How recovery helped me to recover: experiences of hyperhydrosis

Journal/Book: British Journal of Theatre Nursing. 1993; 3: 17-9.

Abstract: My first memories of having hyperhydrosis of the hands was around the age of seven years old. It became a hindrance when I began Junior School. The most prominent feature of the condition was that of difficulty in writing. This affected me, then, and continued throughout my teenage and adult life. It was disastrous learning to write, when the paper became wet and rapidly turned into a mush-like substance before my eyes. As a child I was very interested in music and took up playing the flute, which was a real trial for me. Every couple of months the flute had to be sent to the manufacturers to be derusted due to the excessive amount of water that it was being subjected to. There were many other problems connected to my condition: the worst being other peoples' attitudes toward the problem. I did not mind the jokes often made to me by other children as I preferred it to be talked about, but it was unkind remarks which, on the whole, were made by adults which I found upsetting and frustrating. I felt disorganised and clown-like. At the age of 13 I was seen by a dermatologist at the local hospital. At this time, my hands had become considerably worse. I could not even eat a meal without water dripping into my plate and my fingers had taken to swelling up due to so much water fighting to get out. The dermatologist's facial expression when seeing me sitting on a chair in the out-patients clinic, surrounded in what could only be described as a puddle, was that of amazement, disbelief and pity. A treatment was offered to me which involved electrical shocks through water but after much thought we decided against the treatment, hopeful that I would grow out of the problem.

Note: Document Delivery: DD Locally Held: No Entry Month: 9312

Keyword(s): Denervation. Endocrine Diseases/su [Surgery]. Female. Hand. Nurses as Patients

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