topazkelly
New member
Newbie-want to share my experience of ETS
Hi all,
I've just found this site and up til now I thought I was alone in this, so it's great to realise I'm not a freak, lol!
I'm 31 and live in north east England. In 1996, aged 15 and 16 I had 2 ETS surgeries (one on each side) to stop severe hand sweating. I honestly couldn't tell you if I suffered with sweating anywhere else beforehand as my hands were the bane of my life and I was too young to have really noticed it elsewhere - ie I never wore sandals or went barefoot! I was aware of the possible side effects before surgery, but went ahead and I now experience compensatory sweating on my back, front, legs (to some degree if I'm really hot) and feet. All of these I can deal with though as they can be hidden; my hands couldn't be. I can still remember wearing woolly gloves to a school dance where I had to hold hands with a boy...it was just horrific!
Now as a (relatively!) young woman who would love to wear beautiful slip-on shoes like all of my friends, instead of socks and shoes, I hate my sweaty, dripping feet!!! I recently discovered iontophoresis, had a course of treatment a few months ago which was successful. At the hospital they only filled the trays with a small amount of water and the soles of my feet were bone dry yet the sides of my feet were soaking wet, so I knew it had worked. However, since purchasing my own Idrostar (same brand used at the hospital), I'm having less success at home. I've done some research and am now experimenting with bottled, high bicarbonate water and am remaining optimistic that I will, some day, be free of the embarrassment of these wet, smelly, horrible feet.
I'd just like to finish by saying that despite the compensatory sweating, my ETS was the best thing that has ever happened to me (apart from having my son of course!). I've done jobs that I couldn't have dreamed of doing without it and my confidence has sky-rocketed because of it. If I could just wear a normal pair of shoes in the summer I'd be even happier, lol!
Hi all,
I've just found this site and up til now I thought I was alone in this, so it's great to realise I'm not a freak, lol!
I'm 31 and live in north east England. In 1996, aged 15 and 16 I had 2 ETS surgeries (one on each side) to stop severe hand sweating. I honestly couldn't tell you if I suffered with sweating anywhere else beforehand as my hands were the bane of my life and I was too young to have really noticed it elsewhere - ie I never wore sandals or went barefoot! I was aware of the possible side effects before surgery, but went ahead and I now experience compensatory sweating on my back, front, legs (to some degree if I'm really hot) and feet. All of these I can deal with though as they can be hidden; my hands couldn't be. I can still remember wearing woolly gloves to a school dance where I had to hold hands with a boy...it was just horrific!
Now as a (relatively!) young woman who would love to wear beautiful slip-on shoes like all of my friends, instead of socks and shoes, I hate my sweaty, dripping feet!!! I recently discovered iontophoresis, had a course of treatment a few months ago which was successful. At the hospital they only filled the trays with a small amount of water and the soles of my feet were bone dry yet the sides of my feet were soaking wet, so I knew it had worked. However, since purchasing my own Idrostar (same brand used at the hospital), I'm having less success at home. I've done some research and am now experimenting with bottled, high bicarbonate water and am remaining optimistic that I will, some day, be free of the embarrassment of these wet, smelly, horrible feet.
I'd just like to finish by saying that despite the compensatory sweating, my ETS was the best thing that has ever happened to me (apart from having my son of course!). I've done jobs that I couldn't have dreamed of doing without it and my confidence has sky-rocketed because of it. If I could just wear a normal pair of shoes in the summer I'd be even happier, lol!
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