VerySweatyBetty.com

Hello all,
I have been feeling so frustrated since last week thinking I was going to receive my Facial, Cranial Botox as a Hyperhidrosis treatment.

We drove 50 miles round trip and waited almost 45 minutes to be seen by my lovely Dermatologist, when she took me back  I placed my bag on the window sill next to the procedure bed thinking this is where I would have my treatment done.  I could see her looking and she told me to sit in the chair near her.  (I thought she prob wants to go over the side effects and make sure all meds were the same?!)

I sat and waited and she smiled weakly and said, “The are not allowing you to have the Botox treatment as they see if as a cosmetic procedure rather than a medical treatment!”

She apologized and I know in my heart if she could have made it happen she would.

I was gob smacked and told her I thought I was having it done? I said the her nurse had called telling me so?!  She said she was sorry for this and that it was a miss communication.  She thought it best to have her deliver the news in person rather than over the phone.  I told her thank you and asked why!  All I wanted to do was burst into tears and scream.

She said they saw it as a cosmetic thing rather than a medical treatment and I challenged her and said big organizations claim that most insurance companies are now seeing Botox as the big treatment for this and why wont mine?  She said they don’t understand, they don’t get it!  Even though it stated all the other tried treatments failed.

I then proceeded on and said, “do they think I want a wrinkle free scalp and hair line?” I’m not asking to have this done any where else!  I could see if I was having it done around my eyes and other areas.  She replied they just dont get it.  I them told her how this affects me on a daily basics.  She gets it, she really does but her hands were tied.

How are they EVER GOING TO GET HOW IT EFFECTS US ON A DAILY BASICS???  Can anyone answer this?  Until they walk in our sweaty bodies, they never will or if they have a close family or friend who suffers to really see the draining impact of life and hyperhidrosis.  They will never know how we turn down social events and fear ones we have to attend because they don’t understand or get it!

They will never know how we hide behind closed doors or wear dark clothing to disguise the sweating.  How we feel dirty and what it feels like to have to live in wet clothing.  To suffer yeast infections on our skin and chaff from the sweating.   How afraid we are of having to shake a hand or hold something.  How we have to change clothing often and ruin our clothing because of the smell and sweat stains that wont come out.  How we slip and slide in shoes or make them so wet and funky we have to replace them often.   How normal activities for everyone else turn into a sweaty night mare for us.  The fear of hot weather and humidity.

How would they feel, if they walked in our bodies for a week?

Do you think Hyperhidrosis would be more accepted and treated better?

I have a member in the forum the same way as I was a week ago!!   Crushed and in tears as she was told she could not have the oral medication they prescribe for this (even though it is not for Hyperhidoris) but used as one of the side effects is less sweating!  We take them because of this, regardless of their horrid side effects and dangers of being in prolonged daylight.  We take them because they give us some relief and peace of mind from the endless sweating.  Just like we do with hundreds of needles if WE  ARE GRANTED, Botox or Dysport as a treatment for this.  The only treatment currently to give us a few months break and less of the horrible side effects but it is like liquid gold, hard to get!   Do we blame the manufacturer or maybe Doctors or even the public for making it this way?  It is seen as a cosmetic procedure for vanity but what can give SUFFERERS OF HYPERHIDROSIS relief we are denied!

What can I tell her?!

I can give her the support and comfort she deserves as she is a beautiful human being who suffers and has become a dear friend.  She suffers daily not only physically but emotionally as they go hand in hand.  The emotional round about we are on daily would swing your head!  The thought and preparation of a day in a sufferers life if there is an social event would have you a basket case too!

How do I tell her that everything is going to be OK?  How do I tell myself?  With not having professionals understanding this skin disease, WHO IS?

I have a big event coming up in two weeks and had to pay for my own treatment, most are not cheap.

I have to give a big shout out to my wonderful Dermatologist in Austin, Dr Daniel Carrasco who does understand and did help at a discounted price.

We need more understanding on this and compassion from professionals.  More awareness need to be raised and if your with me let me know and we can fight against this together.  There needs to be more cheaper treatments available for us that don’t burn our skin, dry us out or can even cause heat stroke.

I hope you understand and I pray to God that one day we will all get the treatment we deserve while living with this social killer, self confidence drainer and self esteem robber sore,  they call HYPERHIDROSIS.

