It has been many many months since I last did my ETS, and at times I already have forgotten that I was a palmar hyperhidrosis sufferer for the last 30 years or so. The surgery was very successful that I am now a total new person, with dry hands!
Many people on the internet claimed that their palms became stone dry, and I must admit that this should be my case too. My palms are 99% of the time "paper dry", I call it, and another 1% occasional moist when I feel anxious. But the odd thing is that when I feel my palms are moist, actually its just a sensation more than reality. There is actually no sweat on my palms! Weird!
Over these many months post-ETS, I must say that there are 2 major problems I encounter as the side effects of that surgery.
No more spicy food for me. Yes! For the recent months, it has been very obvious that I can't tolerate spicy food like before. Everytime I take those spicy food, my forehead will sweat so badly, that it starts to drip and drench my whole face. I at most have 5 minutes, the moment I start eating the spicy food, before the sweat kicks in! And once it kicks in, I have to vigorously wipe off the forehead sweat, otherwise it will drip on my food! But one thing funny I notice is that, not all type of spicy food make my forehead sweat. Only food with pepper and curry powder in it will create this hassle. Others like chilly sauce, strong peppermint sweets, or ginger will not have this effect. I am still researching on this till today.
The other problem I am experiencing is the loose grip I am having now, after the palms sweat no more. At times, my palms are so dry that anything I hold in hand will slip off if I am not careful. One of the worst nuisances is when I am driving through the checkout points at the apartment or shopping mall, the parking ticket or pass occasionally slip off my hands; and I have to open my car door to go pick that card or ticket up! But most of the time, I must say I will consciously remind myself to hold on things tightly, so as not to lose the grip.
Well, although the two mentioned above are considered some of the problems post-ETS, the benefits of having my dry palms back, are far greater than the little nuisance of life I have now. I would rather choose not to have spicy food, but I want a pair of dry hands to continue with my daily life!
Monday, October 29, 2012
Friday, May 4, 2012
Almost 1 year post ETS
It's been almost a year since I had my ETS surgery done. To look back at the whole 11 odd months, I feel that I have been a "new" person and that I have done many more things that I could not believe to have done in the past.
However many people asked me about the compensatory sweating problem. Well, it indeed started happening about few months ago, but not to the extent or severity of those people who wrote in various blogs in the internet. It will only happen to me when the surrounding temperature changes (eg. sudden movement from a cooler place to an outdoor environment), taking hot and spicy food (eg. curry and Thai food), anxiety state (eg. playing PS3 video games) and when I fall sick (eg. URTI or fever). Other than that, the compensatory sweat does not seem to come at all.
The sole sweating is the one I do not consider as compensatory sweat, as it happens all these years even before the ETS surgery. In fact, I must say that the sole sweating is much less, as what the surgeon told me pre-op. He told me that the sole sweating would decrease by around 20-30%, with the thoracic ETS; unless of course I went for the lumbar ETS for a total cure of the sole sweating problem, but there is a high risk of getting erectile dysfunction! ;)
The lower back compensatory sweating is sometimes quite a nuisance, but if I were to compare it with palm sweating, I would choose the former! Trust me! With lower back sweating, it at times can get quite a lot, and drench my shirt; but because of the constant absorption of sweat by the shirts I am wearing, there is at least a few hours before I need to change - or in fact most of the time, it dries up by itself! For palm sweating, you can't be on cotton glove all time to help you absorb the sweat! And that's the major difference!
Falling sick time, I would definitely sweat more at the lower back (since the palms won't sweat anymore). But in the past, my palms would sweat horrendously whenever I fell ill. So at least this time around, somewhere else which is not so prominent, is taking over the sweating process. Cool! ;)
1 year is almost up, and my response to people who are still asking whether they should go for the ETS. I would say "YES". However, it has to be a severe form of palmar hyperhidrosis we are talking here, and definitely worth every penny spent and every minute on that operating table!!
However many people asked me about the compensatory sweating problem. Well, it indeed started happening about few months ago, but not to the extent or severity of those people who wrote in various blogs in the internet. It will only happen to me when the surrounding temperature changes (eg. sudden movement from a cooler place to an outdoor environment), taking hot and spicy food (eg. curry and Thai food), anxiety state (eg. playing PS3 video games) and when I fall sick (eg. URTI or fever). Other than that, the compensatory sweat does not seem to come at all.
The sole sweating is the one I do not consider as compensatory sweat, as it happens all these years even before the ETS surgery. In fact, I must say that the sole sweating is much less, as what the surgeon told me pre-op. He told me that the sole sweating would decrease by around 20-30%, with the thoracic ETS; unless of course I went for the lumbar ETS for a total cure of the sole sweating problem, but there is a high risk of getting erectile dysfunction! ;)
The lower back compensatory sweating is sometimes quite a nuisance, but if I were to compare it with palm sweating, I would choose the former! Trust me! With lower back sweating, it at times can get quite a lot, and drench my shirt; but because of the constant absorption of sweat by the shirts I am wearing, there is at least a few hours before I need to change - or in fact most of the time, it dries up by itself! For palm sweating, you can't be on cotton glove all time to help you absorb the sweat! And that's the major difference!
