I had the first op 29.04.02 and the reversal on 27.11.02.

I had profound CS after the first op- I slept on a towel and the towel and duvet underneath (and even bedding beneath that) would be drenched. I had the reversal pretty promptly after the first op and had high hopes and I think it would be important to be realistic looking back. I probably suffered psychologically worst in the two months after the op, probably a result of pent up emotion and frustration not to have a better result sooner but that passed. I would certainly give it a year after the reversal before deciding for yourself if it was a success or not.

Looking back I think seeing Dr. Telaranta for the reversal was a good move. I do sweat less now and do not find the loss of the sural nerve from my left leg a terrible burden at all. I have to say that I didn't find the whole experience pleasant, but I went on my own and had to stay in a hotel room for a while before flying back and I became a bit emotional couped up on my own. However the nursing care is great, the hospital is clean (but oldish), and I had confidence in Dr. Teleranta. The hotel is very nice and the room service is great when you're resting afterwards - if you decide to go ahead remember not to keep the leg (or arm) which the nerve was taken from stationary for too long so as to allow it to heal inside without letting the cut nerve ending sticking to anything (not heard of this happening but doesn't sound great). The operation was quite a long one and I found myself a bit ill from the anaesthetic after five or six hours op., but that's natural enough.

My first ETS op had two incissions on each side of the chest, but the reversal needs three (two each side and one through the front which were far and away the most uncomfortable). Also, it may not be possible to use the other original side scars because of location/slightly larger implements requried this time. Still, the pain does pass and the nurses were great at keeping the pain at bay with regular medications. I did notice that one of my scars was not properly stiched back up and became infected in the hotel bedroom. I easily got this sorted though back in the UK. Comparatively a minor thing, but not fantastic.

I think my Reversal op went pretty well, with the sural nerve providing enough length to allow two strips on the left and three on the right (and on both sides Dr. T was able to touch the T2 with these). I felt immediately much better on coming around from the op (and the sensations/moisture of my hands seemed to return), but within a few days I had reverted to normal (it seems odd to me but apparently its quite natural for nerves to seem as if they're working when they are is bruised/suffered a trauma but revert when the swelling goes down). I had the op in late Nov. and found the following summer very uncomfortable (as usual), but about a year after the reversal I am sure that I experienced some new sensations and think the sweating is/has decreased. Having said that, it was a cold winter and this summer will be my test to judge how much better it is.

I had some pains in my hands (especially the right one) following the first op, but these subsided and I think Dr. Teleranta managed to take care of the rest of any problem with this pain for me during the reversal.

Finally, when you get home from Finland (where I had it done) or Italy you will need to have the metal staples out. This wasn't fun as one or two were twisted but the scarring is very neat and hardly noticeable (although I do have hairy legs). (The op requries four horizontal scars each just over an inch and a quarter in length if you opt for the leg which I think is probably the best thing to do. Dr. T also mentioned to me after I had selected the left leg, that this was the usual choice).

On my return to the UK I called Dr. T once or twice and spoke to him but subsequent to that I emailed twice but did not hear anything. I found this quite disturbing (given how promptly he responded to my email queries before the op [and transfer of cash]) but I am sure if I called him I could easily enough speak with him now. I'm sure this dosen't necessarily mean anything, but it's just something I think I wanted to mention.

I have been using medication to help with the CS and with some considerable success. In fact, it is the only think which has made the CS manageable. I started off by trying Robinol (a new drug from the US, which in the UK is only available by private prescription because it has not yet completed all of the requisite NHS licensing requirements. This means it is really quite expensive.) I took this drug for about a week but it had an immediate psychological effect on me and I felt very groggy indeed. I then tried another drug (which I have now been using for almost 18 months I think) called Probanthine (Probantheline Bromide). Although this is an older drug than Robinol (which is supposed to be much "cleaner" than Probanthine in the manner in which it works in the body in terms of supposedly not effecting as much) I have found it much much better. My doctor said that several people had mentioned that they preferred the older drug. Probably worth trying both though.

