Hyperhidrosis: Hiding in Plain Sight PART I
By · on March 26, 2010All my life, I have been hiding. I have Hyperhidrosis. People who are like me know and live the meaning of the saying “hiding in plain sight”. I am so good at this. So very good, in fact, that almost no one who knows me– and this includes siblings I am close with– is aware that I have always struggled with this problem. For every single person close to me, I know there have been instances when I have suffered from an all-out episode and managed to conceal from them not only the sweating but also the anxiety, frustration and sadness brought on by the episode. Hyperhidrosis has been an unwelcome, secret guest and has tainted every important moment of my life. And in those moments, I shared with no one the fact that I was struggling. I have always pretended it away; tried to tell myself it didn’t matter. Accepted as inevitable that if something “big” was happening in my life, I would be dealing with sweaty hands, underarms… all of it. With a smile on my face. Can you relate?
I have been able to hide like this because Hyperhidrosis has made me an expert at it. I know what fabric to wear, what clothing colors to stay away from, what products to use. How to sit and how to hold my body. Until I took the drastic step of undergoing ETS surgery nearly 5 years ago, it was my life every day. It was exhausting. Now, it is somewhat easier… but the secrecy and deep shame have remained until now. I have decided that living in fear has got to stop, and if I have been living a secret hell, then there must be others out there (are you out there?) who have been too.
Link to this page
Wow. You are most definitely not alone and I am going through the exact same things that you are describing. Somehow, you’ve managed to put my exact emotions and daily actions into meaningful words and your website has been a great help. I appreciate it:)
Amy, Congratulations– You just made a grown woman cry. Thank you so much for reaching out! I hope the information here can help you figure out how to live with HH. You CAN live a fulfilling, normal, happy life! If there is anything you need or want to share, let me know.
Blessings,
Charmaine
thanks so much:) OH and I recently learned that wearing pantyhoes/stockings/knee highs hide when your feet get red or sweaty! So if you are thinking of wearing a skirt or flats, wear pantyhoes! When I wear jeans with flats, I wear knee-highs and it’s a life-saver!
Hey Amy! Yes, pantyhose, etc have been a lifesaver for me. Back in the 80′s (Gosh I’m old) pantyhose were very in style and we always wore them, so that was definitely a fashion trend I embraced! But I’m glad you point it out here, as I did not think to– thanks! BTW love the comments; keep ‘em coming
Blessings,
Charmaine
Thanks so much for this blog Amy, and thanks for your reply on YahooAnswers! It’s great to share experiences
Emily
Sorry I meant Charmaine!
I just wanted to say that I found your web site via Goolge and I am glad I did. Keep up the good work and I will make sure to bookmark you for when I have more free time away from the books. Thanks again!
Emily,
I hope the Y! answer helped. Check back here soon because I think you would benefit from reading my ETS report. I was so confused about ETS and I have tried to lay out all the facts. I hope to have the report available in the next few days, but I will email it to you if you want it sooner. Let me know and thanks again for writing!
Thank you for commenting– I loooove feedback
Blessings,
Charmaine
Cerro,
I am thrilled you found the site! It seems like HH&Me is a bit buried in Google right now so I am so happy you found it. I hope this site helped you in some way.
Blessings,
Charmaine
Hi Charmaine, I was trying to sign up to receive your ETS report, but after reading your reply to one of your readers, I guess it’s still in the works! I’m actually scheduled to get ETS next week after postponing it for a year (it has not been a light decision!). I was wondering if there’s any way I can receive it early.
P.S. SummerSoles really ARE heaven sent as I can now wear my flip-flops without slipping around in them.
Hi Kamille,
And yes, Summer Soles are great! So are the Adidas flip flops I practically live in…
So sorry about the report, and I am so very glad you contacted me. Yes, I now have your email address, so I will send it to you immediately! The report is very thorough and tells some hard truths. Good luck with your procedure– I only hope that you are really at peace with this decision in your heart. I went through with it because I knew deep down that I had to try it, and would regret it if I didn’t. If you are not completely certain and at peace with it, please do not do it. That’s just my 2 cents
Thanks for reaching out and good luck!!
Hi Charmaine,
Just wanted to say your site is realy helpful. I’ve suffered from hyperhidrosis for as long as I can remember and it really is a hindrance to everyday life. I am seriously considering ETS, and would love for you to send me your report on it, as I’m weighing up the pros and cons of the op.
Thank you
Yasmin,
I am so glad you found my site helpful. I have worked very hard on it and to hear back from people like you means the world to me! I will send you a report right away and I hope you find that helpful as well. Please just be absolutely sure you have tried every other option, such as Iontophoresis. It helps many people find relief with no side effects.
Blessings,
Charmaine
HI Charmaine,
I think I’m going to try Iontophoresis being that it seems to be effective and cheaper than the ETS surgery. I’ve done quite a lot of research on it but I was wondering if you have any personal experiences with it. Thanks again for your amazing site!
Amy
Amy!!
So happy to hear from you again! I think trying Iontophoresis is a very, very wise choice. No, I did not try it before I myself took the plunge. On my page about Iontophoresis, I explain that I looked down my nose at it when I heard about it. I knew of no objective source of information about it online, and had had unfortunate experiences with dermatologists, so I knew nothing about it! If you visit http://www.VerySweatyBetty.com, there are members who have tried it and you can ask them all about it. The members on that site are very supportive and eager to help. I would love to know how the Ionto treatments work for you, so I hope you won’t be a stranger.