This was written by a friend who suffers from Hyperhidrosis and posted this on our forum for all to see.  Knowell has his own site and writes blogs about living with this condition.
We thank you for letting us share this great story.

Early last week, one of my Indian office mate (Abdulhamid) received a warning letter from our HR that he was untidy and smelly, and threatened to apply salary deduction. While sobbing, he showed the letter to me and mentioned that ‘this is your payoff for all the good things you tried to share and exerted to this company’. With caution I asked him if that was true. He directly told me that he cannot avoid it because he has a sweating problem. Gosh.. only then I knew that somebody right there from our office share the same sweating problem like me!..

Immediately I told to Abdulhamid not to lose his composure; and assured him that I myself will assist in solving this issue. It’s really a long time I tried to bypass my office mates’ negative comments about this condition. Now this is such a relief for me to validate acceptance of our situation.

I wrote a separate e-mail addressed to our Administration and HR manager that they are wrong in labeling Abdulhamid as ‘untidy’. Aside from telling them that their accusation has nothing to do with his work performance, I told them that he did not choose to experience being untidy; in fact he cannot avoid being untidy because of his sweating problem. I told them that he has body and axillary hyperhidrosis, while I have palmo-plantar hyperhidrosis.. Finally i emphasized to them that they have no idea how we suffered trying to adjust with this condition.

After that, I informed to Abdulhamid what I did. I waited if the HR will call us for further reprimand but interestingly, the week almost passed and we never heard anything from them. I asked Abdulhamid for anything and said he never heard anything also, neither the HR opened the topic again as if nothing was circulated..

Whether they will accept us or not, what really matter is understanding the condition which can be possible only by raising the issue into public awareness. An understanding that life has imperfections; but the way we live makes it perfectly wonderful. And a trust that if the situation is beyond our control, we can rest assured with our Creator who has the total control of everything when he said “be still and know that I am the Lord..” I encourage you to please share your similar experiences to reinforce all of us.

http://ehsociety.wordpress.com/

If you are interested in being our guest blog feature for our front page let us know.  You can contact Beverly or Anne on the forum with a private message, all can be confidential.

Tonight I was going to blog about electrolytes but I’m really fired up about the procedures in place (or not) regarding Botox for hyperhidrosis.

Dr Oz (in the US) had a segment on tv for just this subject, today.  Amongst other things he recommended Botox.  Many dermatologists recommend it – but when it comes to medical insurance or national health services, their get out-of-jail-free card is that it’s a ‘cosmetic’ product and procedure.  I don’t know of a single insurer that is content to allow Botox for hyperhidrosis.  You might be lucky to get it once, or maybe even twice – but you’re really on borrowed time with it.

Botox costs relatively little to purchase – around $150 a vial.  For the Botox to be administered, you could be paying around $3,000 for your dermatologist’s time – around half an hour.  There really aren’t many people who can afford to do that a couple of times a year.

Medical insurers and dermatologists are fully aware that Botox is a fantastic treatment for hyperhidrosis but they have failed to produce a code that authorises the treatment, even though for the last 15 months, hyperhidrosis has been categorised as a skin disease rather than a condition.  It is easy for a dermatologist to distinguish between cosmetic and medical situations so why isn’t there a code for authorising Botox as a legitimate medical procedure? Can you tell where this is going?  One word.  MONEY.  Why do we continue to pay insurance premiums and national insurances when they can refuse us something that would give us back a little self-respect and quality of life.  I haven’t left a question mark at the end of the last sentence, you’ll notice, frankly I’m not interested in a reply to that one.  Whatever it is, it’s doubtless going to be well thought out and designed to fob us off.

As with many things, vanity has played a part in denying us the medical treatment we so desperately need.  Think about it – breast augmentation is carried out regularly on the National Health Service if you can convince the doctors/surgeon that having a B cup is seriously ruining your life and a DD cup would stop your depression and eternal misery.  It’s a non-essential procedure. I can understand a breast reduction – carrying around large breasts can seriously damage your back and cause constant pain.  I don’t have a problem with reconstruction surgery, for instance after a mastectomy or for women who have two obviously noticeable breasts of different sizes.  A few years ago, there were many women having caesarian (c-section) births because it was fashionable – Too Posh to Push.  Unless there is a medical need for this procedure, it comes under the ‘elective’ category, and therefore a personal choice that costs insurance companies/health services millions – if not billions every year.

