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Hey Jim,
My name is Charlie and I live in Kentucky. I hope you like reading because I have alot to say to you. I have had severe anxiety problems since I was young , but only diagnosed when I had panic attacks around age 18, I'm 32. Taken Paxil, Effexor, and Zoloft to keep my anxiety from overcoming me. I currently take Zoloft. I used and abused Xanax, Clonzepam and many other drugs fighting my anxious feelings. Those feeling all revolved around my hyperhidrosis, as well as the odor that would accompany it. I started having sweating problems at age 11, my friend pointed at me in class from across the room pointing at his underarm, I didn't know what he was doing until I looked at my own. It was wet to my surprise. Our teacher went over and whispered something to my friend about what he was seeing, only he and her know what she said, but it set the standard of me seeing others quietly pointing and talking leaving me worrying about what was said.
In 1993 I graduated high school, having hated going every day, having people call me out for something I couldn't control, having developed a drug and alcohol problem, and having no idea how I was supposed to live my life, if I even could. I wanted to kill myself when the panic attacks started as I felt it was further punishment, for what I could not say. Around this time I found Drysol, burnt the hell out my pits the first time I used it, but I didn't sweat for 5 days. It was a miracle to me, but by this time I was so emotionally damaged even the fact I had dry underarms couldn't help. In 1994-5 I was so out of control and high on drugs I got into to trouble and spent a year in prison and the year after that in intensive rehab. I was on parole for two years, but I went back to college and had to learn to face my hyperhidrosis in a sober manner.
There was no internet when I first developed hyperhidrosis and the only time I got courage enough to call my long time pediatrician, he told me sweating was a natural way for the body to cool itself. So never was there a society of hyperhidrosis sufferers as there is today to help with what was in my mind and with finding solutions to my sweating problems.
I kept up with the Drysol and used it only when I was going into social situations. However, I began sweating from my face profusely in my 20's so I had a new problem. I was in counseling for drug and anxiety problems taking antidepressants so this wasn't something that made my anxiety better or my general quality of life. I constantly avoided relationships, fearing the times in which I would be in the heat, and having the girl see my inhuman qualities. It was tough and I am lucky to be here today. In that time I tried robinul to no avail. I managed to graduate college but I was using so many drugs to suppress my problems my life was in absolute disarray. I went back to rehab and detox in 2001 and was on probation for drug possession.
To some at this time I just look like a trouble maker and drug addict. But I was a thin soul with no hope and a damaged carrying case.
At 28 I began looking into surgery, ETS. I wanted to date, go walking on a hot summer day, wear a nice suit to an outdoor wedding, sit around and hang out with my friends not having to wipe sweat off my face and keep my arms to my side. I had hope again. I eventually got insurance after a few years and had ETS-C on March 21st 2007.
I now am very fatigued, I sweat more then ever before soaking my shirt, underwear, pants and top of my socks where sweat runs down my leg. I also sweat by eating chocolate, ice cream, cream cheese and numerous other NON spicy foods. I have aches and pains that I cannot figure out. I am so much more depressed then ever before. I have been making many bad judgements, I run into walls in my house and into curbs and poles on the streets. I don't get excited about anything and I have become further isolated from the things I had hoped to achieve through this surgery. I had a reversal on Dec. 5th 2007 in hopes that I could return to where I was. This surgery is not reversible though, it's just a hoax. I did it simply to get the clamps out and give my nerves a chance if they don't even have any to recover.

So to answer your questions.
1. No. My social activities have been further limited due to depression, a sweat filled attire, chronic fatigue, and worry about my future health.
2. Compensatory is a term surgeons have given to the increased sweating area after ETS, you don't have compensatory sweating just total body sweating, I did to in the summers before ETS, but never to the extent that I do now after ETS. And I was clamped at the T2 area.
3. It's not the surgeons necessarily but the surgery that is the problem. Having said that though there are a ton of crooked surgeons out there and many who just want your money. Having said that do not if you go, which I don't recommend, go to a surgeon who is not a specialist in ETS and having done much practice in the field. Having said that just don't go.
4. And yes my lungs were collapsed its the reason they keep you so long afterwards because they have to make sure your lungs are properly inflated. You can get tears in the lungs and some type of lung problems which is why I believe one of Dr. Drotts patients died.


So the reason I told you and anyone else about my past is because hyperhidrosis isn't considered a serious illness. I look healthy on the outside and tests don't show anything on the inside so nothing was wrong with me right? No.. It didn't matter how many counselors I had telling me get past it or work on your breathing, try finding new hobbies, try taking these medications. It didn't help because none of it was offered to me at age 11. Age 18, age 20, age 26, age 32 is to late to correct all the problems. It starts with understanding of those who have it. It continues with doctors who understand the consequences of this illness. It's helped with use of Drysol, topical solutions, certain medications, and procedures, but most importantly with positive feedback and support, and definitely not a surgery which destroys a nerve that has so many other duties. It's reduced with these practices and support from good people like there is here. It's tolerated with great hope and understanding that life is a lot more. It is and can be helped. But this help has to start at the beginning and continue to the end. Mine started in the middle and failed to continue as no one understood, these are the problems we must help. Those young kids sitting in class having there friend point in question about that wetness they have on their face, arms, hands, and feet. It's mental I think you will find a lot of hyperhidrosis sufferers have anxiety, and the help must start before the mind is altered.

Thanks for listening. It's just surgery is thrown out there as the cure, people hoping their worries and all troubles past will go away by stopping sweating with ETS. It just isn't that simple as I have learned and to disturb your nervous system is like intentionally stabbing your brain, it just makes no sense. The surgeons put it as sweating is the only thing the sympathetic nerve chain controls, it's a string of 80's christmas lights take one bulb out the rest are directly affected.

Charlie