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Hiatus

28 October 2004

As some of you know, during the summer Kevin (who you have read about here) asked me to marry him. I had planned to write here about how all the planning and activities were impacting and impacted by my hyperhidrosis, but after 4 months of never finding the time to do so, I have to throw in the towel. So I'm putting my writings here on hiatus, and will leave the previously posted materials up in the hope they help someone. Our wedding is scheduled for June, and after we find and get settled into a new place (another reason I have so little extra time!) maybe I can resume here. Until then, best of luck to all!

More Letters

18 June 2004

Time again to catch up on email people have sent. My comments are in italics.

From Brad: Hello, I first have to say that you've made a great site, and I really admire you for not worrying about HH. I, too, have HH. I think I read somewhere that it only occurs in one in about 100 people. I thought: "God, am I that unlucky, to be that one person out of 100?" It all started when I entered High School. Aw god, how I hated it. I am still in high school and can't wait to get out (Our school is highly unprofessional in everything that it does, from the administration to its teaching curriculum).

I remember looking down at my pits and seeing a stain on the shirt: "Wow, how'd that get there." I'd say, and just think that it was normal. But then I looked around at everyone else, they didn't have any pit stains! Then I thought, well, now I'll have to become a hermit and seek refuge behind the computer because of this "problem." And so I did: Until just recently (my senior year) I was a total recluse; I didn't do anything with anyone. My friends would ask: "Hey, you wanna do something?" Then, I'd reply: "Nah, I don't wanna, I have things to do." Which was a total lie. The truth was I had nothing to do, and my HH just exacerbated the situation even more. Then this past summer I wanted to do something, so I started searching the net for this problem. I found great sites and just recently yours and found out that there were things which can help to bring relief.

I was ecstatic; and quickly ordered Maxim thinking my problem would go away. Bah! 15 dollars went away, and my problem shrunk, but didn't disappear completely. So last month my mother and myself made a trip to the dermatologist and told them that I had axillary HH. My mom just looked at me and said, "He means he sweats through his shirts." I said, yeah mom, but there's a clinical term for it lol. He told me about options, baby-talking me about other things. He said Drionic was the most effective, but I wasn't about to go out and spend my college money just to buy a machine that pratically electrocutes me. You can electrocute yourself for free.

So he prescribed some Drysol and I applied. Wow, I felt like my pits were about to be stung off. I was lying in bed, thinking: "God, I've never felt pain like that in arm pits before." After a while, it went away and so did my arm pit problem. It's weird, because I still sweat, but not enough through the shirt. Then I think: "Well, it's normal to sweat a little." The bottom part of my pit is still producing some sweat, but not much.

So I said screw the HH, I am going out. I wasn't about to let a little problem affect me. I've gotten into a great college (practically Ivy League!) and have great friends and my future is right in front of me. So the rest is history, now, I hate staying at home, and don't care about my pits. I still check a lot, but it's become a nasty habit and don't know how to break it. Have any ideas? Your site has been great, and I didn't know the stars perspired like that! Come to think of it, I haven't seen Cameron Diaz in a long sleeve shirt much.

Thanks so much for making this site; It has been great and I commend you on your efforts to live life to its fullest.

Another thing: The doctor said that this problem general goes away when you reach about 20. I'm 18 now, and have noticed that since I started Maxim (September 2003) my pit stains have never returned in full force, and I think it may be going away gradually. Have you ever heard anything like that? HH going away at around 20.

I know this wasn't really a question letter, but more or less a venting letter. I again thank you for making such a great site, and hope that you can answer any of my questions.

I'm so glad to hear you've decided to not let HH control your life. Mine began when I was a teen and, no, it didn't stop when I turned 20. I've never heard people report it going away at a particular age. I've tried the super-antiperspirants too and they do reduce my HH but don't completely dam it up. As for the pit checking thing, I find I do it more when I'm around others, but maybe that's because I sweat more when I'm around others. To me it sounds like you are coping very well!

From EFG: Thanks for a great site. My 16-yo daughter, who is a very good varsity tennis player, came home from practice today crying because none of the other girls sweat as much as she does. ("It's SICK!") I plan to show her your site. Between your positive attitude and the advice and photos-especially of Martina Hingis-I hope to help her accept what and who she is. From babyhood, she's always been our little sweatbox, and full of fun, and I want her to stay that way!

