OMG!!! I just started my first CNA job today at a Med/Surg floor in a hospital, and I am so embarassed about my sweating. Please help me find a solution to this, I feel like crawling in a hole. It started fine, but 20 minutes into my shift, I was sweating, and bad. We weren't doing anything particularly hard, just vitals and I&O. But, I caught a glimpse of my backside in a mirror, and I was plastered with sweat from my back to my butt and even some on my legs. It's so horrible. I naturally sweat at the drop of a hat, but I didn't think it would show up so splendidly in scrubs. It was like that for about two hours, then we had a calm period, and I dried off. But as soon as we started moving again, back came the "wet" back and butt. I am so mortified right now because all of the patients and some of the staff were looking at me oddly all shift. The lady training me said she knows someone else who sweats as badly as I do and that she understands. However, it doesn't make me feel good to know that everytime I work, I will have an episode of sweat-butt. Is there anyone else experiencing this out there, and if so, have you found a solution? Please help me, I feel so awful. Thanks.
I have also had problems with sweating. When I hit puberty I started to sweat a lot, especially in my armpits!! I felt really embarassed and it did not matter how hot or cold it was, plus I would wear dark colors and sweatshirts whenever I could to hide it. I talked to my doctor and he prescribed me a solution that is the generic for drysol, a solution that is 20% aluminum chloride and it REALLY helped for underneath my arms. I wear a cotton t-shirt under my scrubs and I wear cotton underwear (the full bottom-type...no thongs!) I also suggest buying Gold Bond medicated body powder that I use for that delightful crevice otherwise known as my butt crack. One more thing...I am about 45lbs overweight and for the past three weeks I have been doing a lot of cardio exercises (stationary bike and treadmill) and of course I am really sweating while I exercise, but I have notice that now I am not sweating as much since I have started to include this into my lifestyle. Talk to your doctor to see what can be done and good luck!
I'm really surprised no one has hit this: Sympathectomy(http://www.umm.edu/thoracic/thoracic5a.html) , I've taken care of several patients who had such extreme sweating problems that they went this measure to stop it. And it is reported to work, and work well. Just another treatment option.
when i sweat alot i keep a hankerchief around my neck. i first wet it down with cool water and it does keep me cool. i also us d.o. under my neck, and around other areas that need it and it seems to keep the sweat from building up and also keep me from breaking out so bad in achne. i have teenager and i told them about this my son won't even try it but my girls use it on their faces, it has to be d.o. that goes on clear and stays clear, and their faces are keeping clearer. hope this gives u some ideas.
What is "d.o." - something mentioned up thread somewhere? Very interested.
Specializes in Med-Surg, , Home health, Education.
Misery loves company. I have major underarm sweating. I've used the Drysol but it gives me rashes and I didn't really notice that much difference. I too have to choose colors carefully when I dress. I think it must be an anxiety issue because when I get home from work or a day off- the sweating is minimal or non-existant. One time I was wearing a salmon colored sweater and the armpits turned bright RED !! I ended up throwing it away! I've gotten some good tips from this thread which I will try. Thanks!
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.
depending on your supervisor - you will have to ask - but i use "cool ties" they have some sort of material in them that when soaked in water expand and keep you cool - i wear mine around my neck or around my forehead helps a lot - or before i discovered them i just used a plain ole towel wet around my neck. change of clothes might help also.
I feel your pain. I am a "head sweater". During clinicals this year I would break out in dripping head sweat by 0700. I keep my hair short, no make-up because it justs runs right down my face. In the deep winter of New England I work in short-sleeve cotton scrubs and drink lots of ice water. It was even more attractive during perimenopause when the heads sweats were constant. My short wavy hair gets soaking and curly. YUCK!!! Yes you can get cotton sweats online at Jasco uniforms. Good Luck. And by the way, CNA's are some of the hardest working folks in the world.
You can also get those "cool ties" at qvc.com. I just got some and can actually go outside for awhile without melting.
I remember when a time when we are on duty and I was sweating like a mad and it just dripped on my patient's face!! OMG that was really embarrasing. I used an antiperspirant on my face and neck, and now I dont sweat as much as before. Good luck!
Wow! I am so surprised that I am not the only one!! I too have had the awful experience of "dripping" onto one of my patients - I am thankful the pt. was sedated and no family was in the room - I was mortified but could not wipe my face because I was all garbed up in isolation and was elbow deep in C-Diff. . . It was awful.
I am 37, born and raised in sunny, humid Florida, and only just this year am experiencing severe sweating - all over - but it is the sweating on my scalp, face and neck that is so noticable to others. I have recently had to start going into my pt's bathrooms, just so I can wipe my face down b/c I am dripping all over the place. No one else sweats on the unit - just me - very embarassing. When someone says something to me or I am especially self-conscious (like when a Doctor is making rounds on my pt. and I notice that He notices how much I am sweating!!! . . .) I just say "I must be peri-menopausal!"(sp?). Just so they know that I know I am sweating like a pig.
p.s. I am on an SSRI - all of them do state Derm: Increased Sweating; Also, it would probably help if I stopped drinking caffienated sodas. Anyway - you have made me laugh - your descriptions of "problematic perspiration" I can so relate to. I plan on checking with my PCP just to be sure there isn't something new going on - Thanks for the unexpected laugh!! :roll
I quit my medicine cold turkey last summer and have been sweating excessively since. Could quitting cold turkey have caused this and If I go back on the medicine would it help? I just want to be nurse, I am a junior in high school and don't want to sweat all the time. I sweat on the head, underarms and other places.
chuchie, ADN, BSN, MSN, LPN, APRN, NP
106 Posts
Hello,
I have also had problems with sweating. When I hit puberty I started to sweat a lot, especially in my armpits!! I felt really embarassed and it did not matter how hot or cold it was, plus I would wear dark colors and sweatshirts whenever I could to hide it. I talked to my doctor and he prescribed me a solution that is the generic for drysol, a solution that is 20% aluminum chloride and it REALLY helped for underneath my arms. I wear a cotton t-shirt under my scrubs and I wear cotton underwear (the full bottom-type...no thongs!) I also suggest buying Gold Bond medicated body powder that I use for that delightful crevice otherwise known as my butt crack. One more thing...I am about 45lbs overweight and for the past three weeks I have been doing a lot of cardio exercises (stationary bike and treadmill) and of course I am really sweating while I exercise, but I have notice that now I am not sweating as much since I have started to include this into my lifestyle. Talk to your doctor to see what can be done and good luck!