VerySweatyBetty.com

Thank you for your blog Lisa! It sounds very familiar to me, with friends like that, who needs enemies? **big hugs**

Me and my annoying friend hyperhidrosis i cant get rid of.

I wake up suddenly with my hair stuck to my face and my pj’s clinging to my body, I throw the duvet off and jump out of my sweaty bed. Glancing at the temperature I see 12 degrees today in my house…..yet it still feels like 30 degrees as i’m burning up. Grab a cold drink, sit down and calm myself down.

Time to get ready for the day….highs of 15 degrees today. White t-shirt, jeans and thin black cardi. I fling the bathroom window wide open, feeling the cold air on my face whilst brushing my teeth. Start applying my make up, I’m tempted to turn my mini fan on but I battle through this morning. Scrape my hair back and clip the loose hair back. I wish I could straighten my hair but this friend of mine doesn’t let me straighten it and if he does within 10 minutes of walking out the door he has made it a curly wet mess.

Grab my bag, and pull my coat on…..attempting to look normal and avoid catching a cold. I’m running late for my doctors appointment, a 10 minute brisk walk and i’m there. Now I could be wrong but I’m sure I have walked into a sauna…..I quickly strip down to my t-shirt and push open a window. Only to get moaned at by an old lady complaining its cold with the window open. I want to scream at her, she’s sitting there in her coat rosy cheeked, I’m sitting there in a t-shirt sweat pouring everywhere. I stumble into the doctors room and get through my appointment in a soggy mess. I can’t bare to put my coat on so walk come without it on.

Strip down for 10 minutes before I need to leave for my follow up dermatologists appointment. Surprise surprise Im sure the doctor made them turn the heating off and open all the windows so its cold in the waiting room. I get called in, instructed to strip and told Im not sweating. Plucking up the courage to tell her to shove her hand in my undies when a male nurse flies in and I back out. My pills didn’t work. Her response? It’s only sweating you are just going to have to live with it. Oh how much I wished something like freaky Friday would have happened right then!!

I head into town finding it unbearable. I find it ironic that the shops turn their heating on to encourage custom. Any hot shops don’t get my custom I walk straight out.

Get the phone call about my car. It’s not worth fixing…..the sweat pours just thinking of the stressful few days to follow. Arrive at the garage to pay the man just in a t-shirt, he comments about how I must be freezing. I brush it off and get out of there as quick as I can.

Finally home, I chuck on some joggers and a vest. Time to start on dinner. Fling the kitchen windows wide open, prepare my kitchen towel to dab my face and crack on. Eventually get though cooking.

Bath time, my favourite part of the day. I let the cold water run into the bath 5 minutes before i get out. Sit down in my towel drying off and get into my pyjamas.

Bed time with half my body outside of the duvet and half my body under the duvet I finally get to sleep. Another day over in what seems like a hell hole.

My name is Lisa and I’m a generalized sweater, my friend hyperhidrosis insists on introducing himself first every day.

Hello all,

I thought I would approach this subject as most of us seem to be complaining about what to wear, what if I sweat.  We all have the, “What If’s?”
I know I am, and as time is getting closer to Thanksgiving, Christmas office parties, dinners, dances, Ball’s, schools plays, shopping we all tend to suffer from pre-festivity panic.

We tend to panic and make ourselves worse than what we began.  If we just looked at this simply we could erase a lot of our, “What If’s”
If you are like me and my life has been so busy this year has flown and were here again!  I am currently getting ready to move and I have a big ball approaching.  I have tried to get out of it but looks like I am going to have to attend.  I have been listening to the other wife’s and their excitement on dresses and hair do’s and such and I wish or I pray I could also get as excited as them and wear the lovely clothing.  But in reality I can’t!

I have thought about going back on my oral medication for a few weeks but I am still battling a sinus infection and will probably not help matters right now.

Can you join me in making a list on what we should do and what we should not do?  Here are some of my sugestions.
If daytime office lunch, dress in layers and battle your way like a rugby player, American Football player, to get that seat next to the window, and as the lunch begins and you feel your sweating arrive, take off your layers, ask to open up the window and if your a woman blame it on a hot flash…yes we do have an advantage on that one, sorry Gentlemen.

If an office party, again dress in layers and make believe your an onion and peal them off, also if windows available use them or take in a power hand fan or use a folder to cool you down lol..I’m beginning to smile here now as have been there done all the above and will carry on.

Thanksgiving dinner, Christmas dinner..one of the worst as so much preping and cooking can make for a hot hell hole before it even begins, If you can make sure someone else cooks or go out..laughing hard now! 

