What a relief...
- Thread starter Natterg
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Nicholas
Well-known member
Well, at least it's only your hands... and you managed to get a degree. Mine is generalized (mainly face, back, and now buttocks), and it contributed to my dropping out. It affected and still affect every part of my life.
Who would want to employ someone with sweaty hands? Well, I don't think it's a big problem in many jobs. In my case, that would be: "Who would want someone with a sweaty face as a boyfriend?" or "Who would not notice me in a public place and be grossed out or shocked?".
Good luck finding treatment. There's a woman who is an expert on suffering from this, and created a forum: verysweatybetty.com • Index page I'm registered there, it's just a forum for chatting, support, stories, etc. That woman was in a couple of documentaries too... here's a piece: YouTube - Hyperhidrosis Sweaty Betty Documentary
Jezza
Well-known member
Same here, could have written it myself to the details except that I'm a guy, just turned 24 and have a business degree (yeah, boring I know, considered med school but you can imagine the practical problems that would bring, should have done it anyway but realized that a little too late) instead of psychology. Technically I have yet to finish the master's in a few months, I have been taking some extra time for it after my bachelor's mainly because of the HH, but you get the point.
I haven't been able to get my hands on some robinul yet (medical system doesn't provide it). If you get around trying that let us know how it goes, since it's my big hope...I'm especially interested in using a glycopyrronium solution with ionto, but anyone's experience with robinul in any way shape or form is valuable to know for the HH people.
I've also tried beta blockers (among basically every other traditional HH med + some long shots) but they didn't do anything for me. I also had a test for catecholamines and they weren't raised at all (so much for the overactive sympathic nervous system theory that's still providing researchers everywhere for an excuse not to look for the real cause), so that betablockers don't have too much effect figures really. I wonder if benzos are better since they work by raising the GABA levels. Would like to try it but well...the great Dutch medical system *cough* will probably prevent me from doing so with the addictiveness and all. Darn, they just don't get that nobody cares...if it would eliminate the sweating I would happily develop an addiction to benzos for the rest of my life.
I haven't been able to get my hands on some robinul yet (medical system doesn't provide it). If you get around trying that let us know how it goes, since it's my big hope...I'm especially interested in using a glycopyrronium solution with ionto, but anyone's experience with robinul in any way shape or form is valuable to know for the HH people.
I've also tried beta blockers (among basically every other traditional HH med + some long shots) but they didn't do anything for me. I also had a test for catecholamines and they weren't raised at all (so much for the overactive sympathic nervous system theory that's still providing researchers everywhere for an excuse not to look for the real cause), so that betablockers don't have too much effect figures really. I wonder if benzos are better since they work by raising the GABA levels. Would like to try it but well...the great Dutch medical system *cough* will probably prevent me from doing so with the addictiveness and all. Darn, they just don't get that nobody cares...if it would eliminate the sweating I would happily develop an addiction to benzos for the rest of my life.
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Hi Nats and welcome,
You sound very similar to me. I suffer from HH mainly affecting the hands, feet and underarms. With HH affecting most other parts of my body in the heat, under stress and during physical exercise.
I too have Propranolol but that was prescribed for tremor as I had Hyperthyroidism for a few months. I read that Propranolol can help stop sweating for anxiety related sweating so to test the theory of my HH being related to anxiety, I tried it for a month or so. I did feel more relaxed but my sweating was still there.
I see you've done some good research, Robinul it seems is the best medication for HH due to it's effectiveness and tolerable side-effects. Though a tad pricey. I'm also waiting on Odaban to arrive, but this looks to show a lot of promise.
May I ask, do you have an anxiety disorder? Or do you think your sweating is related to anxiety? Just that your anxiety could quite possibly due to you sweating. So once you start taking Robinul and your sweating has decreased, then you may not have to take Propranolol.
I have been using Driclor (the same as Odaban, just it's a roll-on) on my hands, feet and underarms for just over a month now. I've had great success with the hands (95-100% dry), feet not so bad (50%-95%) and underarms not so bad either (50-90%). The feet and underarms I'm a little disappointed with, hence why I'm waiting on Odaban.
I've also been trying Pro-Banthine which a drug similiar to Robinul and I've had some success with that too.
If you want to know more, you could PM me but it's up to you. Here is fine as well. Those are just my thoughts.
Nicholas
Well-known member
I think my anxiety is caused by my HH and by my life that sucks because HH has affected it so badly. It seems more than 80% of all my problems have or had to do with HH, either directly or indirectly.
I tend to be kind of outgoing and I like to talk a lot, but HH can make me feel like I have severe social anxiety sometimes. I just feel too uncomfortable when I sweat and no one else does.