When I took Probanthine for the first time, I could feel a tingling all over as my sweat pours closed and I immediately became much drier. I started on a pretty high dose (120mg a day- four lots of 30 after working the dosage up from a low one which you must do gently, so there is a need to be patient) but am now on a single dose of 30 each morning and this is enough to manage the whole day (although summer is a different matter). I don't know if the reduction is more to do with any adjustments the drug has made to the way my body works or as a result of improvements following the reversal with Dr. Telaranta (or even some natural changes/improvement distinct from the op and med) but either way, the situation is better. There are side effects to the drug though and some people dislike it so much that they prefer the sweating- still worth a shot. Principally, the drug removes liquid from the body which means a lot of trips to the bathroom. I would often go repeatedly on the high doses, many times. This is much less of a problem now though (lower dose and my bladder may have adjusted somewhat). Secondly it also dries the mouth which can make eating difficult- but I find this again has subsided and I am careful not to take it right before I eat. If you take a very high dose the eyes can sting too (as they dry out on a high dose) but this hasn't really been an issue for me more than once or twice.

I hope one or other drug can help others. Iontopherisis may also help with the hands and feet. I do have some concerns about any long term risks of taking pro-banthine for so long but there's nothing on the UK literature with/in the drug packet to suggest this is a problem and I am now on a modest dose only.

If any one wants to chat with me they can contact me through Meg. Good Luck.

SIMON (GREAT BRITAIN)

I had the ETS surgery done for sweating and flushing. However, I found that I had severe compensatory sweating after the surgery. I felt 'vague' mentally and tired before I had the reversal, but now I'm starting to feel the same way I did before the ETS surgery. I had the ETS reversal with Dr Telaranta, and there are four little scars on the back of my leg. I don't have any sweating or flushing back on my face so far. I hope it never comes back again, but Dr T told me it's almost impossible. There was some pain in my foot after the surgery for about three months, but it is gone now, with no pain what so ever. I had very bad compensary sweating, and I couldn't work because I would get wet all the time. However, since the reversal with Dr T the compensary sweating distributed, and I don't sweat as much as before. My scar is noticeable, but that don't bother me at all. I haven't got any unwanted side-effects from the reversal yet - I hope I don't get any! I don't feel as tired as I did before either. I had my ets reversal in June 2000. I think it took for about 6 or 7 months before I noticed the effects.

As of July 2002, I'm feeling about the same, except that I have less compensatory sweating now.

PETRA (Sweden)

I had ETS performed for excessive sweating. I had the T2 nerve cut in Febuary 2000. The surgery was done with 6 small incisions. I immediately had a very bad problem with CS. I tried unsuccessfully to treat the problem with medication, this effort lasted through the end of the year. I found Dr Telaranta though a web page, that was put together by a person considering T2 surgery. I contacted several doctors that were listed on the web page, and all of them agreed that Dr T was the best person to perform the surgery. Everyone of them said there was no substitution for experience.

As for the surgery, I would say that it was easier than the original sympathectomy. It was done with 6 small incisions in my chest, which are barely noticeable now. Ther are 4 one inch incisions in the lower part of my leg (more noticeable). The outside area of my foot is numb, but doesn't cause any problems. I run daily with no pain or discomfort.

As of July 2002, it's been 15 months since my reversal and I still have CS, but i'm starting to notice some changes in my condition. My arms and hands now sweat during exercise. I'm hoping this improvement will continue. I'm still hopeful that sweating will return to my head, and that I will again sweat in warm temperatures.

If my progress goes no further I would not consider the reversal to be a success. I still have CS, but I guess I have to wait.

As of December 2002, it's now been 21 months since my reversal and I would say my progress has been slow. I have some sweating back in my hands and arms when I exercise. I have had no sweating return to my head. I don't feel that this return of sweating has had any change in my CS. I keep telling myself to remain patient, I know this will take time. If my progress stopped to today I would have to call the reversal a failure. Don't get me wrong, I would still encourage people to have the reversal, I think you have to try, I just feel that I have to honest about by results to date.