OK, if you are cooking then do what I always do, buy a already cooked turkey and prepare most of your sides and deserts the day and evening before, takes off so much stress and you can sweat all over everything and they will never know, with 5 fans blowing on you from every angle, kidding about the dripping in food sweat…tee-hee!

Dressing for the occasion can be the hardest of them all and the daunting task we all fear….What am I going to wear that wont show my sweating, wishing you could just crawl into a dark hole and remain there.  I would advise a very light material or dinner jacket, nothing that is going to cling to the body or create more heat. 

I swear by dark clothing, hides a multitude of sins, including sweating..ha!  I love black and silver as they look so good together, a bit of bling and you can’t go wrong.  What I have found helps also is wear some glimmer lotion as if the sweat does arrive you can’t really see it, or as my girls like to call it, Fairy dust

For our hand sweaters, I encourage a cold or half frozen water bottle always remain in your hands and you can use the frozen water melting as your excuse.  Also have a face cloth hidden in a pocket or purse.  For head sweaters also, go to the bathroom and mop down! 

For the ones whom like to have a few drinks, like me, I always have two beers before as this will trigger my sweating and once my body has had the initial shock of alcohol it will not be bad as first arriving and having a drink!!!  I tend to go bright red in the chest, neck and face…I wear a shawl and large jewelry to try to hide this.

So my dear friends, members, fellow sweaters, brother and sisters, I encourage you to add your little secrets on what you do to keep the sweat at bay.

Will you be on the naughty or nice list this year?  Hee hee…you can use your imagination and help others achieve less sweat this SEASON.
Hugs,

Anne x

Want to thank our member and guest for this wonderful blog. You are a pure gem.

If you want to help us RAISE AWARENESS on living with Hyperhidrosis, please join in our cause.  We are one of the highest viewed sites and our Alexa ratings are high.  What could be better than trying to get our little voices out to make one big one.

My story,

I have had palmer hyperhydrosis since I can remember (I’m 25) and it has caused me no end of bullying through school with people not wanting to hold my hand etc.   I have tried all the creams available and, although they work well to an extent, they make my hands so dry and sore that I can’t use them for any length of time.

Since having my son I have also developed it in my armpits (and also a bit in my feet though not quite as bad) and now my problems have really started.

I work in a high school as a learning support assistant, and even though I wash everyday and use various deodorants etc. throughout the day, I have kids refusing to sit with with me because ‘I smell’ and now have my boss on to me trying to get occupational health involved as she has had ‘complaints from other staff’ about my condition.

I have explained many times that I am doing all I can to control my condition and that the last time I spoke to a doctor about it I seemed to know more than they did!  (So basically don’t think HE will tell me anything I don’t already know!)

Also I myself do not always notice any odor so I need the other staff support to tell me, but to no avail.   They are even telling me that if I don’t “SORT OUT THE PROBLEM” then I may not be able to CONTINUE WITH MY JOB!

I am also suffering with work related stress at the moment which is only exacerbating my condition, and now with them ‘on my back’ about it it is only getting even worse in both respects! (The only strategy they have suggested to ‘help’ is that I change my clothes at regular intervals during the day. With the amount I sweat this would be about every 2 hours or so to avoid any trace of sweat patches or smell so I would need 3 changes of clothes everyday at work! Plus I could just imagine the kids asking “Why have you changed your top Miss?”   So it is just not practical in my view!

I also have a problem with my amateur dramatics society when,  at the last minute I was given a very thick,  hot cloak to wear onstage.   I informed them of my condition and that I would be likely to faint with the heat and loss of water if I had to wear it,  (I once came VERY close to fainting onstage in the past and only just made it backstage before I literally collapsed in a chair!)   I was told to “GROW UP AND GET ON WITH IT“!                                                                             “EVERYONE SWEATS”,  and finds the cloaks hot but they just get on with it!”   Evey night of that show I used to just about make it through the scene and then have to rush to sit on a chair and drink loads of sports drink before I was fit for anything. even then if one of the older members wanted the chair I was expected to give it up as I was ‘Just being silly!’

I really think more should be done to, PROMOTE AWARENESS,  for this condition to the general public and medical staff,  as people seem to have no idea about how debilitating this condition is or how hard it is to ‘just deal with it’. They seem to think we can just stop the sweating but we can’t!

How we can all relate to this, what would you advise our kind member?  We all suffer the same.  Please join us in our battle to raise awareness on this awful affliction we all share.  Feel free to leave comment, join us in our forum www.verysweatybetty/forum

The more we help the STRONGER WE BECOME.