But it's not a mental problem. If I sweat, I get anxious and I start to sweat more, and the cycle starts. If I worry I'm going to sweat, I feel hot, and I start sweating, and I feel more anxious, and the cycle starts. But you see, normal people don't sweat as much as we do in any case, no matter if they are hot or anxious like we are... Our bodies just start to sweat at once, it's a physical problem.
I once thought it was a mental problem too, I hoped it was. I would have been able to control it. But the truth is that I sweat even if I am calm, if it's a bit hot or I do something physical.
We can control the anxiety and stop the damn cycles, and learn to control the "sweat attacks", but that won't get rid of HH unfortunately. As soon as I get in the sun, I get wet... and pissed off and depressed every time.
I tend to be kind of outgoing and I like to talk a lot, but HH can make me feel like I have severe social anxiety sometimes. I just feel too uncomfortable when I sweat and no one else does.
But it's not a mental problem. If I sweat, I get anxious and I start to sweat more, and the cycle starts. If I worry I'm going to sweat, I feel hot, and I start sweating, and I feel more anxious, and the cycle starts. But you see, normal people don't sweat as much as we do in any case, no matter if they are hot or anxious like we are... Our bodies just start to sweat at once, it's a physical problem.
I once thought it was a mental problem too, I hoped it was. I would have been able to control it. But the truth is that I sweat even if I am calm, if it's a bit hot or I do something physical.
We can control the anxiety and stop the damn cycles, and learn to control the "sweat attacks", but that won't get rid of HH unfortunately. As soon as I get in the sun, I get wet... and pissed off and depressed every time.
Well, I suffer from reflexive (compensatory) sweating since I underwent ETS, 8 years ago.
Robinul is a big hope for me, but unfortunately it's not available in my country (not easily, at least... but I'll see a dermatologist soon and I'll ask him about it).
So, if anyone could make a Robinul review here, that would be just great!
Robinul is a big hope for me, but unfortunately it's not available in my country (not easily, at least... but I'll see a dermatologist soon and I'll ask him about it).
So, if anyone could make a Robinul review here, that would be just great!
I've been on Robinul for a couple weeks now. I take 2mg in the morning and 2mg at lunch, and it's been a big help at work. I do computer programming for a sales company, and I'd constantly leave little puddles on the keys and have to interrupt typing just to wipe my hands off every 10 seconds.
Anyways, since taking the meds I've pretty much stopped sweating for a large portion of the day. It's not a miracle cure, but it works enough to cope. My hands will still sweat when I get anxious (or think about it too much), but at least they don't when I'm relaxed now. I've had success with iontophoresis, but I've been enjoying the Robinul more since it's not a time sink. My only side effects have been a mild dry throat. I'd recommend at least trying it if you can get a doctor to prescribe it.
Anyways, since taking the meds I've pretty much stopped sweating for a large portion of the day. It's not a miracle cure, but it works enough to cope. My hands will still sweat when I get anxious (or think about it too much), but at least they don't when I'm relaxed now. I've had success with iontophoresis, but I've been enjoying the Robinul more since it's not a time sink. My only side effects have been a mild dry throat. I'd recommend at least trying it if you can get a doctor to prescribe it.
Felipe: You had ETS such a long time ago. Do you feel any other side effects apart from the sweating? Years after the procedure, many persons complain about such as 1) decreased heart rate 2) chronic fatigue 3) gustatory sweating 4) "zombie mode" - not able to feel happy/sad/emotional etc.
Just curious, thank you!
Just curious, thank you!
Don't care about price- I would go without a holiday next year if it meant my HH was cured, or even 70% cured. Good luck with Odaban! By the way, less is more e.g. just one spray is enough on the armpits.
I think I do have an anxiety disorder... Do you know what I mean? Whether it is an anxiety disorder or not, I really do think my HH is in my mind. I can trigger it myself. And when I try really hard (lie down, relax and think of cold, cold water on my body), I can actually get myself dry. So... the answer is, I don't know if I have an anxiety disorder or not. I just know that my mind controls my sweating. And the more I sweat, the more anxious I get, therefore the more I sweat... Haha. Blood viscious cycle.
Sorry I am rambling. Just trying to get my point across- I hope you understand. So, once I get my robinul, I will see if I still need the Propranolol.
I have heard Driclor is good. But I wonder if it is better than Odaban. Let me know how it is. But it is difficult, as everyone is different and obviously some treatments work well for some people, and not for others. Maybe it is worth a go anyway after I have tried Odaban for longer.
Take care,
Nats
Fair enough about the price, if you can get it easily then by all means go for it, just that Ditropan and Pro-Banthine are very accessible and are extremely cheap.