Steve (U.S.A)

I had ETS performed for excessive sweating. As a result of the ETS surgery I had terrible Compensatory sweating. My only hope was to have a reversal with Dr Telaranta. I had this performed on 3 December 1999. Dr T connected T1 to T3 on one side and T1 to T4 on the other. I had sweating return within 4 months to my right arm (t4 side). It was ony a light sweating on the underside of the forearm at first, but has progressed to complete recovery from the shoulder to the hand. As of March 2001 I have seen little change on the left side...just minor sweating on the left hand while exercising. Sweating returned to my forehead after about six months, but only slightly. The progression there has been much slower. If I wear a hat while exercising it is much more noticeable. On the chest I have noticed increased moisture when exercising - in the middle of my chest up to my throat. I have also noticed sweating has migrated up the chest...especially where my pectoral muscles attach to the armpit. The major improvement i've noticed is in two areas; I rarely sweat after my shower in the morning anymore; and I return to normal much more quickly after exercise. I also noticed that my stamina has returned to pre-ETS levels, but I think that is more of a function of training and time. Overall, after a year I can't say I've seen a major change in CS - some improvement, but not significant. There have been some days of noticeable improvement followed by days of seeming regression. I know, according to Dr T, I could expect changes for up to three years. I also heard that one of his early patients took a year to two years to see significant results.

As of July 2002 it has been two and a half years for me, and sweating has returned to both arms (much more so on the right), as well as the neck and head on the right side. I still have CS, but it seems less severe. For instance, in warm weather only my chest and back are affected. CS has been reuced significantly from my legs. I can do simple tasks in warmer weather (like hitting a golf ball), without breaking out into a sweat. While working out I notice sweating on the forehead, back of my head and neck. If I wear a hat it gets noticeable wet. So the upshot is...i'm better, but not normal quite yet.

Paul (U.S.A)

I had the ETS surgery done for flushing. As soon as I had the surgery done I noticed a change in my personality. I was much more outgoing and confident. My flushing had completely gone to. My anxiety was greatly reduced - I used to suffer from anxiety which went as soon as I had the procedure. However, I felt very vague and tired all the time. During the time of menstruation I could barely get out of bed, which had never happened before the ETS surgery. My reactions were diminished and I was falling behind with work. I felt I lost my spontaniety and wit. It was really affecting me when I didn't have the time or energy for my children anymore. Even though there were many pros, I felt like there were many cons not addressed in any studies about ETS surgery. I decided on a reversal. My flushing has not returned, but my wit and energy definately has. I decided to see Dr Telaranta. Even though it was very expensive, I was feeling very depressed and had to get the procedure done. I now feel like I have a balance. I'm not as anxious I was before, but now I've got my energy back. I've also noticed tension in my throat return, my shyness has returned a little and sweating has returned to my legs and back. I'm not 100% the same...but there has been a definate change.

As of July 2002, there has been a definate change for the better. My heart now beats a little if i'm nervous, and i'm answering questions much more quickly. I sweat much more on my left side than my right. My face doesn't sweat yet, but my left hand does when I exercise. Overall i've seen an improvement, but i'm not like what I used to be yet.

As of April 2003 I feel 90% like I used to do. I sweat on my palms now, I have much more energy, i'm thinking more quickly, i'm worrying more and my health is much better. I'm seeking acupuncuture as well at the moment, but i'm glad I went ahead with the Reversal. I no longer feel like i'm in a 'cartoon'. I no longer feel like i'm in a foggy dream with delayed reactions like i'm a zombie. Every month I seem to 'wake up' more and more.

As of April 2005 I feel better. I'm on salt tablets and water to raise blood pressure and volume. I also take a product called Ambrotose to raise sugar levels and therefore energy. I also eat well, exercise and go to a Acupuncturist/Herbalist still.

MEG (AUS)

I had severe compensatory sweating after my ETS surgery, which I had for sweaty hands. I had a reversal with Dr Reisfield in LA. My face is still dry, no sweat at all on it. My hands only sweat when I work out for a long time. I had a dream the other day that my hands where sweating like before. Then I woke up and said thank God it was only a dream. I heard of people feeling tired, but I had no such experience. I felt fine until I went outside in the heat of the day. That is when the compensatory sweating began. My sweating has now diminished, and I feel fine.