Tell us your story, join the forum to make this possible, help for the better cause.

How many of you have tried Denise Bartell’s Wrapps?  Since we posted this blog 11 months ago, Wrapps has gone from strength to strength.  They’re now being sold all over the world and have given hundreds (if not thousands) of people enormous relief from groin sweat.  Denise is always looking at ways to improve the Wrapps but unlike corporations, the quality of the fabric or fastenings will never be compromised.  Each Wrapp is handcrafted by Denise who worked for many years as a professional seamstress.  If you suffer from sweating in your ‘area’ and you’re either a) male or b) female, then Wrapps are perfect for you.

For me, Wrapps means I can wear a skirt or dress for the first time since I can remember.  It also means that I can wear any colour of trousers – I’m not restricted to black linen cropped trousers.

Denise’s testimonials page is great reading, you can tell just how much these have changed people’s lives LINK (opens in new window).

This is our original blog, it explains how Wrapps came about.

Hello, my name is Denise and I designed the Wrapp.

The Wrapp literally wraps around the crotch of one’s briefs. The name just seemed to fit perfectly, like the Wrapp itself. The idea of the Wrapp came out of years of sheer desperation and utter frustration. The extra P stands for Perspiration.

Having taught myself to sew at 7, I have always kept decent size scraps from previous projects, tucked away…so I found my stash of muslin scraps, and got to sewing. I had some towels that were old, but not quite ready to be “dog towels” yet. So, I started drawing, freehand right on the fabric, using a commercial pad as a guide using a soft lead art pencil. My first attempt fitted great, however much to my disappointment, the Velcro closure added heat, and frankly did not work too well. Unless scratching ones inner thigh with the teeth of the Velcro was the goal…and it was not. So I took the seam ripper to all the Velcro, and tried a sew-on snap.

The snap looks great on paper, but the snap just could not take the tension. The snaps just popped open with the slightest movement. So, back to the drawing board…a simple hook and eye, they are still used on bras today. These work great admittedly, occasionally I have to either apply pressure to the hook to bend it in or get out the fine adjusting tool (known in some circles as a hammer,) and give the hook portion a tap to take it down a bit. So, that is what I went with…the hook and eye. Although very tedious to sew on, this works the best and does not add any heat, and doesn’t pop open. Initially there was no top stitching on the Wrapp, but was added later as the insert had a tendency to shift, hence I stitched it down to keep it from shifting…

I later switched from terry cloth to waffle muslin, for the (inside) liner – thus named because it looks like a waffle, when looking down on it. I also experimented with muslin fabrics as I had some difficulty with quality that I had never encountered with muslin before, some muslin had a tendency to pill and stretch. It was very disappointing to spend so much time on the construction of a garment to have it the fabric pill and stretch. So I finally went with a finer weave, more expensive, unbleached muslin that has a luxurious 200 thread count, and is always consistent.

I was just trying to solve an extremely difficult problem, for myself, to enable me to find a job. Never knowing, much less believing anyone else ever suffered from soggy elastic cutting into ones inner thighs to the point of wanting to literally rip my hair out of my head as I staggered around screaming. This excessive sweating started when I turned 14 and I suffered with it for well over 4 decades. It was only in the last few years that I even learned there was a name for this condition, moreover, I learned that it was not “just me.” For years I tried just about everything, baby powder, deodorants, antiperspirants, bladder control pads, yet nothing seemed to help. The talc turned to a gray sludge and only served to further aggravate skin eruptions. Deodorants and antiperspirants caused blisters, different soaps caused a variety of problems. The smaller sanitary pads did not work, they shredded into thousands of soggy pieces. The bladder control pads were bulky, hot, expensive and not always easy to dispose of. But as there was nothing else available, that is what I went with. But, with virtually no money, what to do, what to do…

What one frequently does is look within to solve a problem. So, I sat down and sewed until I made my Wrapps perfect. I wore my Wrapps for a few months, before I even found the Very Sweaty Betty web site. I was absolutely astounded to discover I was not alone. I am not the only person alive who sweats enough to float a battleship. It was such a relief to know it had a name. By then I had experienced a dry, comfortable crotch for a few months and I could not believe it. No skin eruptions, no yeast infections, no overheated, soggy clothing. After all those years that I did everything humanly possible to hide my soggy, miserable, painful secret were suddenly reversed, and now I was ready to take out billboard space over it.

