Your Experience w/ Doctors

[HH Assassin]

Hi everyone.

I was curious to see how everyone has dealt with doctor visits in the past. It's really hard to talk about or be examined for, I know... but has anybody had a good experience with a doctor when discussing HH? Any experts on HH out there (other than the people on this forum!)? Seriously, I have learned soooooo much from you all! I am just wondering if there are many doctors out there who truly understand what we're all going through.

I mention this because today I visited a Dr. Rani Cooper in San Antonio. She's a dermatologist. When I called the office the receptionist said Dr. Cooper was familiar with HH and has seen several patients w/ the condition.

Anyways, when I went for my appointment today I mentioned plainly to the assistant who had my file - and was jotting down the deep secrets of my heart - that my main concern is my hands. I have it in my feet and underarms but, for obvious social reasons, I wanted treatment for my hands first and foremost. I also mentioned that I had tried Drysol in the past but didn't see any major improvements in my condition. So she writes this stuff down and Dr. Cooper comes in talking about prescribing Drysol and possible Botox for my underarms. I mention that I was not interested in treating my underarms just yet and that I had tried Drysol in the past without much success. Anyways, I conceded to trying it again since I gave up kinda easily before and I tried to re-direct the conversation to better treatment FOR MY HANDS (especially since she said "It might not be a cure but it should help maybe.") ::

I brought up that Robinul had benefited me in the past. She said she was wary to prescribe it because it messes with secretions in the body. Understood...okay...so I asked about Botox (out of curiosity) and she says Botox injections for the hands are very painful. So I brought up iontophoresis and she said she has seen such a low success rate with it (less than 50%).

I kept pushing the issue because I have heard so much good stuff about it. She ends up mentioning a place where I may be able to get it done which is like WAY far from me. In the end she writes me an Rx for Drysol and (after I insisted that it required an Rx) another Rx for an ionto machine (because I KNOW Fischer requires one for theirs.)

I noticed that I always have to end up prescribing my own stuff...glad Dr. Cooper was at least familiar with all these treatments but I wish she would have been more positive and actually familiar with something kinda sorta resembling a solution.

 

[FOR REAL]

I was curious to see how everyone has dealt with doctor visits in the past. It's really hard to talk about or be examined for, I know... but has anybody had a good experience with a doctor when discussing HH? Any experts on HH out there

ive had loads of crap doctors in the past.
my latest one seems really great though

i dont know anything about HH , but theres loads of people on here that do and can help you

 

[Noca]

I would see another doctor who is more willing to help you. Many treatments have a less than 50% success ratio. SSRI's for example only have like a 30% chance or less to work, yet they are prescribed ALL the time.

As for botox injections, ask your doctor about using local anesthetics. As for Robinol and your doctor's concerns about body secretion, say that that is a risk you are willing to take(if indeed it is).

 

[IhateHH]

hey assassin, i've seen many GP and foot doctors for my sweating and they were all incompetent . I haven't seen a derma. cuz when i considered calling for an appointment, i found this site. Basically everything you'll learn on your own about HH would be enough, i would only go to a dermatologist if you want prescription meds or try to score a free ionto machine, cuz they'll more then likely repeat the things you have already tried.

Also what would the meds do to your "secretions", will you start making baby milk lol?

 

[HH Assassin]

Also what would the meds do to your "secretions", will you start making baby milk lol?

haha no...it pretty much just dries you out...dehydration, cotton mouth, everything just kinda gets dry. anyways...it does the job!

 

[Scooter]

My psychiatrist is the only one who gets it. GP's are the worst, they kept giving me anti-depressants & upping the dose when I said they were making it worse. I thank god for my psych, he immediately diagnosed my SA and subsequently ADHD. Stick to the professionals in my opinion. GP's are jack of all, master of none

 

[HH]

my GP was very understanding and helpful but I think a lot of them only know about things like Drysol and botox. So when I started getting hyperhidrosis in my hands I came here and this site has been more useful then any doctor. I read up about iontophoresis machines and brought one without consulting my GP (I wanted to get the problem sorted asap) and then ended up telling him about the machine and how to use it, which was kind of funny.

 

[Soy Sauce]

Last time I saw a doctor was maybe 7 years ago. My family doctor. He told me there was no cure for HH and that their was nothing I could do, except for Drysol, which did nothing for me. All I had to do was google for a few minutes to find out the various treatment options which he was not able to mention because he was incompetent.