Charmaine
I think you’re amazing! I love your site!
Thank you! Please keep coming back!
Hi Charmaine! I wrote to you back in May, just several days before getting ETS. I told you I’d keep in touch post-surgery, & I apologize for just getting back to you now. I’ve been so busy with school work & finals. Well, I’m happy to say that I’m happy with the results & have no regrets at all. I didn’t get CS until a week after my surgery. It was quite bothersome at first, but it’s not bad at all. I’d take sweating on my back (some on my chest & legs) over sweating on my hands any day! My axillary sweating has been cut down by 50%, in my opinion. And my plantar sweating, I would say, went down by 30%. I apply lotion on my hands all the time now because they stay dry now, which is weird for me coz I’m used to the wetness. But no matter what I do, my hands stay dry! I’m so happy with my decision. Thanks for helping me calm my nerves with your report. Oh, also, I showed my surgeon the report, & the operation was exactly that. He had already read the report before, & had also mentioned it in his own reports. ‘Til next time, Charmaine!
Kamille, it’s so good to hear from you; thank you for letting us know how you’ve been doing! I am very relieved that things are going well. What a pleasant surprise that your surgeon was familiar with my report! I think it is interesting that your procedure was the same as mine; perhaps more surgeons are doing Sympathotomies these days. You are the second person to tell me about another surgeon performing them. I still think the surgery in general is risky, but the Sympathotomy technique seems to result in lesser side effects overall. I am so happy for you, Kamille. Thanks again for dropping a line!
Charmaine
I feel like I could have written that article. It is very hard to live with and you do become quite resourceful at handling situations.
Thank you for your comment. It is reassuring to know that there are others who understand and who have gone through the things that I have. I hope you are managing ok, esp. during this hot summer!
Wow… I can completely identify with this.
Let me run my list for you:
Holding a childs hand (yes they wipe or ask why are you so sweaty?);
shaking hands at church (thank you Bounty paper towels);
typing on my computer during class (hello soaked motherboard); dancing salsa (constant apologies to the dance partner);
standing on the subway holding the pole (soaked feet, dripping hands, am I fresh out of the shower?);
wearing pants or skirts w/o lining (must wear spanx to control sweaty thighs);
bringing an extra shirt to work (thank you soaked blouse);
…and the list goes on and on.
It’s not easy being so sweaty – but it makes it easier to konw I’m not actually a sweaty beast. I just have HH… and it does run in my family. Thankfully though, my partner of six years doesn’t care about my sweaty secret either.
Hugs,
Li
Twitter.com/LaLicenciada
Ugh, I remember my subway days– and holding the pole with my thumb and forefinger to avoid leaving Big Droplets on the pole. I must have looked like such a dork! Hey, here is what seems to be a theme with you: when there is a possibility/probability of hand-to-hand contact, you’re sweaty, you’re self-conscious, but YOU go for it anyway. Salsa dancing? You could NOT PAY ME. Props to you, Li…
Wow. Everything said here is so true. I love this website. It’s cool that you found someone who doesn’t mind your HH. I’m 17 and I’ve never gone out on a date or had a boyfriend because I’m so self-consious of my sweating. Some of the things you said actually make me not so scared of it. Thanks!
Wow– thanks. Please don’t let your hyperhidrosis keep you from living your life. In other words, learn from my mistakes
I feel so much better just knowing other women suffer from this too. I hate that as a woman you are expected to look beautiful and perfect all the time. sweating has been a constant embarrasment for me, thanks so much for your encouragement to live life and enjoy every moment despite the hyperhidrosis.
Thank you, Sarah, for the comment. Here’s to not being perfect! I hope this site can help you find relief in some way.
I have been struggling with facial blushing for years and it keeps getting worse and worse. Now it’s to the point that it can’t get any worse it is everywhere on my face neck cheeks chest ears. I have to stay calm all the time or it gel’s to bright red that people keep asking me if im ok. My co-workers know that I have this problem and they don’t talk about it they are very nice but the past year they have been asking me if im ok because my face is redder then it has ever been. I am very careful not to drink beer or wine or sodas or anything that will set my emotions off. I feel that the ETS surgery is what I need. Im only 32 and I don’t think I can go any longer living like this. I do have sweating problems to but that doesn’t bother me at all. I just can’t stand this facial blushing. I’m a very out going person and this stop’s me from being me.
Hi Chris, Gosh what you describe sounds awful; I’m so sorry. My understanding of ETS is that it is designed to relieve palmar sweating, not blushing. I have heard of people undergoing the procedure for blushing, but I am unsure of how successful it is. Do you see a dermatologist? I wonder if Dr. Fealey at Mayo can advise you. He is not a surgeon, but a neurologist who specializes in hyperhidrosis. He is the doc who screens candidates for ETS there. Those who pass the screening and choose to undergo sympathotomy then have Dr. Atkinson perform the surgery. Dr. Fealey is incredible and may be able to give you good, honest advice. He would not recommend surgery if it is not the best option.
Oh, this all sounds too familiar! You are definitely, decidedly, emphatically not alone! Driven to the edge of my ability to cope, I had ETS done many years ago. Unfortunately, compensatory and gustatory sweating have been TERRIBLE and I regret my choice. But I think I’ve grown a little more comfortable with this condition over time. Never underestimate the role of attitude adjustment! But, still, a bitter pill…