Cyd

United States

I drip sweat from my armpits, hands, and feet at all hours of the day. I haven't worn anything but black clothing in over a decade to prevent sweat stains and constantly looking like I just finished a marathon. I dare not shake hands with anyone unless they insist, and often feel the need to apologize when they reflexively wipe my sweat away. I'm anemic, so even when I'm ice cold my body is covered in sweat; making it even more difficult to get warm enough to stop the chills. I can't wear sandals, or go anywhere barefoot because I slip around on my sweat and leave wet footprints in my wake. My hand sweat limits my ability to grip anything smooth, making safety features almost entirely useless to me (like hand rails on stairs). On top of how gross it must look from the outside seeing someone drenched in sweat regardless of activity and weather, I also can't do enough to prevent how quickly I smell dreadful from the excessive sweating. My job requires me to wear gloves for paramedical tasks and that requires me to dry my hands before and after each pair of gloves; as well as change my gloves more often than most because they pool with sweat and drip down my arms. I have to remove the gloves and dry myself again to re-glove so that I can finish my task while remaining sterile. There isn't an avenue in my life that isn't affected by my relentless sweating, and I can only hope we find better ways to treat and manage hyperhidrosis.