[jessie]

jessie on September 14, 2013 at 12:25 am #1389

There are whole websites out there (like no-ets.com for example) dedicated to convincing desperate hyperhidrosis sufferers to avoid ETS. This leaves me completely confused… If ETS is so risky and can have bad consequences, then why does anyone do it?

Or is this just a case of bad PR? Like, people who get happily cured leave the realm of online hyperhidrosis communities and move on with their lives. People who get it bad after the surgery – they stay and share their stories to warn others…

What do you think about this? Is ETS surgery the most controversial hyperhidrosis treatment?

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[Plastic Pete]

Plastic Pete on September 19, 2013 at 9:15 pm #1428

From what I understand, it works like this: some people reach the point where they are so desperate and unhappy about their excessive sweating, that anything else seems like a better option. I'm talking sheer desperation here… :/

So, despite all warnings, all bad testimonials, all horror stories and proven side effects, they are thinking “anything but this now it fine!”

And so they have ETS. And then, many of them regret it. 🙁

Thankfully I'm not talking from a personal experience, but some of my online buddies have this situation. 🙁
I think ETS is illegal in some parts of the world – that tells you a lot… Yep, definitely controversial.

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[JR31]

JR31 on January 27, 2015 at 12:51 pm #2889

Another big thing to remember too is that the internet has ‘only’ been popular fifteen years or so perhaps? I’m 31 now, and had my first operation at 15 years old. Back then it was presented to me (very wrongly) as the only alternative to a lifetime of dripping hands and feet, and so I had the surgery.
If I was 15 years old now in 2015 with all of the internet forums and social media I would do some research into a type of surgery, but back then I didn’t even have a computer or a mobile phone! Therefore there was no way really to research treatments, you just had to trust health professionals.

Hyperhidrosis surgery in my opinion (and based on horrific personal experiences living with side-effects for 13 years) is an awful procedure. Shame on whoever invented it, and I sure wish they hadn’t. 🙁

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[Allan Rayson]

Allan Rayson on December 8, 2015 at 5:19 am #3548

ETS reduces the resting heart rate in a fraction of patients. My resting heart rate fell by around ten percent after my ETS surgery in 2008, according to my surgery documents. May not be dangerous but this is something to keep in mind. Are you willing to mess with your heart rate to get rid of consistently sweaty palms? I would still say yes based on my terribly sweaty palms.

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[Alissa]

Alissa on May 8, 2017 at 6:32 am #4718

I just wanted to share my experience with ETS surgery. ETS surgery is usually considered a last resort, as it comes with significant risks. Side effects and complications range from extreme hypotension, heat intolerance, arrhythmia and, in extreme cases, death.

A lot of people just don’t do the surgery … because it’s so risky. But it’s funny because it didn’t matter in my head. I knew about all the risks, the side-effects, [and] the horror stories. It was just coming to this point in my life where I felt it was all or nothing. And now, though my hands no longer sweat excessively, I am suffering from compensatory sweating, an unavoidable side-effect.

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[lyka]

lyka on July 30, 2018 at 8:26 pm #6135

ETS is indeed risky but for me it help me alot to stop my sweating Before the surgery i am generally happy with my life, but getting frustrated over the sweat was sad sometimes. “Having trouble typing and driving and constantly having to keep towels around would drive me insane, so i take a risk and here i am confidently cured and worries no more regarding to the sweaty hands.

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[clark]

clark on September 17, 2018 at 5:19 pm #6512

hi
I do sweat a lot, Every time I am at work I always wear jacket to hide it; but it Doesn't work!
I only like to wear tank tops now because the sweating on short sleeves irritate me! I don't own one long sleeve shirt. I just want to be able to rise my hands in the air with no problem! In fact my armpits smell so bad. Then I thought by shaving the hairs can be helpful, but it even got worst; then before beside my skin became black as well when I feel nervous it sweat much more, if I take the ETS treatment can it be more helpful in my skin back to normal color or have any medical that can help my skin? thanks.

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[Paul Anthony]

Paul Anthony on August 30, 2022 at 7:57 am #27407

Even though there are many unsuccessful stories about ETS with horrible side effects,
There are also patients that have been happy with the result. These patients only have experienced compensatory sweating as side effect after the surgery.
Compensatory sweating is the most common side effect of ETS.
Others are taking Pro-Banthine to cure their compensatory sweating.

Reading more about ETS (Endoscopic Thoracic Sympathectomy), the ideal candidates for ETS are patients who have excessive sweating of their hands.
The results of ETS for Palmar hyperhidrosis are in the 98-100% range of success.
There are only 5% of patients that experienced very severe compensatory sweating that they regret having undergone ETS.

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