the practice before you had that test.  Changing doctors midstream, with any health concern, is something I think we all want to avoid. 

Btw, I wouldn't be surprised if I have sleep apnea too, my DH tells me I snore and make all kinds of breathing noises when I'm asleep.  The poor guy is a light sleeper, I don't know how he puts up with me. And I have really bad insomnia, I'm up all night sometimes.

Monday I had a lumbar epidural for my bad back, Tuesday I saw the derm about the scalp botox and I also had my Covid booster. Too much!  I was totally honest and told the derm I've only had very slight improvement on my forehead and right above my forehead, and the scalp area in front of and above my ears (and also above my upper lip) now seems really bad.  At first she said maybe it just doesn't work for me but she also said she had ordered and used 100 diluted units on me.  I guess they can request 100 or 200 units from the insurance company and she started with the lowest quantity. I asked her to request an additional 100 units.  It's still blazing hot here in Fl, so I'm praying they approve it.  She may want to give up on this already, but I don't.

It sounds like you've been reading a lot of the same information about this as I have. It starts to get redundant after a while but it's necessary to be informed when visiting these doctors. I can surely understand you wanting to deal with just one thing at a time. Especially a sleep study, that test can tell you all sorts of things about your health.

One good thing, my Covid booster didn't give me 3 days of horrible side effects like my second shot did.  Yesterday I took it easy, I felt slightly crappy but was much better today.  I'm just glad that's done. 

Yes, let's absolutely keep this conversation going.  I'm so grateful to know I'm not alone with this sweating affliction.  I'm here if you just want to discuss any of these health issues.  Stay well!

[NYCLatinaMe]

hi @decaf thanks for the update, so sorry you don't seem to have experienced much relief.  I wonder about having 100 units at one time and 100 units at a different time, specially so far apart.  Maybe better to wait the time for the second dosage to be due and make it 200?  I know easy for me to say, as I am not the one suffering bad right now, but just a thought.  All the literature I read said 150-200 units for the scalp (not including the face). I am also wondering that she said "diluted" units.  I didn't see that terminology.  Makes me think she gave you less than 100 because she diluted it.  I'll look around when I can and share what I find.  I also don't like that she was so quick to say maybe it didn't work.  You are her first patient and she is giving up?  Sounds like a doctor I would consider dropping based on my experience.  One thing I saw in my research were derm websites or articles with derm statements addressing this issue in the context of injecting botox in the scalp to preserve blowouts after workouts.  Those derms should be experienced, since they are promoting it.  Maybe you can google with your geographic area for an experienced derm.  Your insurance has already approved the botox once and you have a diagnosis, so it may not be hard to get coverage from a more cosmetic oriented derm that may be more experienced, assuming your insurance allows for out of network coverage.  That is what I have been thinking for myself, even if have to pay a little more for out of network.  I also have some hair loss (just thinning, no baldness - I actually have a lot of hair but when I touch the top back, it feels thin up there) and think I'll be getting a laser device.  I'm looking at the Theradome, wish there was a sale, but may not want to wait because I get extended Christmas return from Amazon if I buy now.

You may want to discuss sleep apnea with your pcp.  My symptoms are different and not as obvious as yours.  I just found a gyn who cared, which is not easy to find.  Maybe sleep apnea contributes to our other symptoms.  That is in part why I have delayed the derm visit, maybe addressing this will fix that.

Also, thank you for sharing your booster experience.  I am due now (I think), and am dreading it because I had mild symptoms for the first shot (2 big red rashes) and more severe symptoms for the second shot (103+ fever the day after, and felt like hell, just napped all day), so not looking forward to it.  So I have been dreading the booster, but you are giving me hope it won't be as bad.  I had Moderna.

Take care.  I'm here too!

[decaf]

@NYCLatinaMe  I've been thinking of you and I just hope you've been busy with wonderful things and that's why you haven't been around here for months.  If you see this, I hope you'll reply and let me know if all is well.