He knew how badly this was effecting my life because I began to tear up while describing my condition and how I was suffering emotionally, but he obviously did not care. That was the last time I saw him because he showed that he didn't really have my best interests in mind. I was just a number to him. It's difficult for people to really understand what we go through, even though they think they might.

 

[sunflowerskyy]

I just went to the doctor a couple days ago, determined to tell someone about my condition & what's it's been doing to me all these years... But I guess I am really scared no one is going to take me seriously. I've never actually spoken of my HH to anyone before. I've just been living each day trying my best to hide it... but it's getting so much harder now that hot weather is here again. I just want to find a cure for this.. Anyway, I digress.

The point is, my doc ended up putting me on Prozac after what I was describing to him sounded like anxiety. Which is true, because I do have anxiety (caused primarily by my HH, in my opinion) & other various stressful instances in my life... I don't know, I'm taking it because I hope it will help, or do something.

It kind of makes sense because I definitely sweat more when I am stressed... so maybe if I'm less stressed.. then less sweating? I can only hope. I've only been taking it for about 4 days & the doc said it might take up to a month to really start working... I will definitely keep everyone here posted if I experience any positive or negative changes to my HH.

Also, something I've been wanting to ask... I've heard about this pill Avert? But I can't find it online anywhere. Could someone send me a link or tell me a little more about it? Thank you.

 

[HH Assassin]

Also, something I've been wanting to ask... I've heard about this pill Avert? But I can't find it online anywhere. Could someone send me a link or tell me a little more about it? Thank you.

Hey SS,
I have seen a lot of people on this forum mention pharmacy.ca
I think you can get it there w/o an Rx. I also learned from this forum that it's the same as Robinul - which is what I used to take and works great, especially for hands.

Good luck!!

 

[HH Assassin]

What if there's a doctor out there that actually HAS HH?
Wouldn't THAT be awesome?
















(I would marry him.)::

 

[sunflowerskyy]

Hey SS,
I have seen a lot of people on this forum mention pharmacy.ca
I think you can get it there w/o an Rx. I also learned from this forum that it's the same as Robinul - which is what I used to take and works great, especially for hands.

Good luck!!

Fantastic. I'll definitely have to give it a try.

[edit] I'm just looking at that website now & there are so many different doses to choose from. :/ Can anyone tell me about what results they have had with different doses? Also, anyone that is currently taking it, are there any side effects I should be concerned about? Self prescribing myself meds just seems like something I would fail at. -.- lol So, any information at all would be so helpful. Thanks.

 

[IhateHH]

Hey sunflower, i would assume your talking about avert. I never taken oral meds before but i would try it at 1mg first and up the dosage from there. The only side effects that im aware of is dizzyness, dry eyes, dry tongue, and sometimes exhaustion, but i'm pretty sure thats if you take a too high of dosage or you keep taking them daily for a prolonged period. Also, i read that when you go cold turkey after sometime of oral med use, the sweating would come back full force.

 

[sunflowerskyy]

Hey sunflower, i would assume your talking about avert. I never taken oral meds before but i would try it at 1mg first and up the dosage from there. The only side effects that im aware of is dizzyness, dry eyes, dry tongue, and sometimes exhaustion, but i'm pretty sure thats if you take a too high of dosage or you keep taking them daily for a prolonged period. Also, i read that when you go cold turkey after sometime of oral med use, the sweating would come back full force.

Thanks for all the info.

 

[margiehope]

Hey SS,
I have seen a lot of people on this forum mention pharmacy.ca
I think you can get it there w/o an Rx. I also learned from this forum that it's the same as Robinul - which is what I used to take and works great, especially for hands.

Good luck!!

Yeah, Avert is the Canadian brand name for glycopyrrolate (Robinul). Don't know where you are--if in U.S. should be able to get Robinul. Avert IS available through pharmacy.ca --they are a working pharmacy, make the med themselves, are very professional and reliable.

 

[HH Assassin]

Fantastic. I'll definitely have to give it a try.

[edit] I'm just looking at that website now & there are so many different doses to choose from. :/ Can anyone tell me about what results they have had with different doses? Also, anyone that is currently taking it, are there any side effects I should be concerned about? Self prescribing myself meds just seems like something I would fail at. -.- lol So, any information at all would be so helpful. Thanks.

In regard to doses of Avert AKA Robinul...there is a thread here on the forum that goes into it. Good stuff. Love this place.