My Odaban arrived 2 days ago actually, it's been the 2nd night of applying it and to me it does seem to work better than Driclor for the underarms. But early days though and I haven't been really able to see how effective it is during day-to-day activities. I understand about the 1 spray idea, but I tend to sweat more around the armpit then just from the middle, so I'm spraying 1 spray in the armpit and around it.
The good thing is I'm not dripping sweat there while doing nothing at all!
No need to apologise I totally get you. Honestly, I feel that you don't have an anxiety disorder but it's the sweating that lowers confidence and thus creates anxiety. I'm the same really, outgoing, friendly, like to be around people but I find when I realise I'm sweating the sweating gets worse and I lose a bit of confidence and thus creating a bit of anxiety. Now that my hands are under control and my armpits are a lot better, your confidence really does increase because you just feel a lot closer to 'normal' if you know what I mean. But I do know that viscous cycle, particularly in summer for me, when my forehead tends to sweat then as I know people can see the sweat it gets worse as you are self-conscious about it and thus creating anxiety and the more you think about it the worse it gets. Hard to get out of it!
So hopefully you can get your sweating under control and perhaps get off the Propranolol.
Btw, I would try Driclor for your hands. It's very easy to apply and it's honestly worked so well for my hands. I think Odaban is better for the underarms as it's more of a controlled dosage and easy to use for the feet as well, as using the roll-on Driclor can be hard to cover the entire sole of the foot.
Anyway, sorry to ramble but I'll be keen to know how you go.
Hey grimaldi,
1) Never actually compared my heart rate before and after ETS, but I haven't felt anything different.
2) I do have some tiredness, but I can't tell for sure that this is related to ETS. Besides severe reflexive sweating, I have a flushing/blushing problem, so I really avoid exercises or social activities and, in my opinion, that's the reason why I feel this way - I mean, not really excited about living and etc. Honestly, I don't believe it's related to ETS... but who knows.
3) Yes, I do have gustatory sweating.
4) No.
Look at your answers, when you say "I mean, not really excited about living and etc. Honestly, I don't believe it's related to ETS... but who knows." That's exactly the zombie state I am talking about. A lot of post-ETS tell stories of how they don't really feel love, compassion, excitement, joy or other feelings as before. They lost the interest to music, don't get happy when their favorite teams win at sports etc. Can you relate to this?
Tiredness can be due to ETS, and probably is. Your SNS is depleted. How about your capacity when working out/physical activity? Sex; to you feel excited and/or you have erection/endurance?
Sorry for the intimate questions, but just very curious, since I just can't get ETS of my mind as an "solution", even though I know it's downright dangerous.
Tiredness can be due to ETS, and probably is. Your SNS is depleted. How about your capacity when working out/physical activity? Sex; to you feel excited and/or you have erection/endurance?
Sorry for the intimate questions, but just very curious, since I just can't get ETS of my mind as an "solution", even though I know it's downright dangerous.
margiehope
Well-known member
You asked for a "Robinul review". Long-time members of this forum know my success with Avert (the Canadian brand-name for glycopyrrolate=Robinul). I've been on it about 3 years with no lessening of effect.
I had a long horrible time with cranio-facial HH--especially fun since I was a teacher at the time. I just kept a face towel handy and tried to brazen it out, but it sucked.
No thanks to any doctor (and I had gone to a few), I learned about Secure wipes (topical form of glyco) and eventually Avert. It largely solved the problem. I still may sweat if I'm quite active or the weather's hot, but really not that much--and sweating a bit when anyone would is OK.
So, I've had real success with Avert=Robinul=glyco. Yes I sometimes have dry mouth--easily dealt with with water or candies. Once in a while my throat seems hoarse, though I have no idea if this is connected to my meds.
Wish you luck!
Hi grimaldi,
No, I'm pretty sure I'm not on the "zombie state". By the way, music and sports (exactly the things you mentioned!) are my great passions. And I still have all the feelings ("love, compassion, excitement, joy...") I used to have before ETS.
About the tiredness, I guess any sedentary person feel this same way I do (kind of a laziness). And I'm not sedentary because I like it. I'm sedentary because I get embarassed with the amount of sweat I produce. A few years ago I used to go to a gym to work out, but I gave up because of the sweating. And when it comes to sex, everything is fine.
If you want my opinion, I would tell you not to undergo ETS. I don't know what kind of HH you have, but if I could go back in time, I would try all other stuff before thinking of ETS. In Orkut there's a HH community and I haven't seen there ONE single person with HH on underarms for whom Driclor HAS NOT worked. And recently, a few people with HH on hands have been trying Antihydral, with good results after 5 days application.
My English is not very good, so if I wasn't clear somewhere please tell me.
Thanks for your answer, margie.