The commercially produced incontinent pads I had been using cost approximately $15.00 for a pack of 60, so even using 2 pads a day that was still about $180.00 a year. They were bulky, uncomfortable, hot, added to the landfill, and were expensive. The Wrapp encapsulates the elastic on one’s briefs, holding the elastic away from the skin, allowing the moisture in the bend of the leg to evaporate instead of being absorbed into the (elastic and) underwear. And my Wrapps are completely washable, hundreds and hundreds of times, they get softer with each wash and there’s no need to iron! No more standing in line at the grocery store with a bulky package of incontinence pads (Wrapps work for more than ‘just’ perspiration)…all that and they still catch a laugh too! I now wish I had discovered these when I was going through menopause, but I didn’t, oh well…

Wrapps were initially just for myself. However, for men, there’s more good news, the Wrapp work just as well for you, holding the elastic of your briefs up off your skin, no more chaffing in that oh so delicate area, and no one will ever know unless you tell them. This too, came about quite organically (and later went on to be tested by various men and women to wear whilst playing sports). I was at the kitchen table, cutting out a batch ofWrapps, and my sisters boyfriend (a musician) walked by, and asked what I was making. I explained theWrapps and he wanted to know if he could try them. A few days later, he asked if I had any more of them, he had an outdoor gig he had to play and the Wrapp worked great for his outdoor gig…Now, all of our Wrapps have been marked with an indelible pen, with our names, so we all know his from mine and my sisters Wrapps as virtually every batch of clean clothes has dry, clean, cool Wrapps, ready to go…

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to email me. I will respond as soon as humanly possible.

Denise x

www.coolwrapps.com

Every month I have a little ritual, especially when I’m burning up inside and pouring with sweat outside.  I count the months left until we get to the cooler months.  Today my thoughts turn to the second of the traditionally hotter months, June, which begins tomorrow.  That can only be a bad thing for us sweaters.  But it can also be a good thing.  When we’re in June, we have only July, August and September to get through before it starts cooling down to any really helpful degree.  This time tomorrow I’ll be sat here thinking “the end of next month we’ll be halfway through the worst of it”.  Thinking like that picks me up and helps me to cope with life when I feel like I’m never going to cool down inside and feel ‘normal’ ever again.

I know we shouldn’t wish our lives away but those of us who suffer with Hyperhidrosis tend to do just that – and not particularly care.  It’s not as if we really have much of a life: we avoid going to places, events, wish we could hide at work so nobody will notice our sweaty patches and die inside when we catch someone looking at us.  Granted some of it is down to paranoia – if we can feel the sweat pouring from our skin then surely it’s visible to other people?  Not necessarily so, most people are busy looking at or lost in thought over something else – why would they stare at me for long enough to see my sweat?  It’s only when we have any kind of dealing with someone – ie at the checkout, in the bank or post office – that people might possibly notice.  I sometimes silently challenge people to notice – and I’m sure some of them do – but I’ve never once had the look of repulsion that I’ve always imagined coming my way.  That probably tells you more about me than it does ‘Joe Public’ – I feel revulsion towards myself when I’m dripping with sweat and my clothes are soaked through.  It’s just the way it goes, especially if you’re having a ‘down’ day or your hair and scalp haven’t been dry for weeks on end and you’re sticking uncomfortably to your clothes in the middle of a big family ‘do where everyone else is sweat-free and enjoying themselves.  Some of my family are aware of my sweating but most of my extended family don’t know.  I often wonder what they think of me sitting in the corner – I don’t suppose they imagine for a second that I’m just trying to keep cool because I’m doing my best to avoid looking like a human colander!  I’d rather people just think I’m a bit bizarre – because that’s how the sweating makes me feel.  I do wonder whether anyone has theories of why I appear so unsociable – I amuse myself by making up scenarios in my head, it’s a great diversionary tactic when I’m wishing the ground would open up beneath my feet!

I always manage to get through these things, the worst part of it is the dread and fear (where have I heard that before?!) in the lead up to that date in my calendar and the anxiety that stays with me until it’s over.

You know when you’re going out on a hot date or a big night out with your friends and you’re beside yourself with excitement?  That’s often the best part.  For us, the best part is going home, taking off our soggy clothes and throwing our sticky selves into a lovely cool shower with our favourite shower gel as a treat, before putting on our coolest pyjamas with all the windows and doors open as wide as they’ll go – and thinking what a fantastic feeling it is when a challenging day is over and done with, I’m still alive and even better, I’m feeling cool and fresh and clean.  Even if it is only until the sun comes up again – but that also means we’ve one day less of Summer. It’s a win-win situation for us!

Hello all,
Have a wonderful members question for you today,
One of our members sent me a PM asking if I had noticed or felt the same as the summer approaches and heat and humidity come into play and our Hyperhirdosis.
“Do you feel like you retain too much salt even though you hardly eat salty food or junk food?”