I have a scar on my ankle where I had the graft, which is about 4 inches long.

As of July 2002 my compensatory sweating is down about 50%, and my hands have slight moisture back to them. The other day I even felt some sweat back to my forehead. My hands only sweat when I workout at high intensity levels, and then only slightly.

Jeff (U.S.A)

Over two and a half years ago I had ETS-C for facial flushing, and had to have it reversed due to severe compensatory sweating (CS or reflex sweating). I got my T2 nerve clamped in Taiwan by Dr Lin three years ago, and got it reversed after one month. I wouldn't recommend anyone getting ETS. Using ETS to cure sweating or FF/FB is a bit like trying to kill a fly with a sledgehammer. I have found Botox a much more effective method for dealing with FB.

I am still waiting for a return to my normal (non-CS) condition. They say the operation is reversible, but they do not tell you how long it will take to reverse. When I have spoken with other ETS surgeons they said that it may take over three years to completely reverse, and there is no guarantee of a successful reversal.

People who have had ETS and live in relatively cold climates will probably state that they have no CS or very little. This is probably true for them, as the ambient air temperature seldom rises sufficiently high to cause sweating, let alone CS. Unfortunately I live in Australia, where the summer temperatures rise up to 38% centigrade and the humidity is usually over 80%.

I can't tell you how aggravating and life destroying CS is. Basically you are unable to control your body temperature properly. When you have ETS-C for facial blushing you will no longer be able to sweat from the nipple line up. This is over a third of your body that can no longer sweat. The nerve impulses that were normally soaked up by one third of your body are now absorbed by the rest of your body. Given that over 70% of the bodies heat is released from your head, this mean that the rest of your body has an incredible amount of compensating to do!

Unfortunately ETS for me meant just swapping one unbearable condition with another. I am hopeful that by the end of this year my CS will have gone or have reduced enough to be bearable.

I am now on my 10th Photoderm session and this is helping my condition immensely. My normally noticeable rosy cheeks have almost disappeared and my face feels very stable.

As of December 2002, I have had 3 months worth of cutaneous injections of Botox in the skin of my cheeks and this has effectively cured my facial flushing. I am due for retreatment in a months time. This does not paralyse the muscles of the face like Botox injected into the facial muscles for wrinkles. Flushing can still occur due to heat but to a lesser extent as it seems to stop the flow on psychological effect of flushing.

I haven't had to use Clonidine for over six months and have ordered the Strontium cream from the US. Hopefully this will stop any flushing due to heat or cold. I can always count on the Clonidine in really stressful situations like public speaking. I try not to use it unless I really have to, as you develop a tolerance to it over time and have to keep upping the dosage.

As far as I am concerned ETS was the biggest mistake in my entire life. When I was in Taiwan waiting for the operation one of the interns even commented to me that this was a pretty "radical" solution to my problem. I often think what an idiot I was. My life motto has always been to never do anything in life that you cannot normally undo the next day. I guess I was impatient and totally sick of my condition. But, I went straight ahead without adequately researching the operation and even considered getting the nerves cut instead of clamped, as I was so sick of my condition. How it had restricted and ruined my life. But, now i've traded that for some pretty bad side-effects.

The only advice that I can give to someone who is hell-bent on getting ETS and cannot be dissuaded is:

Wishing you all strength in dealing with your FF/FB and determination in finding a cure.

Timbo (Australia)
29 October 2007 - on this date Timbo McCarty committed suicide. He was 45. A letter to me from his father, "Hello Meg,
I have just found the P.A.S.S.website with the Testimonials from Reversal Patients page. Two testimonials down from your posting is one from my youngest son (Timbo)(Timothy) who lived in Sydney.
He had the E.T.S reversal done eight years ago. He had eight years of living hell as a result of deciding to have this operation performed in the first place. The reversal was not a success and after eight years he could no longer put up with the side effects and committed suicide on 29th October 2007 at the age of 45.
Feel free to post this on the website if you feel it may help anyone considering having the E.T.S. operation performed."

