VerySweatyBetty.com

We have been talking about this a lot in our forum and Facebook page and telling people the importance in coming out of the closet about your HH.  Most people will have sympathy for you and will understand and maybe even accommodate for our excessive sweating.

My good friend Kimberley brought up a good one in the forum and wanted to focus on this and encourage you to tell all about your HH and go on to educating them about this disease we have no control over.

Kimberly:

So, I don’t use the word “hate” very often but I HATE when I go to someones house and the make you take your shoes off!!!!

I went to a friends parents house the other day and they made me take of my shoes!!  Just thinking of that upset me and my feet immediately started sweating because I was anxious   Needless to say I excused myself quickly and left.

I mean, I can’t sweat all over their floor and I didn’t know the well enough to ask for socks!!!  Ahhhhhhhhh I wanted to scream.

I usually always wear socks or at least bring some with me if I know I’ll be taking my shoes off but it was a spare of the moment stop.

Maybe I should have put this in the Ranting Section LOL   

My response to Kimberly:

Awe Kimberly,

Gosh how we are faced with obstacles daily living with this. I too had to go to friends house for a coffee morning about 2 weeks ago. She asked everyone if they wanted a coffee all said yes and then I perked up and said, “Can I have mine iced please?” She said sure, why? I then went onto telling the whole new English group about my disease, Hyperhidrosis!

I was sweating just talking about it as I was also anxious on what they were thinking. One of the other ladies handed me a napkin to wipe the back of my neck and dab my face as they could oblivious see the sweating beads appear!

Then after dabbing myself and explaining it’s all over my body and I can’t control it, Laura came up to me and said we love you and hugged me and said, it’s only sweat love, who cares?

She then ran upstairs and brought me a fan down and placed it right in front of me and made me a huge iced coffee.

Two of my new friends are nurses and had heard of it but never seen it and they were intrigued and wanted to know more.   So I told them how it hinders my life daily.   Told them that I wont be having my Botox again as my insurance wont recognize it They told me to keep appealing and make sure that it is put down as a necessity for my health.  (Which will be a whole other story soon)

Went on to tell them that they prob wont see me much in the blistering heat of summer and they said, they will and will accommodate for me and my sweating …But how we are cornered and don’t know what to do!  I know they will help me but I will still hide away if there is no pool or AC.  I avoid BBQ’s and other outside activities.  Being wet on my whole body is no fun and no one can see this or understands.

I feel your pain babe…How many times have we been in this awkward situation! We all have and there is nothing we can do. I can imagine how you felt..You would have been skidding all over the floor I just sit there and pour from my hair line and hope to God no one notices, or go to the bathroom often and dab myself down. Once I did this and had tissue stuck to my forehead and face How embarrassing is that!

So the moral of my story is while were panicking inside..you and your bare feet, the solution is always carry a pair of socks with you …run like hell if you don’t know them that well and they will prob never invite you again …or think screw it and be honest and tell them that we cant help the way we sweat and proceed to educate them on it

I still cringe explaining it as they all glare and stare making one sweat a little bit more, but now they no it may be easier for me in the future?

Loves ya Kimber, always carry socks, fan, paper towel regardless where we go and avoid plastic seating

www.verysweatybetty.com

A brief introduction – this is another in our series of guest blogs from our brave and lovely forum members.  Dave lives in the Philippines and suffers from palmar and plantar hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating on his hands and feet) .  This blog is being very kindly sponsored by Klima Health Solutions who are sending Dave some products to help get his sweating under control – Klima Confidence Handspray and Hyperdri Grip aluminum-free antiperspirant serum.  We’re looking forward to hearing from Dave once he’s tried the products.  We’ll keep you informed!

All links open in a new window.

Hi! Everyone! My name is Dave and I’m living in the Philippines as you will know i suffer from Hyperhidrosis on Hands and Feet.

