Sent home for being hot and sweaty, advice needed

[Seafog]

For a while now, I have had issues of my face getting super hot and sweaty, for no reason.
It can be from super mild exercise like walking, doing dishes, anything really.
For the last few years I have been self employed, so it hasn't mattered, I just use a hanky and wipe my face, change my clothes throughout the day, change bed sheets and mattress protector all the time.

I have started a new job, as a store clerk. First day I was sweating madly, changed masks four times , moped my brows and face as often as I could, (and tried not to draw attention).
Was asked if I was ok, said yes, must just be having a hot flash or something and took a few minutes to go cool off outside.
Second day, within 30 minutes my hair was dripping with sweat, I was pure red and felt light headed. The light headed thing may very well have been because I had my head low for too long, filling shelves.
Was asked to sit down, have a glass of water and see if it was better.
Light headed feeling gone, still burning red in the face and sweating profusely, so they sent me home to rest and get covid tested.

I was tested same day and have been isolated just in case. Test is back , negative, as I expected, and am very grateful for.

I am now left of course trying to tackle the super face sweats and not lose my brand new job.

To be clear, I don't expect them to have me on the floor looking like that, and they have been super decent about it all.

I have read a bit, and it sounds like it could be from my sarcoidosis, or my antidepressant, or it could be just random hyper hydrosis thingie .

If anyone has suggestions on how to fight face sweats, or how to treat it, or anything I'd love to hear about it.

I would feel so foolish having to leave a job because I am too sweaty for the public.

Obviously, you need to see a doctor. Could be the thyroid, could be other hormones?

I am waiting on a call back from our walk in clinic now, which does over the phone appointments.
I am hopeful they can help me find the source, I was still hoping there might be some OTC options to help along the way with the symptoms

Not sure what age you are but my mum was like this early menopause from what I remember. Hope you get it sorted.

You don't take anti depressants by any chance? Excessive sweating can be a side effect of some of them. I could have been freezing cold but dripping in sweat.
Or menopause.....

I'm 43, not sure about menopause as I had an ablation in 2013 and haven't had a period since, so no cycle to track. My mum didn't go through it until she was almost 60, and had almost no symptoms and no hot flashes (I asked).

I am on venlafexine, an anti depressant, it's the only med I am on, and have been on it for two years now

Well,

• sweating
• hot flashes or flushing

are listed as side effects medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a694020.html ,

so you need to change prescription because you no longer tolerate the side effects ad they are impacting on your ability to function as a person and on your job

I'm on Venex too & seem to sweat more since I increased my dose.43 so not sure if it's peri menopause related.....

I heard back from the doctor, very thorough set of bloods and urine tests tomorrow, and an appointment booked for next Sunday to review to lab results and do a full physical.
I spoke with work, who are amazing, to resign, and instead they offered to hold me a place until either I decide to resign for sure, or return once I am medically managed.

It will be my best hope that it is the medication, as that is something that is tangible and doable, and would have something of a timeline to work with.

Hope you get it sorted, my heart goes out to you. You must have felt very anxious and self aware. Hope you get to the bottom of it.

Thank you, it was horrible. I am already tall, chubby, and very pale, so when I flush I look a bit like a lighthouse.
I looked like I was soaked by the sea too

Most customers looked away, or would ask if I was ok. I felt like everyone noticed.

100% its the antidepressants!

I can promise you!

venlafexine Made my partner sweat , his coming off them slowly and the sweating has halved, He will no doubt stop sweating once his off them completely

They possibly did notice and were probably concerned for you. Or they were trying to be polite and not intrude so looked away.

My friend was on venex and she became so so sweaty. Sweat would suddenly appear in new places, it would literally be running down her calves. She coi,d wring out her socks! Anyway she changed ADs and is now back to being only averagely sweaty!

Can you switch meds? It seems like the obvious culprit.

Rather than delay job issues, I’d ask for a consult ASAP to get a different prescription.

I would put money on it being the antidepressants. Sometimes you can be fine on something for years then one day suddenly get weird side effects.

@Seafog that sounds really tough, what kind of sarcoidosis have you got? I had acute pulmonary but I know it can affect any organ, are you still under a consultant for it?

Get a thermometer

I would ask your Dr about botox , my sister lived with excessive sweating, it was miserable. She now has botox every 4months or so in various spots in her body. It has helped enormously

Hello @MissSmiley sorry to hear you have gotten it too.
I have pulmonary, lymph, and inflammatory issues with my hands, hips and feet.
Most of the time I manage, some days I am so wiped out, but have been off methotrexate and prednisone for two years, just puffers now

@Seafog are you in the UK? There's a great Facebook group for SarcoidosisUK and you could ask the very wise people there if the sweating could be a sarc symptom.

Mine was the acute version and I recovered fully after 12 weeks and didn't need any steroids but it was horrible at the time.

I am in Canada, but I am a member of a few sarc groups. I'll be honest, I tend to stay out of them though as (to me) they can get pretty negative, and a lot of blaming every symptom ever on sarc.
I have the long version, boo, but I try and keep a positive outlook as best I can.

I am so happy to hear yours cleared, what a relief!

Venlafaxine used to make me sweat in the exact way you're describing. My face would run with sweat even though the rest of my body wasn't overheating. I'd say that's the culprit. My colleague had a similar experience with the same drug. Hope you get to the bottom of it.

I've been getting this for nearly a year. Put it down to lockdown weight gain. It's turned out to be a pretty serious heart issue. Have they checked your blood pressure?