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"trapped" with no prospect of relief from the intense daily internal heating and sweating in the areas of remaining sympathetic activity. The fact that this condition is permanent has been completely destructive from personal, professional, and academic perspective. The daily torment caused by this condition, both physically and emotionally, has been especially destructive given that 1) this condition could have been avoided and 2) I had a very active, rewarding, and happy life prior to the surgery. The thought of the rest of my life, rather an existence, with this condition, is unacceptable and infeasible. My previously active, high-energy lifestyle which included a passionate devotion to physical fitness (running, weight-training, biking) and other outdoor activities has been replaced by isolation, severe depression and daily torment. Previously enjoyable outdoor summer activities such as picnics, parties, and our many summer festivals and outdoor events shared with family and friends are now strictly out-of -the question, given the physical and emotional turmoil created by the sauna-like sweating. My physical appearance has changed, as I have experienced weight-gain and loss of fitness because training only serves now as a painful reminder of this catastrophe when profuse sweating and internal heating results from the training. The stress of this handicap, as with many diseases and disabilities, has also taken it's toll, and has resulted in accelerated "aging". I now look much older than my age, with people who are unaware of my condition routinely saying that I look "stressed" "tired", "fatigued", and "you look like a different person". My previously active social life has been replaced by isolation/depression due to the physical limitations and emotional destruction caused by the torrential sweating. Previous cherished relationships with family, friends, and acquaintances have disappeared. Thank God I do not have a wife or children. My deterioration from this situation would have been devastating for them as well. Essentially, I have become virtually incapacitated by this condition. My formerly award-winning work performance as an outside sales representative has been severely affected. Sales calls routinely conclude with saturated clothing caused by stress and heat. Crippling depression has now led to unsatisfactory sales results and probationary employment status with my employer of 13 years (I have failed to make monthly quota in 9 of the last 11 months) and deteriorating graduate school grades. I have taken summer classes each of the past 5 summers, however I opted to cancel my class this summer strictly because of this condition. I know that summer school, work, and this physical handicap during the warm summer months would have been overwhelming for me. It still seems inconceivable that such as benign, controllable condition like hyperhidrosis could have destroyed my life and all that I've worked so hard for. |
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