Oxycontin Profuse Sweating (Top voted first)

I have been on oxycontin for about 11 years for pain management. I take 80 to 100 mg per day in 20-30 mg doses orally. In the last couple of years I have developed a severe sweating problem...I will break into a sweat for no reason sometimes but usually upon any sort of stimulation physical or mental. I just went for a 10 minute walk and my shirt is soaked through...even the sleeves. If I play a set of music with my band, at the end of 40 minutes, I look like I stood in a shower with my clothes on. Is this normal as a side effect of oxycontin use? Anyone else experience anything like this?

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I too have been taking OxyContin Slow Release (3x20mg twice a day) for pain, and am also experiencing severe sweating!!!! I reduced to 2x20 mg a year ago but it hasn't reduced the sweats. I get them with any activity and also when stressed. I get them multiple times a day and for no reason which I can figure out. I can't take this anymore! It is so depressing! I am a pretty woman but feel so rotten and want to hide when my face and head and back are dripping with sweat and my hair and shirt are soaking! I had a first date last night and on came the sweats. Sooooo embarrassing and I'm so sad because I feel like I am so gross no one would find me attractive!

The one thing I _have_ been aware of is that the sweats always seem to start after about 3 hours. I wonder if this is because the OxyContin in my blood stream has hit a low point (or possibly a peak?). I am trying to take as little Oxy as possible but if I take an OxyNorm 10mg (basically OxyContin normal release) then I find the sweating stops! But I sure don't want to take more Oxy than necessary! Has anyone else noticed this?

I am at a loss of what to do. My pain is such that this will be forever, but I don't think I can take this sweating business forever!

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Never a sweaty person, now after oxy 20mg 2xa day im always either sweating or freezing. Sweating at night began after my first bout of withdrawl and has continued ever since. Glad im not the only one

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I have taken OxyContin Slow Release for almost 11 years and stopped for about 2 years in the middle before my chronic and severe nerve pain and osteo-arthritis pain returned with a major vengeance. I now take OxyContin and Seupedol (instant release) daily - 1 x 40mg oxy in the morning and 1 x 40mg at bedtime and about 15 x 20mg seupedol during the day, every 4 tabs every 4 hours or so. I have a very high pain threshold and a very high tolerance to pain medications so i need to take this much medication to get any relief, its not an abuse issue. I have taken both these meds for about 4 years now and never had any sweating issues until about a year ago and now i get it on and off all the time and it sucks bigtime. Night sweats, after shower sweats, (which really suck after getting all clean lol), and sporatic daytime sweats which seriously piss me off making me change clothes constantly. I wakeup either cold in pain or cold and wet in pain and in the winter it really sucks, summer isnt so bad though. The Body is releasing heat from the medications i know but other times its not the meds its just my body releasing sweat it seems for no purpose. Im wondering if anybody else has found anything to stop or limit these damn sweats and if so what is it?? After using these meds for so many years im used to them now and need them for very painful chronic pain and will more then likely be on them for the rest of my life barring some miracle cure or by the grace of God all my horrible chronic nerve pain and Osteo-arthritic pain stops but i highly doubt that. Osteo-arthritis rarely gets better, especially after 40 which i am now, nerve pain may stop but thats total speculation as nerve pain plays by its own rules and can last forever or stop out of the blue. I wish these Big Pharma companies could figure out a way to make the meds take the pain away like they do but prevent all the side-affects like sweating, constipation, anxiety, over-active mind, etc. I know the sweating is from the body over-heating and releasing fluid to lower body temps but sometimes it seems my body is sweating for no reason at all and thats the super annoying part. Again if anybody has any ideas or proven methods against sweating please reply. Ive worked out all the other side-affects except the terrible sweating issue, its hard to live in 24/7/365 pain as it is, but adding the sweats is literally intolerable and super frustrating, not to mention disgusting and gross lol. (And Thx for taking the time to read my post)

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I am on oxy n it rots teeth. I have to get implants in a yr bc of it softening teeth. Been on since 07. I also sweat.

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Watch the sweating and loss of body fluid. Make sure you replace. I packed up a house, did not pay attention to fluid replacement, sweated like a pig, got a Urinary Tract Infection, and Oxycontin masked the symptoms. I ended up in hospital with bilateral pyelonephritis and multi resistant septicaemia. I was one very sick puppy and one lucky woman not to surgically loose both my kidneys or worse, die. As it stands I have permanent damage to both kidneys, and am susceptible to septicaemia again. Watch those sweats.