As if the teen years were tough enough already, our bodies toss in something else to worry about. Playing tennis together opened the door to discussing HH with my boyfriend. You can read the full story in the archives.

From Keith: Hi Janet, I wish I had done more research and found sites like your before I had decided to have ETS surgery. I'm almost 40 years old and have had sweat problems all my life. I had a tough time in high school as my hands, feet, and underarms sweated all day. I always had a large pit stain on my shirt and my hands would be wet all day. I had learned to accept it but then things changed. I had daughter and at the age of 10 now, I realized she has sweaty hands. Knowing that she got that from me, I became depressed thinking about what she will have to go through. It's bad enough for a guy to sweat so I'm sure it's twice as for a girl.

Anyway, I become obsessed with finding something that would cure this so she wouldn't have to go through what I went through growing up. After doing some internet searches about ETS, it always took me to different doctors sites. Reading their sites, it made is sound wonderful. They say a small percentage have sever CS but most people handle it just fine. I figured I didn't want to just send my daughter through it first so I decided to have it done and if worked like they say it does, then she can have it done and we all live happily ever after. What a mistake that turned out to be. I now have CS which is worse than having sweaty hands and underarms. My back, butt, groin, chest and legs now sweat alot. I had the clamps removed after 5 weeks and have had a little relief. It's been 4 months since my reversal surgery but my butt and groin still sweat alot. My chest and back have let us some but by butt is sweaty all day. I'm hoping that things will continue to get better as they say it can take up to a year for the nerves to regenerate. I was hoping this was the miracle cure for my daughter but has turned out to be a nightmare for me instead. The only good thing now I know so my daughter will never have to experience this. I had accepted my sweating like you and would have been fine living out my life with my sweating but you make a decision, you have to live with the consequences....glad you have such a positive attitude on the whole thing...take care...Keith

My best wishes for your recovery. There does seem to be a genetic component to HH which mean it does run in families. Thanks for sharing your experiences.

From Chris: Just wanted to say sweaty or not you look hot to me.

Chris, maybe that's why hot 'n sweaty often go together! :-) Girls, this is just one of literally hundreds of emails I've received from men, most of whom express how appealing and attractive sweaty women are to them. Think twice before you plug your pits with antiP, you might be missing out on a man who can appreciate the special HH talent nature has given us.

From Adrienne: Hey there Janet!! I just so have to commend you on your fabulous website, I wish I had the same courage and strong sense of self that you have!...Yes I am obviously one of the many women who sweat an outrageous amount from the armpits but unfortunately unlike you I fought desperately to try and 'fix' the physical problem with all the anti-perspirants, the pills, even to the last resort of irreversible surgical nerve suicide, which unfortunately left me with a far worse underarm and compensatory sweating problem than I originally had...yep it's been tough trying to put life into perspective now since surgery, I mean it's not like I have a terminal illness, yet most days I feel like the living dead!...I just accidently happened upon your website in yet another vain attempt to try and find dress-shields or some form of underclothing to try and mop up the horrendous floods that flow from every possible eccrine gland on my body...instead I received something far better through your website...so I just want to thank-you heaps for your refreshing attitude to dealing with such a potential social disability and for helping me realise that there is more to me than the sweat and although I probably won't go forth and wear whatever and be so brave I will start to change the way my mind is dealing with my unusual bodily function.

Thanks so much for writing. It is always good to hear from someone who shares the "joy" of HH.

I really have found that most people seem not to notice when I'm sweating, or are not bothered by it. Sometimes I think we're our own worst enemy when we worry too much about it.

I'm so sorry to hear about your surgery complications. I have a friend who has some similar nerve damage. I hope for an eventual recovery for you.

Meanwhile you might give the comfywear camisoles a try. Frankly I don't find them very "comfy" but I've never been fond of wearing multiple layers. For soaking up sweat, they work better than anything else I've tried. http://www.comfywear.com/

In my opinion, surgery is the last resort. One of my goals with this Web site is to spread the word that sweating is natural, we all do it, some just better than others. It's also the reason I put up some of the "shocking" pictures I do, such as of my blouses stained down to the waist, or of celebrities. Making more people familiar with HH should help remove the taboo that seems to surround it. Then we can all begin to accept both it and ourselves more.

