PLEASE HELP!!! so embarassed about sweating!

don't be embarrassed...common problem. first, what type of scrubs are you wearing? if not already, wear 100% cotton. poly/cotton blend make me HOT. they just don't breathe. second, if you haven't already done so, see a dermatologist. there are some treatments available for hyperhidrosis, but i'm not sure about the back. mostly see axilla and/or palms.

Thanks, all the scrubs I've seen are only poly/cotton, so I didn't think there were cotton ones. I'll probably have to buy them online, but at least my backside would be dry. Thanks again.

First of all, you aren't "just" CNA. A good CNA is invaluable and unfortunately, sometimes underappreciated. As far as the perspiration goes, where I work, we don't have air conditioning (use swamp coolers) and this past weekend it was in the 100's!! I was dripping sweat by 7am as were all of my coworkers. It's just how it is sometimes. My nephew had/has a real problem with it and had some of his sweat glands removed from under his arms-that helped some. It helps me to run a papertowel or washcloth under cold water & blot my face & then wrap it around my neck for a few minutes. Good luck with your job. We need people like you.

Have you considered bringing another set of scrubs to work and changing if you get too hot?

Congratulations on your new position.

You are not alone. I have been embarassed about this since I was a teen. It use to be just underarms. I use a perscription strength medication for that. I also sweat excessively on my back, chest, between legs and rear. The summer months are awful and it isn't even that hot in this area. Whenever I get out of my car I am usually soaked. I wish I new what to do. I hope someone has some suggestions.

Bumashes:

What was the temperature of your ward? Today was the hottest and most humid day of the year so far here. I doubt it was any cooler where you are.

When I was taken to the Critical Care Unit as a patient in 2003, I started to shiver violently as soon as I was uncovered. I asked "Out of curiosity, what is the temperature here?" (I wanted to know why I was cold, not to complain about it). The nurse replied "68", then said that some patients keep it much warmer, and commented that she was roasting. She asked if I was warm enough after putting a couple of blankets on me (I was).

Being the nice guy that I am, I never asked anyone to raise the temperature of the room. My mother and sister would complain that it was cold when they would visit, but I just let them complain, since the nurses were the ones doing the work.

So this is a long-winded way of saying you may have been sweating because it was too hot.

You could try anti-perspirant. I spray it on my feet and it works! Also, my son who golfs every day in the GA heat (it was 102 today) swears that he's cooler with two shirts on than with just one. He wears a plain cotton undershirt and says it traps the moisture and then it cools him off while it evaporates?? May be worth a try.

Bumashes,

Hi, the 100% cotton scrubs will be great to buy. Also, if you are into holistics, another thing to try is sage tea. I know its hot but you can drink a few cups per day. I have heard that the sage tea REALLY REALLY helps those who have very active sweat glands. good luck.

I wear a cotton tank under my scrubs. The tank absorbs before it can show thru the scrubs. Probably a little hotter for me but worth it. I have to wear a tank anyways because otherwise I show too much when I bend over

Thanks for all the replies. I've gone and bought some tank top undershirts for my back. Also, I'm going to try some of those "slider" shorts for baseball players. They're tight fitting undershorts that come down almost to your knees. It says on the tag that they distribute moisture in such a way as to keep you drier. We'll see.

For the person who asked what temp it is where I work, it was 72 degrees in the hospital hallways. However, it is different temps in each pts room.

Thanks again everyone!