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Yes--any kind of stimulation or anxiety causes profuse sweating. I teach and at the end of class my make up is gone and I looked drenched. It begins in my head and drips onto the children's papers. It is controlling my life. Is there help for this or must we just endure? What do you take it for? I use it for chronic pain

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yea crazy im 33 in good shape well kinda im a union carpenter have been for years stick build houses was on home made ladder 25-30 feet wen i was leaning to far to one side and wham woke up on the ground hard hat saved my mellon but i ended up blowing two discs in my neck fracturing 3 vertabrae in my back and all kinds of bumps and bruises that was 5 years ago all the docs nureosurgrers dont wanna do nuthin give me 160 40ml quick release oxcy and 180 percocets a month plus 12 epederils in my back wow what a waste now im a drug addict that hates his life allll because they give you this s*** it dont hurt then you come down and your in pain and dope sick yeaaaa thanks for listining and the spelling sucks its all good tho suboxone some one said it would help any one hear of it

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I just started taking Oxy's 20mg and sitting doing nothing I'm sweating all over. That's why I'm looking at this site. They sure took the pain away from my back so will have to persist till my back is better. They make me itch too but it is not that excessive.

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Yes!!! It's soooo embarrassing .. This is the first I've heard That side effects of OxyContin causes this

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Ive been on oxycontin for past 2yrs and on 2×20mg daily lately the night sweats r waking me up I dont use covers and waken up as if just out shower. Esp hair its gross

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I too get the sweats from meds try epsom salt w lavendar in a bath after thr night sweats wake you makes me comfy and feel so much better. it is really annoying though to awake freezing cause the sweat. I Take one every am at like 1:00 am then again before I leave for day, regular epsom salt is good w lavendar drops or buy calgon thru infuse the lavender and lavendar helps you relax and sooth mood. Hope this helps.

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I've been on 20mg Oxycontin twice a day and have the same problem. I need to take a shower after vacuuming the house as I find I'm wringing wet from sweat. Unfortunately due to a very bad back, my doc said I'll be on them till the day I die. Oh joy!

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When I was first prescribed oxycontin op just about a yr. ago, I had profuse sweating every night, though it has subsided about 4-6 months ago. I never (thankfuly, as it sounds awful) had sweating during the day. I also never experienced itching of my skin except very rarely and only when I first started about a yr. ago. Again, I am thankful that I do not have this side effect. Just last week my oxycontin dose was increased by 10mg. due to tolerance development. I was not getting the same relief. I have chronic osteoporosis pain with metal in my left leg and screws in my hip and knee due to a femur and partial hip fracture about a yr. ago. My pain is constant and chronic. I wake up at night with stabbing pain out of no where screaming, then it subsides and I fall back to sleep. When I wake I can hardly walk until I take ocycontin and I'm given oxycodone for breakthrough pain..............Anyway, the original post was about sweats and I haven't had any bad side effects except constipation for which I take Senna S which seems to help so far.

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To Rosy...thanks! I now understand why I too experience clamynesss then sweating & I sometimes get stomach cramps& diarrhea. I've never taken long active morphine but last refill, my insurance wouldn't pay so, I'm not sure what my Dr will do...........and, for all those judgment Al people who have never been in chronic pain, I know that I would not be able to walk if I didn't have prescribed pain meds from respectable pain management doctor's. I and would encourage any one to be very grateful for a compassionate knowledgeable and respected (though strict )pain management specialist. ......

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I've been on them several years with no rotting teeth. I believe you may be prone to soft teeth, lack of calcium maybe?

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Oh my god I timed out on the reply of all replies to you Matt. Just gonna do it quickly again.

1. Banana Boat sunblock "sport coolzone" made in USA not sure if sold there. Fantastic to stop sweats for a limited time. It is sweat resistant but in me for some reason it stops me sweating for a short period.

2. Cooling Pillow Pad for either on top of your pillow or just under the pillow slip. Has a cooling effect by drawing away the heat from your head.