I had ETS in Australia and I am very unhappy with the side-effects. As a result I have lost my job and at 43 that is not good especially when you walk into an office and immediately start sweating before you asked a question. I feel sluggish and find myself nodding off in the afternoon.

I had the reversal with Dr Reisfeld on June 24, nearly four months ago .The changes are that my sweating has reduced about ten per cent, no more. My blushing has largely remained in check, my energy levels are extremely low, interest in life the same, I still experience nerve pains in my back and chest, i.e. pins and needles type sensations.

I'm at the six month mark and I am seriously pissed off. I am no longer taking legal action because i do not think I would get a win and I cannot afford it. I have this Job Agency on my back to go for jobs that i cannot do physiologically and this is adding to my frustration.

As of April 2004 I have now had a Reversal with both Reisfield and Lin. I am pissed off with reversal no 2 with Lin and I have no interest in life. I started a degree, but could not stand the heat in the tutorial rooms.

I'm currently taking Neurontin, which is well worth a try as it has certainly reduced my CS and a little bit of nerve pain which is my major sticking point. I am currently on 900mg a day not alot, but I can increase my intake realistically to 2400mg a day. I would say my CS decreased about 15% and nerve pain about 10%, which for me is my main concern. Neorontin is targeted at reducing neurotic pain , and reducing CS may just be a useful by-product. Vitamins B6 and C have helped my CS a little bit but Neurontin so far has been very good. I do not feel dehydrated, but then again I do drink a fair bit of water. Neurontin's main benefit has been a reduction of extreme burning nerve pains that I suffer but apparently not to many others do. Neurontin is a prescripiton drug but very expensive. The vitamins are you're normal vitamins from the chemist recommended doses are: 400mg of B6 and 1000mg of C.

Tony (Australia)

My name is Marie, I am 28 and I am a teacher. I have had HH in my underarms since I was 15 or so. My mother and a few of her brothers also seem to be suffering from it. In High School, I tried men's and aluminium anti-perspirants, but none worked. Of course our family doctor didn't know much about HH so nothing else was ever suggested. My HH was never severe, nevertheless bothersome. It also gave me frequent colds and body temperature problems. I was always cold, even when others would want to turn on the aircon. I'd wear a fleece when my co-workers had a t-shirt on in the staff room. Even when I was cold, my underarms would still be sweating. I managed to get through Uni and my 20's most normally, with an active social and physical life.

I don't know how it happened really, but I suddenly got really fed up with it last year, when I lived in a tropical country. Even in hot weather I would be cold and sick, but I would still sweat. I wanted to get rid of my HH once and for all. I started to do some research, and was amazed to see how many of us were out there. Then I found that there were a few ways to possibly get rid of it: drugs, botox and ets. Drugs were out off the question from the start; I just don't believe it's good for your body to receive a constant amount of chemicals. I looked into botox, but it didn't seem to work permanently for armpits, and it was much more than I could ever afford. Then I discovered the excessive sweating website. The surgery was described as minor, and very successful. Side-effects were frequent, but very tolerable by patients, and much easier to deal with than the previous condition. (Where are those lucky ones?) I found other websites, most of which displayed positive sides of ets and encouraging testimonies, but with very little on reversals. Finally got the phone number of a doctor in Toronto, and I should have listened to him. He personally didn't believe that ets worked for armpit sweating, and so didn't perform it. Then I found Dr. Lin, who happened to be living one hour away from me. How's that for an omen?

We emailed for a few weeks, and he answered all of my questions. He assured me that he could cure my HH without what he called "reflex sweating". I thought this meant the compensatory sweating (cs) that other patients were talking about. [Dr. Lin is indeed one of the best surgeons in the field, and I am glad I chose him as I have since heard of cases of scaring problems, Horner's syndrom and others. If the tone of this testimony seems in any way to be accusing towards Dr. Lin, please ignore it as I am well aware that I am the only one to be blamed in my misery.] I emailed one of his patients who lived in Texas, and she seemed to be very happy with the surgery. She had some cs at times when it was very hot outside, but otherwise she was very pleased with the ets.