Falling sick time, I would definitely sweat more at the lower back (since the palms won't sweat anymore). But in the past, my palms would sweat horrendously whenever I fell ill. So at least this time around, somewhere else which is not so prominent, is taking over the sweating process. Cool! ;)
1 year is almost up, and my response to people who are still asking whether they should go for the ETS. I would say "YES". However, it has to be a severe form of palmar hyperhidrosis we are talking here, and definitely worth every penny spent and every minute on that operating table!!
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Hand holding
Ever since my palms are dry, I am able to do weight lifting in the gym, and also carrying my kids while going out shopping. All these were never possible during my sweaty palm days.
The slippery effect was in fact dangerous for anyone doing weight lifting, if you know what I mean! Imagine the weights slipping off your grips, and falling directly onto your chest wall or neck.
I was also never able to carry my kids during outings. The sweat would come on, if I exert or constantly holding on to something. Even after a shopping spree, and my hands carrying many bags of stuff, the palms and fingers would sweat non stop, making the grip very lose and difficult to hold on to anything. Really a nuisance.
But today, I am really happy that I am able to constantly holding on to any object in hand, for a long time.
Oh yes, the best is to be able to constantly holding on to my wife's hand, and not fearing my palms would sweat again.
The slippery effect was in fact dangerous for anyone doing weight lifting, if you know what I mean! Imagine the weights slipping off your grips, and falling directly onto your chest wall or neck.
I was also never able to carry my kids during outings. The sweat would come on, if I exert or constantly holding on to something. Even after a shopping spree, and my hands carrying many bags of stuff, the palms and fingers would sweat non stop, making the grip very lose and difficult to hold on to anything. Really a nuisance.
But today, I am really happy that I am able to constantly holding on to any object in hand, for a long time.
Oh yes, the best is to be able to constantly holding on to my wife's hand, and not fearing my palms would sweat again.
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Sand Art
I was trying out the Sand Art painting few days ago, together with my kids, at a shopping mall. It involved scooping up sand and smearing it on the designated areas on the cardboard with a nice picture. The aim was to colorize the picture with colorful sand.
I could remember how tedious it was back in those days with sweaty palms. Those school days, when I was playing with sand or beads, my palms and fingers would sweat non stop. All the sand and beads got wet and stuck all over my palms. Nuisance!
But today, I could play with the sand again. And obviously not a single sand particle got stuck to my palms. I just slightly swing my wrists each time, and all the sand would fall off. Clean!
I could remember how tedious it was back in those days with sweaty palms. Those school days, when I was playing with sand or beads, my palms and fingers would sweat non stop. All the sand and beads got wet and stuck all over my palms. Nuisance!
But today, I could play with the sand again. And obviously not a single sand particle got stuck to my palms. I just slightly swing my wrists each time, and all the sand would fall off. Clean!
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
5 months post-ETS
5 months since my ETS surgery, let's share what I am feeling right now. The answer is "NO REGRET!"
Dry Hands
My hands are dry, and I could do so much more things than ever before. No ordinary person can comprehend how messy and nuisance it is to have sweaty palms. Shaking hands with other people was a nightmare for me, but now, I have always been the "initiator" for hand shaking! Confidence level and total image boost are both important for people working in the service lines. Only swimming instructors don't need ETS surgery! ;)
Soles and Armpits
Even though the ETS that I underwent did not promise me anything for my sweaty/smelly arm pits and sweaty soles, I was (perhaps) the lucky one which the ETS corrected both my problems. Now I have no more sweaty arm pits and no more smelly "fox smells" (in chinese). Armpit deodorant is now history for me. Soles are probably not 100% dry, still remain a little moist. But then putting on slippers and walking in the shopping malls nowadays, won't make me trip over because of the slippery feet!
Sweaty Forehead
I read many of post ETS patients writing on the internet, that they became "bone dry" nipple upwards. But probably I was the lucky one (or perhaps Dr Khoo did a great job by clipping precisely on the right places) I still sweat over my forehead and arms and armpits and chest! But the sweating comes only when I exercise or eating chilly hot food! This is of course normal for any ordinary people. But for a post-ETS patient like myself, of course preserving this sweating above the nipple line is indeed an important phenomenon.
Blood Pressure
My blood pressure post ETS was reduced by a little. Before that, it was always in the pre-hypertension range of 130/80. Post ETS, my BP became 125/75, which is indeed a good "long term treatment" without medication side effect! ;) I am trying to exercise regularly now, to further reduce my BP to a healthy level of systolic 120mmHg.
In summary, I am just happy with the result (so far). I will continue to monitor myself over the months and years to come. Hopefully no new problem arises. But even though it's been just 5 months since the ETS, I feel like it's been a long time, because I have managed to do so many things which I can't before this!