There are many flaws – some of them hypocritical – with the treatment of hyperhidrosis patients and this really needs to be addressed.  We’re not asking for anything to be enhanced, made prettier, more fashionable – and whilst it’s not essential, neither are most elective procedures – but they’re somehow considered important.

I’m sure we’ll rant some more cover this subject again at some point.  Please feel free to comment or get involved with our forum discussions on this and just about everything else you can think about.

We MUST find a way to change this, it’s not about vanity and wrinkles and wanting something for nothing, it’s just about the one thing that will increase our quality of life immeasurably.

As I sit here sweating, regretting the cup of tea I have just enjoyed and drank,  I thought hot caffeine is one of my worst enemies, living with Hyperhidrosis.
We all have triggers that make us sweat faster and knowing these can help and try to avoid them.  I now drink my coffee in the morning’s iced as this helps and does not speed me up as fast.  We don’t have to give up everything, we tend to live OUR LIVES around our sweating to begin with!
Take note, we have a current discussion going on about this and what makes you switch on more??? Add to our list and discussion on the forum.

Here are a few we all complain aobut:

Heat,

Humidity,

Caffeine,

Alcohol.

Tabacco,

Spicy or hot foods,

Anxiety,

Stress,

Rushing around or housework

Gardening.

The list could go on and on…WHAT  TRIGGERS YOU??????

CALLING ALL TEENAGERS, CALLING ALL VSB TEENS!!!!!!

With spring springing and summer looming your all cramming the books and revising for your exams, some of you are in your final year.

How are you ALL coping? Is the added stress making your HH worse? Do you find yourself feeling alone and tired and sick of sweating?

Wanted to tell you all, YOU’RE NOT ALONE!

Here at VSB WE are here for you! We will give you the support you need and friendship and the tools and know how to get you by another day living with HH.

Get to know each other and share other interests, music, videos.

We provide a safe place for you all.

http://verysweatybetty.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=46&t=1386

• ETS was banned in Sweden – it’s birthplace – in 2003 after overwhelming complaints of side effects and disabilities resulting from the surgery.
• 51% of ETS patients have reported a decreased quality of life.
• Sympathectomy can have adverse changes in how your nerves function and alters many bodily functions including lungs, eyes, heart rate, heart stroke volume as well as the autonomic nervous system.  This means your brain may be unable to make the normal automatic adjustments to your environment, emotions, everyday stimuli etc.
• ETS interrupts messages from your brain that would normally travel to many of your organs, glands and muscles.  In fact, your brain will be unable to communicate with a significant proportion of your body once the surgery has taken place.
• Studies have shown that ETS surgery physically causes psychological changes.
• A common side effect of nerves damaged (in ETS) re-sprouting is known as Frey’s syndrome.  This triggers abnormal facial sweating and excessive sweating when eating.  Even the smell of something can trigger excessive sweating as the signals to the brain are mixed up.
• You may well notice changes in sweating throughout the rest of your body – 25-75% of people experience this.
• One Compensatory Sweating (CS) study shows that as many as 30.9% of people suffer from severe sweating – and around a quarter of those patients described the side effect as ‘major and disabling’.
• Finnish Health Care Authorities have produced a 40 page review that ETS is associated with ‘significant and long term side effects’.
• Chronic pain can develop after surgery due to damage of nerves.  This pain can’t be cured as once nerves have been damaged, there’s no way of reversing it.
• Some ETS patients need to have a pacemaker fitted after surgery as their heart rate slows down considerably and dangerously.
• Reversal must be performed within a few days/weeks but it’s wise not to expect to recover to pre-ETS health as the chances are so slim they’re almost non-existent.
• One study has shown an increase in sweating by ETS patients – by comparing before and after results.
• Be prepared to stop exercising – your ability may well be diminished after having ETS.
• ETS has a far too high rate of regret attached – one study of patients shows a very low rate of satisfaction in 28% of people.

These facts and figures all stack up, the risks are significant – Russian Roulette springs to mind – at best it’s a huge gamble.  As these statistics are so damning, why is ETS actually still an option outside Sweden?  Why are some surgeons ignoring these studies and claiming ETS has a 100% rate of success?  My own thought on that final question is yes, technically speaking, ETS cures sweaty hands.  Omitting to relay the rest of the information is hardly the sign of a trustworthy professional in my book.

