Alcohol abuse and HH

rexinthecity · Newbie User Joined: Apr 26, 2006 Posts: 5

Hi,
I have had HH my whole life as far back as i can remember. my primary concern has been feet and hands but also get upper lip, armpits etc when severly nervous. I could live with that but the hands and feet are devestating to me. I have now realized that i have abused alcohol since middle school to help with the sweating. when i am intoxicated (less nervous, self concious) the sweating lessens. I have had a few drinks before interviews and dates (ususally what makes me the most nervous) just to help the sweating subside. I cant wear sandals comfortably, almsot never wear light colored shirts for fear of sweat stains/spots...i dont know if people realize how debilitating it all can be. Intimacy with a man is usually when i am drunk, again to curb the sweating, when i can really be me and not worry about "sliming" them. I skipped my prom because of it, you name it, it has effected my life in a negative way. I am now 30 and although i am deathly afraid to even get a blood test, i am considering the surgery. i cant picture getting married etc because i will be a total wet mess. so the quesiton is, do others find solace in the bottle for this?

corrinaelizabeth · Posted: Wed Apr 26, 2006 5:20 pm Post subject:

yes most definately,but once i have 1 drink 2 steady my nerves i cant stop and get in a right mess where i start crying etc and coming out with the whole poor me story argghh!ive managed not 2 drink 2 cope with during the day activities prob coz mum would kill me,but when i used to have friends and went clubbing with them i h8 2 b extremely drunk b4 we even went out.
I tried not to drink but as soon as i entered the pub sweat would literally pour off me,off my face,hands back armpits down below lol,and i was actually shaking something thats never happened to me,since then ive not bothered 2 go clubbing.
With bfs etc they couldnt understand why i liked to drink around them 1 because i was more confident and could actually speak around them and 2 because like u said my sweating quitened down when i had had a drink.
plz contact me if u ever wana chat
all the best
corrina Laughing

u r so not alone!remember that!! Laughing

rexinthecity · Newbie User Joined: Apr 26, 2006 Posts: 5

thanks corrina! i have also experienced the shaking feeling. the weird thing with HH is to me is, is it a psychological disorder or not? i started also getting panic attacks in nervous situations and would also get like an internal shaking as you described. i was on an anti=depressant to treat this and i did notice that i sweat less, the shaking went away as well as panic attacks. i have been off them for like 6 months now and just have the sweating. the anti-depressant killed my sex drive, not that i had a huge one to begin with due to the HH. it just seems like a vicious cycle. it is a terrible condition and i am praying they find a cure soon. i also do not drink daily, only in extreme situations. i also have a prescription for Xanax, which does help when really nervous. you shld try .05 or 1 mg. u shld not have your life affected as much as you do..hope that helps!

Mistryman · Newbie User Joined: Apr 17, 2006 Posts: 13

Never really thought about it, but now u coe to mention it i dont sweat when im drunk. I find it really hard to control my sweating, mainly on the armpits. It is totally random.

It definately is at its worst on social accosians, im at uni and whenever im with my friends its at its worst. But i have noticed when im out i dont sweat to much when im tipsy. But ive always got a jacket or sumfing to cover the sweat so no one can ever tell.

Picking the right clothes to wear to cover sweat stains is a skill i know to well. I should have a degree in that, the amount i think about it!!!!

But ive been on driclor, and it has helped, but itches like made under the pits. Hope that solves one of your problems.

With the whole sex thing, i know wot u mean. At the end of the night when we were snuggling she put my arm down cos i had it up and i dont think she liked the smell. Im pritty sure there was a massive sweat stain on the covers, was really embarassing!!

Well wish u all the best and if u ever wanna chat just pm me. All the best A.Mistry

Therover · Newbie User Joined: Apr 20, 2006 Posts: 13

I used to drink a lot to deal with it when I was younger. I most certainly did not sweat any less, I just didn't care as much about it. When your drunk and the people around you are drunk its just not as much of an issue. Obviously thats not the best way to approach the problem though.

My father is an alcoholic, I think he has HH too, though he never talked about it. Thats his way of dealing with it, and its an ugly way. I've seen first hand what it does to a person and I resolved not to let myself ever get that way.

The only way I could be intimate was if I was drunk and so was she. Since I don't drink anymore, I just don't feel comfortable being intimate. Its not how I want it to be, but its better than being an alcoholic.

I guess you have to look at it this way; you already have plenty of problems, why give yourself more?