As the temps rise and the humidity comes into play we can get the feeling of being swollen as the body adapts to the change in temps.

Also while you live with Hyperhidrosis, we tend to lose more water, salt and our precious ELECTROLYTES.  I can not stress to our members the importance on keeping these levels at a normal level.

When you start to notice more salt lines on clothing, shoes, body this is one of the first crucial signs that your electrolytes are unbalanced.  This can leave you feeling, low, sluggish, tired, grumpy and make you sweat even more and lose more of our salt levels.

I now daily (even in winter) drink a supplement that has electrolytes added into it.  You can buy these cheaply at your grocery store, Crystal Light Pure is a great one to add to your water, I drink 2-3 a day esp in hot weather.  Gatoraide is another good one to replenish, Lucozade, any sports drink but make sure they have electrolytes added in.  If you are out side in the heat, please take one with you drink it, make it a habit of drinking at least 2-3 per day in summer or when humidity is high.

After a few days you will feel better, your energy levels will rise and your low mood will improve.

The most important thing we can do for your bodies if you have Hyperhidrosis is to drink as much H2O….Drink more than the normal person needs as we sweat 5 times the amount of a normal person, add a electrolyte into it and you will have a very happy less sweaty salty body.  The more we drink the less our bodies have to try to keep us cool.  (some people get less sweating)

Try it, only takes a few minutes to look for in the store or health shop and seconds to drink, you will feel better and your BODY WILL LOVE YOU FOR IT ESP IN HOT, HUMID WEATHER

Hello all,

Well finally another long weekend ahead.  Are you ready if you have outside plans?

Living with Hyperhidrosis we have to plan ahead to try and beat the take over of the sweating.
We are having friends over but I am already prepared, have my floppy hat, favorite seat completely in the  shade, sunblock, plug in fans and most importantly lots of water.

If  it gets too hot I will come inside and chill in the AC house

If drinking alcohol, drink plenty of water that day and also use an electrolyte supplement in your water, helps with losing too much sweat.

You can stay cool and still enjoy the outdoors with some planning ahead.

Most important things I follow are:

Water, lots of it and electrolyte I can add into it to help replace the sweat and salt we lose

If plastic furniture take a towel or seat mat with you, really helps from leaving a sweat snail trail and having to peal yourself off and leaving you wet and uncomfortable.

I take portable fans with me or a good hand held fan, plug them them where ever, as long as there is a constant breeze on me I’m not too bad.

Rush and choose a good seat fast or ask to change if already gone, explain you suffer from Hyperhidrosis, most people understand.

Sun block, bug spray.

Ice packs if you start getting too hot or neck coolies they reduce your body heat fast and stops sweating.

Most importantly, enjoy the outdoors, if a pool or river…JUMP IN, good enough excuse to get wet and cool off all over

Hope you all have a safe and Happy Memorial Weekend.

Love and hugs from your  VSB staff.

www.verysweatybetty.com

As summer approaches and the heat is increasing, you cringe when you see the Weather Man announce the upcoming forecast.
You don’t have to leave the comfort of your home or work, VSB has taken all the best products avail on the market and brought them to the VSB SHOP just for you.  You will find the Chillow, Pillow, keeps you cool and is fantastic for head sweaters, hot flashes and woman in menopause.  There are clothing designed to keep the sweat away.  Take a look and see what is avail for you.

Shop till you drop, VSB and Amazon can be your one stop shop.

http://astore.amazon.com/verswebet-20

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??????

Since having my Axillary Botox treatment two weeks ago I am so relieved to have dryer armpits, however it has compensated on my  chest and left side of hair line.  Noticed a lot more sweating going on than before.

We really do not realize on how much we adjust our daily lives to accommodate our Hyperhirsosis.  Even though my armpits are not they usual wet and leaving huge saucer sized round marks on every garment of clothing I own.  I am able to wear plain tops, shirts but have not as I am still in the routine of disguising it and think this is the way I am always going to be!

If shopping I will be attracted to the busy patterned top, shirt or tunic rather than the plain coloured one standing beside it.
I am a people watcher and I think when I see a woman in a lovely summer dress, if it be pattered or not, I wish I could also wear this!  In order for me to be able to I would have to wear shorts under to catch the sweating.

How many of us wish we could be like our friends or people we tend to see out..how they can shake a hand in confidence, wear the hair style and makeup and clothing they want, never EVER giving it another thought.

Wonder how they would feel walking in OUR SHOES FOR ONE DAY?!