For the full article, please click here.

I have been so down in the dumps the last few weeks since returning back from my trip home in England.  I have not been there in almost 10 years and growing up in a small South East Village as a child I could not wait to leave.

However now being in my late 30′s I see England in a whole different way.  While home I enjoyed the cooler weather and cooler evenings, the humidity got to me a few days but nothing like living here in South Texas USA.  How I long for cooler pastures which one day will be, but for now I have to make the most of what I have and the daily battle with HPYERHIDROSIS.

Most days  I wake up wet!   My head, neck, chest and back will be sweaty, I have a ceiling fan constantly blowing and two stationary fans in the bedroom blowing on me!  I know the experts say you don’t sweat at night but I know I do and there is a condition called SLEEP HYPERHIDROSIS.   I may be already going through the beginning of MENOPAUSE which can make sweating worse night or day?   I find that when it’s that awful time again my sweating gets worse.  I think hormones are to blame for the added heat and sweat each month.

Beverly swears by the CHILLOW ( pillow), you can find these in our VSB SHOP.  I am thinking of investing in one as she claims they keep your head cool and she is sweat free.

I then help the girls get ready for school and drink an iced coffee!   I can no longer drink HOT drinks, these speed me up and I just pour of sweat!!   I am just miserable regardless if I’m in air conditioned or outside.

After seeing my girls off to school I start cleaning up, may be a quick sweep, dust, clean bathrooms the normal daily chores and after about 20 min into this I will start dripping from the back of my head, (hairline) then the sweat moves down my chest, armpits, groin, and feet will be soaked.  I also suffer with facial and chest blushing, looks like I have been out in the sun all day!

The things we face daily, it can cripple our EMOTIONS, SELF CONFIDENCE AND SELF ESTEEM,  regardless if your a Male or Female.
After the fight of my morning sweat I then take a cooler shower.  This sets my body into spastic mode and I sweat for about another 30-45+ minutes.  I have to cool myself down even before I think of makeup and hair.  I also take a fan into the bathroom with me just to keep me cooler while applying makeup.   Do you find that shampoos, body washes, creams, lotions make you sweat more too?

Being a WOMAN can be a night mare living with HH, as I said it takes me 45+ minutes to cool down before applying any facial creams or makeup.  When I am applying cream, this will also set me off and my face will start sweating!  Makes applying makeup impossible!

I found a solution to this, my good friend at Klima sent me his new product, www.klimadeodorant.com  The product is called Facade and you apply it once a day for the first week,  (follow instructions there after) and let it dry and after about 2 weeks I started to notice a reduction in my under eye sweating, nose and lip!  Making applying daily makeup easier.

Another thing I noticed was how this product was making my skin feel so smooth and silky.  I also noticed it was helping me with my mild acne and open pores.  Then after a few weeks I  noticed I had less visible wrinkles

This product is wonderful and recommend it to anyone who has facial sweating.  It is aluminum free and very gentle on your face, not like the abrasive prescription products that burn and irritate  your skin.  I have not applied this product to my forehead yet as I had Facial and cranial Botox last June, once it wears off I will be using it.

Also I am excited for my Daughter who has been using  Klima Facade on her face, remember it is Aluminum Free so no chemicals being used on someone so young, (13)   She noticed after 1 week it was reducing her sweat and after 3 weeks her facial sweating had been reduced by 70%  Another advantage to this great product was it cleared up her acne.  She was so happy one day and lifted her bangs up and said, “Look, my Zits are going!”  I was so happy and said it was probably the Facade that dried them up.

So now I have my makeup on and styling my hair.  I then proceed into my wardrobe and stare at my CLOTHING, what to wear?   I have to think of what the HUMIDITY and HEAT are  going to be?

On a normal day it is HOT here regardless.!  Most of my wardrobe consists of black and patterned clothing.  It hides a multitude of sins, SWEATING being one of them.  I longed to wear colours instead of patterns or dark or black as my AUXILIARY (armpit sweating) was just so bad.  I would leave small plate size rings around my armpits, showing through my CLOTHING and EMBARRASSING me, I also left SALT  lines on my darker clothing and shoes.

