My story with this horrible disease...

[RoadieJr78]

Hi everyone, I'm new to these forums...

Well, let me start off by saying that my hands and feet are sweating profusely as I type. I have suffered from severe palmar and plantar hyperhidrosis for basically my whole life (I'm 16). It pains me that many of us have never experienced a day in this world without soaked extremities/and or bodies. The only way my sweating is dormant, is if I'm in an extremely cold environment (which is seldom). I've tried everything that doctors recommend: Drysol, Formadon, Iontophoresis, it all fails. I was eating a burger for dinner today and noticed sweat pouring from my hands onto my arm. Its really just ridiculous, I hate it so much and I'm sure you all understand. I'm strongly considering the ETS surgery to permanently solve the problem.

This is the surgeon I've contacted and talked to: http://www.uclahealth.org/body.cfm?id=458&action=detail&ref=24766

I just had a consultation with him, and he expressed that it was very important that I think very hard about my decision on this. The potential side effects, in my case, are a wonderful trade off for this horrible plague that continues to be a daily nuisance (except for the drooping eyelids, but that is an error on the physician's part).

I've grown weary of not being able to hold hands or shake peoples hands without questions to why my hands are wet. I'm tired of soaking my school papers, or anything else that is soluble to liquids for that manner. I'm tired of having the parts of my body that are so important to my interaction with the world be so....flawed. You guys know what I'm talking about...

I'll inform you all on my final decision shortly.

 

[phuonganh]

I also have HH in my hands and feet. I know that this condition is so horrible but I think that you should not go through with ETS as the side effects can be so much worse than what you are experiencing now. Imagine you're hands are dry but you're whole body is dripping, would you feel confortable with that?

A few months ago I was also considering ETS. But after doing some research, I was totally scared out of my wits. I think you should read through some of the treads here, some people on this forum has had ETS. The first post by Pinker has very useful links. By the way, how long did you do the iontophoresis treatments? It seems that for this treatment to work, you need to be very patient and experiment with alot of different things. Maybe you should try it again?

When I have to write something and my hands sweat too much, I put a piece of napkin under my hand to prevent soaking my papers. I usually carry napkins to prevent my hands from being too wet and this has been somewhat helpful. I also wipe my hands (secrectly of course) before I shake hands. Just some things to get through everyday.

I hope you will be able to make a decision that you'll not regret later. Best of luck!

 

[scruffpot]

instead of ets ask the doc/consultant about pulse radio frequency sympathectomy
read my post
http://www.socialphobiaworld.com/postt17650.html

it still can carry some side effects of Cs which ets does but it is not as obtrusive.

 

[RoadieJr78]

instead of ets ask the doc/consultant about pulse radio frequency sympathectomy
read my post
http://www.socialphobiaworld.com/postt17650.html

it still can carry some side effects of Cs which ets does but it is not as obtrusive.

That freaks me out slightly more than ETS. Electric pulses into your spinal cord? That sounds very iffy.

After I posted this thread here, I noticed some of you guys mentioned the Avert medicine. What is the story on that? I also checked out this site: http://www.sweat-stop.com/order-now...moderate-hyperhidrosis-9008.html?lang=1&cur=3

Anyone have good experiences with that product?

I did the ion sessions 7 times, and my doctor said that if I hadn't noticed anything by then, it wasn't working. It was plastic trays, and I turned the voltage up pretty high most of the time I wanted it to work so badly (to the point were it was very uncomfortable to keep my hands in). I might try a homemade one.

 

[sadday]

I would definitely recommend trying Avert or Secure Wipes before going with the surgery. Avert is a pill and Secure Wipes are ofcourse a wipe (like a wet cloth). They both contain the drug glycopyrrolate. You can order them from an online pharmacy out of Canada. The link is pharmacy.ca. Or if you are in the USA it is known as Robinul and your doctor may be able to prescribe the pills to you. Glycopyrrolate seems to help a lot of people get their sweating under control. It has helped me a lot!!!

 

[scruffpot]

That freaks me out slightly more than ETS. Electric pulses into your spinal cord? That sounds very iffy.

It is not at all iffy, it was very good.
In fact it helped cure a lot of my HH problems plamar and axillary
There are both good and bad problems with PRFS and ETS, it just depends on the person.PRFS has not been done very much compared to ETS, so results regarding the op are far and few between, but with all ops and cures you have to start somewhere and i trust my surgeon.

I'm over the moon with PRFS and glad I never went with ETS. As a lot of ETS results form what i have read have had their problems, (but you only ever seem to find bad reviews then good) . i went with PRFS because the surgeon advised it, plus it was less obtrusive, the nerve endings are zapped by radio waves but they can grow back (not all ways though), or it just stunts them so therefore the ganglia's are not over productive. but the surgeon had performed this op on other people and he said it seemed to have a higher success rate then ETS. from what he had performed read etc. I was fed up to the back teeth with my HH and just though why the hel not ive had enough of using the lotions etc and them irritating my skin

Having had my PRFS i can now go into town just wearing t shirt and not having to cover up all the time.

Be what ever op you ever have you have to weigh up all complications and make sure you have a good surgeon/consultant.

 

[margiehope]

Roadie:

I'm a happy user of Avert--for well over a year. The Secure wipes weren't ideal for me, since my problem was craniofacial HH (can't really wipe your head too well!).

I'd get some information from pharmacy.ca--just because they're really good at providing same. Don't know about the wipes, but you should be able to find Robinul in the States.

Anyway, some sort of extreme measure might turn out to be your answer, but I'd at least think of trying these first.

Good luck!

 

[RoadieJr78]

July 14th 2008,

That is the first day I've never sweat, all thanks to Robinul.


I woke up today, but I felt the sweating lightly start to come on. This is because I woke up pretty late, and the cycle of the last pill wore off during sleep. One at day, one at night, and if I follow that, the sweating stops completely.

 

[rambo87]

July 14th 2008,

That is the first day I've never sweat, all thanks to Robinul.


I woke up today, but I felt the sweating lightly start to come on. This is because I woke up pretty late, and the cycle of the last pill wore off during sleep. One at day, one at night, and if I follow that, the sweating stops completely.

wow...

im so happy for you! you found a cure!! i cant imagine how your life will change from now on!!!

im waiting for my avert 2mg to arrive... to this day i have done 4 sessions (1 each day) of the homemade ion. and it actually worked quite fast/well for me! I feel that i sweat alot less plantar and palmar, i can actually do my daily jogging while the hands a kept dry!! im so excited and hoping for complete dryness after the 10-15th session...

i was at the disco yesterday and as expected i was soaked, but a very cool thing that never happened, happened! whenever i went outside with my friends (they smoke) my hands would stop sweating!
although on the dancefloor i was sweating so much i couldnt see because the sweat was in my eye and stuff :/
but the shannon homemade ion. treatment has made it alot less of an issue!

i really hope i get as lucky as you with the avert!
and its good to hear that you wont need to go through with the ets (im assuming). keep us updated!

 

[Flatcap]

Think very very carefully about having a sympathectomy!

I had it done a few years back and I'm currently suffering big style with my CS...the UK is in the middle of a bit of a hot spot so it's particularly bad. Temperatures are reaching 30-31 over here at the minute and whilst most people are loving it I'm absolutely hating it!! My Propantheline just doesn't seam to be having an effect much at the moment so I'm basically spending most days with damp underwear all day and a wet shirt on the front and back most of the day which is winding me up to f*****g death. This probably increases my HH but it's so upsetting. I really am struggling at the mo!!

Darren.