From Akina: Your site is great! Maybe you can give me some advice. I'm 17 and get nervous when I go out on dates and sweat A LOT under my arms. My boyfriend teases me about my sweat stains and points them out to friends and I feel like I want to hide and die. What should I do?

Akina, you didn't mention if you've tried the various antiperspirants sold in drug stores, not that I particularly recommend them. Your boyfriend might be acting that way because he is nervous too and wants to deflect criticism away from himself. If he makes comments again, try to reply in a way that says it doesn't bother you. Shrug and say something like, "Yeah, my shirts have been getting like this for years" or "Tell me something I don't already know" or "Hey, that's old news." When the two of you are alone you might explain to him you have something called hyperhidrosis and that simply means you sweat more than some other people. If he continues to act inappropriately, it may be time to find a new boyfriend who is more caring about your needs.

From Celeste: Hello Janet! My sister found your website and E-mailed it to me. I am laughing and crying right along with you. I too began sweating profusely in my early teens or sooner. I remember calling my mother to come pick me up at a dance in the 8th grade two hours before it ended. I couldn't stop crying on the phone. Sh e came and picked me up and asked me what was wrong! When I finally calmed down enough so I could speak I said "I'm Sweating"! She just laughed at me. To this day it is a family quote. And the thing is I LOVE to dance. I can even remember the peach colored polyester scoop neck shirt with a little bow in the front and I will be 39 this year.

Recently though I have been noticing I sweat more on one side! What's up with that?

I am a fitness instructor so sweating comes with the territory. I however sweat Everywhere A LOT. Beads of sweat form on the end of my nose.(Just as they do on my four year old! Poor thing) The backs of my knees sweat, my shins. I always feel that slow drip of sweat down my back. The worst however is the boob sweat. Right under my breasts. A big sweaty smiley face to smile upon the world. Nice.

During exercise I try to wear only white shirts. And when I am choosing a blouse I look in to the sweat factor. How much will this fabric show sweat? I have gone in to bathrooms at parties and tried drying under my arms with toilet tissue........blowing with the hand dryer my pits and shirt.....it's an ongoing struggle that I think I am the only one struggling with.

Thanks for your website, and keep the stories coming!

Thanks for sharing your story, Celeste. I'm sure many readers can relate to it, I know I can! I would sometimes do the blow drier thing before leaving home, but my clothes would just be sweaty again by the time I got to work. I once had a hair stylist absolutely insist on blow drying my blouse after he had finished my hair. I'm sure it was quite a sight: me with my arms up, huge pit stains reflected in all the mirrors, and everyone in the salon watching him go to work with the blow drier.

You might want to check with a doctor about the uneven sweating. If you sweat more from one underarm than the other (much more) it can be the sign of some sort of nerve problem.

From TS: My mom is terribly optimistic. I grew up with her telling me that everything happens for a reason, and that most clouds have a sliver lining. Even my excessive sweating. Of course I never really believed her ....... what good could come out of drippy hands and giant pit rings?

All through my teens I looked frantically for something to stop my sweating .. my parents supported me in this and I tried everything out therethat Western Medicine could offer me. When nothing really worked, I got depressed and despite some of the great things happening in my life, I felt hopeless.

As a last resort, my mom made me try traditional chinese medicine. I was really scared to go, I mean, needles in my body? Yikes. But it didn't hurt, and the herbs that the doctor gave me tasted gross but they really helped. Now at worst I'm clammy and I find that if I take the herbs like I should, the clamminess is only about half the time.

But that's not why I'm writing this. The neat thing is that out of it all, I found my calling! I'm going to school to become a Doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Eastern med has helped me with so many other health problems, and with those of some of my family and friends as well. In fact, no one that I know who has tried it has left feeling it didn't work. And one day it hit me ........ that's what I'm supposed to do.

So, Mom was right ........ things really are the way they are for a reason. If I had never had hyperhydrosis, I would never have tried TCM, and I would never have found the job that is perfect for me.

TS, yours is a beautiful and uplifting story. It's unfortunate that we (myself included) sometimes fight so much to resist the direction nature/fate/God is pointing us. I agree there's a purpose to all, and I am glad to hear you have found your calling.You are to be commended!

And, I think on that positive note, we'll finish this Inspiration installment. See you all next time!

For prior stories, see the archives.