I have been trying klima products for this too and have seen remarkable results!  I have been using Hyper Dri another Aluminum Free product in the evening and Bone Dri in the day to keep me sweat free and smelling clean.  I used these a few weeks before I went to the UK and while I was in the UK and I did not have an embarrassing problem with sweat marks or salt marks.

I also used their sure foot spray  as I tend to ruin shoes, flip flops and slippers on a regular basics, also I tend to have smelly feet from the bacteria.  This spray worked really well and you can shower and not have to worry about reapplying it.  It did make my feet dry at first but with a good moisturizer you can avoid this.  I am able to wear flip flops and not have to worry about ruining them or the smelly bacteria.

After choosing an outfit to wear and finally cooling down I will work on VSB or go out with girl friends and family.  I tend to avoid being out in the heat any time I can.  I go from an AC van to an AC store.

How we miss the little things in life living with this.  I’d love to go for a walk, picnic but can’t in this constant heat.  I long for the few weeks of winter here in South Texas.  I feel normal for a while and can enjoy the outdoors.

Once kids are home I then cook dinner, this alone makes me sweaty!  I tend to bring one of my fans and have that blowing on me.  I have to fight for this with my brown poodle, Yogi who suffers too   Who said pets don’t suffer, he takes over the fan and ears are flapping.

I find that after eating within minutes I start sweating again, this is caused by GUSTATORY sweating, spices, heat, foods that you digest.

Are we really ever FREE from SWEATING?  If you look at your every day life?  I know I’m not.

How do we balance life and find happiness living with HYPERHIDROSIS?

We can help you find BALANCE, HAPPINESS, SUPPORT and FRIENDSHIP, right here at VSB, our members make it happen.  We are an independent, non-profit organization.  All of us are volunteers and all suffer from Hyperhidrosis.

All these products I have spoken about you can find these products at www.klimadeodorant.com   They offer a free consultation to helping YOU find the right product for YOUR Hyperhidrosis.

So maybe we can find balance and happiness.

Hope to see you in the forum.

hugs and sweat happens, try not to let it take over you life.

“Anne

www.verysweatybetty.com

Hyperhidrosis is a skin disease.  It can be generalised or localised to specific parts of the body.  Hands, feet, armpits, and the groin area are among the most active regions of perspiration due to the relatively high concentration of sweat glands; however, any part of the body may be affected.

Hyperhidrosis can also be classified depending on whether it is a congenital (hereditary) or an acquired trait.  Primary hyperhidrosis is found to start during adolescence or even before and seems to be inherited as a genetic trait.  Primary hyperhidrosis must be distinguished from secondary hyperhidrosis, which can start at any point in life.  The latter form may be due to a disorder of the thyroid or pituitary gland, diabetes mellitus, tumors, gout, menopause, certain drugs or mercury poisoning.  It can be a symptom  of temporary illnesses like colds and ‘flu or hormonal changes such as periods or menopause.  Hyperhidrosis can also be divided into Palmar/Plantar (symptomatic sweating of primarily the hands or feet), Axilliary (armpit sweating), Facial/Cranial (sweating from the face/head region), Gustatory (sweating whilst eating/digesting a meal) or generalised hyperhidrosis which covers sweating from any other area in your body.

Everybody sweats, it’s a normal function which serves to cool us down so we don’t overheat.  Hyperhidrosis is caused by an overactive (ie broken) thermal regulator (the bodies thermostat).  In the simplest terms, in a Hyperhidrotic’s body, their thermostatic control is stuck on the hottest setting.

A medical diagnosis should always be sought, but if you sweat to an excessive level, there are now many ways of dealing with it.

About Sweaty Betty.
We are a small group of normal people who just happen to sweat a lot.  We’re not alone – millions of people worldwide suffer from this acutely embarrassing  and socially isolating condition, but, because of the negativity and misconceptions surrounding sweating and being sweaty, they attempt to keep it to themselves and suffer in silence.  As with all taboo issues, it only takes a few like-minded people to get together to blow a taboo wide apart and tell it how it really is.  Hence www.verysweatybetty.com was born.

We are committed to raising awareness of Hyperhidrosis and dispel the stigma and ignorance surrounding sweat and sweating.

Don’t allow your sweat glands to control your life any longer, please join us and find out how you can take control and start living your life again.

Our links:
www.youtube.com/verysweatybetty
www.twitter.com/verysweatybetty
www.facebook.com/betty.sweaty