A lot can happen in 2 ½ years.
I missed being a part of the HH community in such a big way with my blog. I am happy to say hello again and let you know what’s been going on since my last entry:
Personal life
- I got married!
- Visited London
- Moved from Manhattan to Queens then again to upstate NY
- Visited California for the first time
- Ran my 5th half marathon
Professional achievements
- Continued my studies for my Master’s degree in Special Education with a Vision Impairment focus
- Learned how to read and write in 3 codes of Braille (literary braille, braille music, Nemeth code)
- Started teaching music to students who are blind or have a vision impairment
- Got a new full time job working for an amazing charity helping people all over the world with vision impairment
- Completed three internships in Special Ed/Vision Impairment
Hyperhidrosis awareness
- Told my HH story at the Patient-Focused Drug Development meeting (PFDD) on hyperhidrosis hosted by the International Hyperhidrosis Society in Washington D.C.
- Wrote about HH for SELF
- Contributed feedback for the development of a product to help palmar hyperhidrosis
It’s been a pretty busy couple of years for sure. Having a full time job, part time school, and part time music and teaching has kept me involved, but I am happier than ever. I feel lucky to have so many opportunities to combine both my passions for music and for helping people.
A lot has happened, but Hyperhidrosis has always been my constant. I’ve been on and off of iontophoresis treatments (currently off). Summer is coming to an end and I’m looking forward to cooler weather to dry me up a bit. I have had many issues with HH this year and still consistently feel uncomfortable in my skin.
The other day when I was in NYC for work and traveling in the hot subway system, I had a thought that kind of made me feel better. At least it made me laugh. I’m definitely a perfectionist and enjoy when I do things well. So, I thought about HH in a positive way. Maybe I can tell people that I’m just really great at sweating. I exceed the average person at it for sure.
I started a draft of this entry last week because of my increasing longing for getting back into the HH community. Little did I know, my SELF article was circulated on SnapChat last weekend. I don’t use SnapChat, so I wouldn’t have known if it wasn’t for my cousin who sent me a screenshot.
This was very exciting and couldn’t have been better timing. It truly is time for me to start connecting with you all again and I am so sorry for my hiatus while I focused on school. I will finally graduate this December after four years of pursuing my degree in Special Education.
Thank you to everyone who sent me emails after seeing my article on SnapChat this week. I am so grateful that you reached out to share a little of your HH story with me.
Over the next few entries, I plan to elaborate on everything that’s been going on with me for the past 2 ½ years. For now, I just want to say hello again and I look forward to sharing our stories together. Is everyone gearing up for Hyperhidrosis Awareness month this November? I’d love to hear about your ideas to spread awareness. Together, we can make change.
It’s good to be back!
Caryn
Just a Little Sweat 
Hi Caryn,
I’ve just come across your site and watched your truly inspiring video.
I’m a 62 year old man in the UK – my HH seemed to start during early school years and I had all the same issues as you – I remember the blue print of the lines in ‘exercise’ books transferring to my hands and the way in which the leather of my shoes would harden and eventually crack. The only advantage I could ever see was that in childhood ‘fights’ the other kids could never keep hold of my hands!
Of course growing up meant the worry – as I guess with all sufferers – of shaking or holding hands, always unsure whether to mention the problem first or not? My choice of graphic design as a career in the days when there was much more freehand drawing involved posed it’s own challenges. My consultant offered the possibility of ETS but actually advised me to travel to Japan for the procedure where it was much more commonly performed.
However I heard of some less than pleasant side effects and decided against it – and for many years. . . continued to sweat – until meeting my partner, a doctor but not a dermatologist, who knew a little about iontopheresis – we ordered a machine and the results were life changing, after a few treatments my hands and feet were completely dry. Recently however the treatment doesn’t seem to be working so well and that’s the reason I found your site as I searched the net to see if iontopheresis becoming less effective over time is a recognised problem.
I was so taken with your story and courage in telling it – I had to get in touch.
Hope your teaching and playing is going well and that life is good with your wonderfully supportive husband.
Best Wishes,
Robert.