If any of you are still contemplating a cure for your sweaty palms, I would recommend you to go for the ETS. But make sure you survey (the doctor, the procedure, the possible side effects etc.) properly first, as this is a decision solely by you yourself. After a successful operation, you will be totally transformed into another person, trust me!
Dry Hands
My hands are dry, and I could do so much more things than ever before. No ordinary person can comprehend how messy and nuisance it is to have sweaty palms. Shaking hands with other people was a nightmare for me, but now, I have always been the "initiator" for hand shaking! Confidence level and total image boost are both important for people working in the service lines. Only swimming instructors don't need ETS surgery! ;)
Soles and Armpits
Even though the ETS that I underwent did not promise me anything for my sweaty/smelly arm pits and sweaty soles, I was (perhaps) the lucky one which the ETS corrected both my problems. Now I have no more sweaty arm pits and no more smelly "fox smells" (in chinese). Armpit deodorant is now history for me. Soles are probably not 100% dry, still remain a little moist. But then putting on slippers and walking in the shopping malls nowadays, won't make me trip over because of the slippery feet!
Sweaty Forehead
I read many of post ETS patients writing on the internet, that they became "bone dry" nipple upwards. But probably I was the lucky one (or perhaps Dr Khoo did a great job by clipping precisely on the right places) I still sweat over my forehead and arms and armpits and chest! But the sweating comes only when I exercise or eating chilly hot food! This is of course normal for any ordinary people. But for a post-ETS patient like myself, of course preserving this sweating above the nipple line is indeed an important phenomenon.
Blood Pressure
My blood pressure post ETS was reduced by a little. Before that, it was always in the pre-hypertension range of 130/80. Post ETS, my BP became 125/75, which is indeed a good "long term treatment" without medication side effect! ;) I am trying to exercise regularly now, to further reduce my BP to a healthy level of systolic 120mmHg.
In summary, I am just happy with the result (so far). I will continue to monitor myself over the months and years to come. Hopefully no new problem arises. But even though it's been just 5 months since the ETS, I feel like it's been a long time, because I have managed to do so many things which I can't before this!
If any of you are still contemplating a cure for your sweaty palms, I would recommend you to go for the ETS. But make sure you survey (the doctor, the procedure, the possible side effects etc.) properly first, as this is a decision solely by you yourself. After a successful operation, you will be totally transformed into another person, trust me!
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Compensatory Sweating
I noticed recently that my compensatory sweating, especially at the lower back and thigh areas, will only come if there is an extreme change of surrounding temperature.
Recently, I just came back from Australia, and because it was winter there (temperature around 8C-18C), the sudden change in temperature back to 36C over here, had caused my compensatory sweat to come. I believe the humidity also played an important part in causing the sweat.
However, after 2-3 days, when I have adapted back to local weather, my compensatory sweat disappears too.
I am going to try again, when I visit Korea later this year (also winter), and I will be able to confirm this phenomenon, and therefore able to understand better the compensatory sweating mechanism in me.
Recently, I just came back from Australia, and because it was winter there (temperature around 8C-18C), the sudden change in temperature back to 36C over here, had caused my compensatory sweat to come. I believe the humidity also played an important part in causing the sweat.
However, after 2-3 days, when I have adapted back to local weather, my compensatory sweat disappears too.
I am going to try again, when I visit Korea later this year (also winter), and I will be able to confirm this phenomenon, and therefore able to understand better the compensatory sweating mechanism in me.
Monday, August 15, 2011
Filling up forms
I used to dislike filling up forms in the banks or govt offices. The main reason was my sweaty palms and fingers would be aggravated and it was distressing when filling up those forms. I chose internet transaction whenever I could, to avoid such embarrassing moments.
Sometimes even traveling overseas, I needed to fill up disembarkation form. And I usually remembered to do that right in the flight, rather than at the immigration counters. In the latter, my hands would sweat like mad, and I could not even hold the pen properly. The whole form might be drenched and looked horrible when the officer took it back from me.
But today, I am not facing this problem anymore. Just yesterday, I went to the bank to fill up the transaction forms. And it was first time in my life, when I could actually take my own sweet time filling up those forms without having a single drop of sweat from my fingers or palm. The forms remained dry and neat. The pen grip was good. And best of all, I was not even anxious with the huge crowd around me.
Sometimes even traveling overseas, I needed to fill up disembarkation form. And I usually remembered to do that right in the flight, rather than at the immigration counters. In the latter, my hands would sweat like mad, and I could not even hold the pen properly. The whole form might be drenched and looked horrible when the officer took it back from me.
But today, I am not facing this problem anymore. Just yesterday, I went to the bank to fill up the transaction forms. And it was first time in my life, when I could actually take my own sweet time filling up those forms without having a single drop of sweat from my fingers or palm. The forms remained dry and neat. The pen grip was good. And best of all, I was not even anxious with the huge crowd around me.
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