There are a variety of oral prescription medications used to manage excessive sweating for people with certain types of hyperhidrosis; each works systemically (in your body's "system") but through different mechanisms. In the end, they each work by preventing the stimulation of sweat glands and thus limit overall sweating. 

It sounds simple: take a pill; stop sweating. But this therapy is a bit more complex than that…To begin with, oral hyperhidrosis medications are not for every kind of hyperhidrosis. They are best suited for patients with certain types of excessive sweating—people with excessive facial sweating, cranio-facial hyperhidrosis, generalized hyperhidrosis, and those who have not had success using other first-line therapies such as clinical strength antiperspirants, iontophoresis, Botox, or a combination of these. People who have compensatory sweating from ETS surgery also can have success with oral medications.

The most commonly used medications for managing excessive sweating are anticholingerics. These include medicines such as propantheline, glycopyrrolate, oxybutynin, benztropine, and others. Because the drugs used to control excessive sweating have not been studied in controlled trials, their use is based primarily on years of anecdotal evidence. While these oral therapies have not been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) specifically for the treatment of hyperhidrosis, these medications have a substantial history of off-label use and are safe when used as directed. Many medical professionals and hyperhidrosis patients experience great success with them.

Anticholingerics do not affect the central nervous system. They work by blocking transmission of the chemical messenger (acetylcholine) responsible for excessive sweating. There can be a range of side effects from anticholingeric therapy such as: dry mouth, constipation, impaired taste, blurred vision, urinary retention, and heart palpitations. But these may be managed by adjusting the individual’s dose. David M. Pariser, MD International Hyperhidrosis Society (IHHS) founding board member and an expert in treating patients with hyperhidrosis, characterizes the side effects of anticholingeric treatments as “predictable, manageable and usually mild.”

That said, there are some hyperhidrosis patients who need to be very cautious when using anticholingerics. Dee Anna Glaser, MD, president and founding board member of the International Hyperhidrosis Society, treats hundreds of hyperhidrosis patients a year and is well versed in their use. She cautions her patients, or, in the case of pediatric patients, their parents, saying, “When taking anticholingerics, the body may have more difficulty keeping itself cool with the sweat mechanism ‘turned off.’ Therefore, athletes, people who participate in sports, people who work outdoors and anyone who may potentially cause themselves injury by becoming overheated must use extra care when considering these treatments.” 

Further, patients with glaucoma (especially narrow-angle glaucoma) and those who have impaired gastric emptying or a history or symptoms of urinary retention should not use anticholingeric therapy.

The FDA recently approved a liquid form of the anticholinergic glycopyrrolate (brand name, Cuvposa) to reduce drooling in pediatric cerebral palsy patients. This is great news for parents and their children who have hyperhidrosis. This new form of anticholinergic offers an excellent alternative for children who are unable or unwilling to swallow the pills.

An oral medication in this liquid form will provide another treatment option for the young segment of our hyperhidrosis population. Dr. Pariser said its benefits would be immediate.

“This is a welcome addition to the therapeutic choices for treating children. I had an 8-year-old child just last week who couldn't swallow the tablets, no matter how crushed or mixed with food. Here’s a great solution. And because this new medicine is approved for children it gives reassurance to patients of all ages who have safety concerns with this therapy.”

There are other oral medications that are successful in treating patients with specific types of hyperhidrosis. Beta blockers (propranolol) and benzodiazepines work by “blocking” the physical manifestations of anxiety. 

These drugs act on the central nervous system and are best for patients who experience episodic or event-driven hyperhidrosis (such as excessive sweating brought on by job interviews or presentations). Side effects limit their long-term use: Benzodiazepines can be habit-forming and many patients cannot tolerate the sedative effects caused by both of these drug therapies.

There have also been single-case or small samples of patients with specific types of hyperhidrosis who responded to a variety of other oral medications. Agents such as Clonidine, Indomethacin, and gabapentin have shown effectiveness in very specific cases of hyperhidrosis.

If you are interested in learning more about using oral medications to treat excessive sweating, find a healthcare provider who is well-versed in hyperhidrosis care and oral medications in the IHHS’s Physician Finder database. 

We like to remind readers that there are always positive or innovative developments on the horizon of hyperhidrosis care; but there are also great treatments available right now. Maybe systemic oral medication isn't right for you but...in the future? Who knows what may become available!

Here is another promising use for oral medications, or anticholinergics. Some physicians and their patients have had great success treating sweaty palms and sweaty feet by adding a crushed anticholinergic tablet to the water used during iontophoresis. Learn more about iontophoresis and how anticholinergics can make the process even more effective.