3. Bandanas - not sure what you call them there. (Like the gangs use on the tv) You put the cloth in water, wring out as much water as you can and put in the fridge or freezer. When you feel the sweat coming tie around your neck with the majority of the cloth at the back of your neck (there is a zone there that controls heat). It will help cool you down but may not stop the sweating.

4. Small personal fans. I have ones that plug in the wall, into the computer - heck into anything. Position it so it is always on you and then others won't b**** about being blown onto.

Hope this helps a little. It is not a solution, rather a way of living with it. If you need the drugs you need them. If you are on slow release you shouldn't have withdrawals and if you are having withdrawals you need to be on a higher dose. Or have more prn meds in between. It took me nearly 5 years to sort my meds out. I have gone from 360mg per day oxy to 140mg per day and cut all codeine out. Getting there but still need the meds for the pain.

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Hello,

I have exactly the same issues with sweating you have described. Sweating comes on for either no apparent reason, the slightest of activity, whilst sleeping which the wakes me soaking wet and cold, if I become even slightly anxious, and the most depressing; immediately after stepping out of the shower. I have tried hot showers, cool, cold, medium heat, and nothing makes a difference. I have chronic fatigue in addition to chronic pain, mainly skeletal and back pain. Getting a shower takes so much energy that when I do manage it, and then am immediately soaked in sweat which carries on sometimes for a couple of hours, it is soul destroying. If I manage to shower on a morning, I cannot get ready for work (a job which I am clinging to due to my health issues), put any make up on, dry or straighten my hair for a number of hours. I do not always have the energy to shower on a an evening (or morning for the matter), but this is the best time to do it as I can sit for a couple of hours to dry and cool down, not needing to do any activity or start being anxious about being late for work. I cannot win!

However, I was watching a TV program last week, whereby Doctors were giving a advice on lots of things including avoiding heat exhaustion. They advised that the fastest way to cool down the entire body is to fill a sink of cold water, letting the tap run first to make sure it gets really cold, then sink both hands in to it up to the mid arm, covering the wrist and leave them there for a good 5 minutes or more. I had heard the running the cold tap on to your hands and wrists brings the body temperature down and had tried that a few times but it did not seem to make much difference. Anyway, the last few times I have got out of the shower and can immediately feel my body and head starting to sweat, I have filled the sink and submerged my hands and wrists for 5 minutes or so. It really does work!!!! I have only done it a few times, but I definitely cooled down a lot faster and therefore sweated a lesser amount and for a much shorter time. I suspect the longer I can leave my hands in the cold sink water, the better I will be. This is the only thing that I have ever found that actually does make even the slightest difference in managing this nightmare side effect. Although it does not take it away it does seem to make it more manageable at least and it does not cost anything to try.

I have previously spent £150 + shipping a certain pedestal fan from the USA, chosen because it is so quiet and powerful. Ideal for sleeping with it on or blasting myself when too hot. I go through tons of ice lollies, particularly following a shower. I thought be cooling my inside faster this might cool me down faster generally. They help a bit but no where near as fast as the cold water in the sink does.

I hope this helps even a little. Good luck!

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Wow, I hope you are able to get off the oxy's some day. It really sucks having to use them forever. I think I will have to. My sweating seems to be getting a little better...maybe my brain is reformatting my body...I hope so!

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I take OxyContin and have terrible sweats .. Just sitting and have to wear girdle and binder -abdominal wall ripped out by seat belt -2 hours after taking wham ! Sweats for sure -doctor said could be screwing with my hormones but wasn't for sure Short acting oxycodone doesn't make me sweat like the long ( ha ha sure not 12 hour ) slow release -I'm a woman and sorry guys but I guess it's not just menopause but we all have hormones -man the shower sweats and temps above 65 suck -but I sweat sweat sweat -thanks for the keep hydrated reminder!

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Steve -I didn't post not helpful but personally I'm a chronic pain gonna die of my injuries would like to do it without sweating like o just stepped out of the shower and you're posting about getting off narcotics -I have to have them to move or have the will to keep living -suboxin isn't approved as a pain reliever just blocks me receptors to reduce withdrawal symptoms from narcotics , then you have to get off it and deal with those withdrawal symptoms -so off topic so ... Not helpful -but hey -happy it can help if you need to get off the meds ! Not trying to be mean

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