When i was a child i didn’t notice that i have difference with my playmates, we usually play with intensely hand to hand contact but i kind a notice the sweating on my feet because i always wear slippers which doesn’t bother me also on that time. I truly notice that i have a substantial difference when i was in High School beginning on 2nd Year because i started truly socializing with other people and because this is my first time dating a woman and it is very rarely that i hold my girlfriend hands because I’m kind an anxious on what will be her opinion by that, therefore I came secret with it, until we break up i think she didn’t know that i have a Hyperhidrosis. Here in the Philippines Hyperhidrosis doesn’t give attention by government or by the society. They all think that it is normal. With my 20 years living here i never heard that the government have taken measure how to deal with it. My parents always say that’s it is normal and it is not a big deal, it is true that HH will not deteriorate you’re health even you don’t cure it will not affect you’re health condition, Indeed but for HH sufferer it will deteriorate you’re self-confidence and you’re social interaction to others. It changes your life enormously. Sometimes i get to think why i have this HH? Because among my family and relatives i am the only one who has on it then i read an article that inheritance is one possible factor of having a HH.

Sometimes I’m kind a jealous when i see they can wear slippers proudly. I usually like slippers and I’d love wearing them as my fashion but HH became a hindrance for me to switch from buying a shoe rather buying slippers. Onetime I’m ashamed when buying slipper in a local department store it is essential to try the slippers if it’s suits you but after I’ll try it I’ll be leaving traces of sweat on the sole of the slippers which is kind a embarrass especially when there a sales lady who assisting you there are other shoppers who wants to try that certain slipper.

Simple things on others are substantial important on me as an HH sufferer a simple shakes hands is absolutely normal but if you have HH it precious to shake your hands without sweating. I’ll get definitely anxious when I know I get to shake hands as a result I will shake his hand as little contact as possible. A simple high five but as an HH you must check if you’re are hands are wipe with handkerchief or sometimes will high five him with a fist (just like in the boxing). Here in the Philippines all of the commuters are riding a Jeepney when riding a jeepney the other passenger is away from the driver he or she will ask you to get his fare and pass it to the other passenger so that the jeepney driver will get his or her fare with that essential activity riding a jeepney I’m always leaving the passenger’s money with sweaty coins and wet money papers I’m very embarrassed with the driver and the passengers especially when the one who will ask to pass his or her fare is my peer. Also I’m very glad when I’m writing without having a handkerchief below my hands so that paper doesn’t have traces of sweat. Currently I’m in 4th year college and i kind an anxious eventually especially when i will take my on the job training which I will socialize in the outside world on the world of business and especially when I will take a job interview that shaking hands and writing on a paper will be indispensable.

HH in a Tropical Country have also a great impact because it is always hot so my hands sweat profusely. I also tried to treat this tried an antiperspirant from a dermatologist. Indeed it decrease my sweat a little and I’m not satisfied with the product, i decided to stop using it because It kind a costly and you buy it over and over again and for sure it will burden for my parents to add as their expenses for them. Financial Status in life is also an enormous factor to cure this HH because remedy for HH will take you a lot of money because my father’s salary is only sufficient to deal first with necessities so to my eagerness to have cure it I searched in the internet and I saw making your own homemade iontophoresis unfortunately it doesn’t work for me. Using it i feels a strong sensation that it will hurt you specially when your deep your hands in the water and when you change the polaris of the electric current in my determination i tolerated the pain when having this I also added additional volts to increase its effectiveness unfortunately doesn’t work for me with that I stop using it and have little bruises have it. I try using it every day or every other day for 2-3 weeks

HH affects greatly on your life, my passion is in music by playing musical instrument, i first started playing guitar and it is a totally a hindrance to play guitar having a HH on it, you can’t do your full potential playing on it, I’m also anxious when I’ll borrow my friend’s guitar then play a song then gave it back they will always say that “i know who use the guitar it’s Dave! Look there are traces on it” i feel embarrassed when they saying that. Even though my friends know it, but i didn’t say that i have HH they know it because they recognize it because all the time I’m using a handkerchief until now I’m not opening a topic about them I’m very embarrassed even they know it. But all of the negatives of having it, i still stay optimistic that eventually i don’t have to worry on my sweat and I will have a worry-free socializing with other.

God always challenges us and i know this is the one of his challenge gave in me and i will transcend it with the help of my love one’s and especially with the faith on God. We must not lose hope and have a faith.

I’m sincerely grateful for reading my Article and the opportunity to write an article it is really a honour for me.

I hope i can help and relate my fellow HH in a Simple Manner by writing an article.

We must spread awareness of HH that it isn’t just normal in fact it truly affects one’s life.