Somehow I was convinced, although in retrospect it seemed too good to be true. I was naive for believing that doctors were out there to help us, not make money out of us; I was lazy because I didn't research it as mucn as I should have; I was impatient as I should have tried medications, creams and botox before going to a surgery; I was vain in believing that negative things happening to other people couldn't possibly happen to me. The only reproach I have for Dr. Lin is his lack of honesty. One of the main reasons why I chose the ets was because it was supposed to be reversable. "If it doesn't work, I'll get the clips out!" He forgot to mention that the reversals didn't always work, and indeed, they rarely seem to work fully . He said that only " a couple" of his patients had had a reversal because they were unhappy with the outcome of the surgery. He also said that cs would appear only during "intense heat" (which turned out to be anything above 15 degrees centigrade, or 10 on a sunny day) and "intense exercising" (read walking to the train station, and climbing a flight of stairs). All a matter of perspective I guess...

I got the ets on July 27th 2002. My arms and chest had completely stopped sweating from fingers to shoulders. They weren't even moist in the heat, which was a bit spooky. My feet were sweating often, and my hands felt very cold. I felt fine for a couple days, then strange things happened: I felt claustrophobic; I could feel the foreign bodies inside me. The cs was intolerable in the 35 degrees heat. I even fainted a few times in the street, and felt dizzy constantly. I was often feverish and dehydrated. (I still feel these) I had enormous chest and upper back pain, and my breasts were so sensitive I had to hold them to walk down the stairs (and I am quite petite). I emailed Dr Lin and he reassured me that the pain would go away soon (which it did), and that I should take more pain killers, which I did since I couldn't walk, sit or sleep. He gave me some Ditropan for the cs which didn't help at all and made my eyes and mouth very dry. He also said that the "reflex sweating" would go away when the sweating returns to my head. It returned, but the cs didn't stop. I expressed my concerns to Dr Lin. His questions: "do you sweat all the time, or only when it's hot or when exercising?" I said as soon as I move around a bit, or go outside. (it was summer) "Ah! that's not reflex sweating but cs my dear, the consequence of me clipping your T3." So when's that going away? Never? "Of course", he assured me, "if you are not happy, we should do the reversal very soon, it may not work if we wait..." Now you tell me. It seems like whether clipped or cut, the nerve cannot repair itself. That's when it hit me: shock, anger, despair.

I got the reversal on August 28th 2002, exactly 33 days after the original ets. Dr. Lin met with me before, and told me that it should take 3-6 months for my initial condition to return, and the fact that I exercise regularly should help. Whatever. By then, I wasn't believing a word of his. I just wanted these stupid clips out of my chest. No pain in the chest after the reversal, but the scars took 4 weeks instead of 1 to heal. Couldn't breath for a few hours when I awoke from the surgery, like running out of air on a diving tank. At the time, I thought it wouldn't be such a bad thing to run out of air completely. I'm not trying to be melodramatic, just truthful; if you're going for the ets, you've got to know what awaits you.

Three months after the reversal, my right armpit started sweating during my long runs. The same happened with the left arm a month later, to a lesser extent. I am now at month 6, and here is my physical condition. My feet are sweating constantly if I wear shoes, even if it's freezing outside. So I only wear socks while inside. Both my armpits sweat during exercise, and the rest of my lower body floods. I have to change t-shirt at the gym and wear tight shorts under running shorts. I still have cs in my back , tummy and legs when I don't exercise, but it seems to be less than before. However, it is winter here in Japan (yes, I had to move out of Taiwan), so I am not getting my hopes too high. If it stays the same when the humid summer gets here, then I will be very happy. I have to take off my jacket when I enter a 7-11, even if it's only for 2 minutes, or my back, tummy and upper legs will start sweating; I spend all day walking very slowly, avoiding stairs or sunny areas on the sidewalks otherwise I will break into a sweat; I can't wear a backpack or it will make my back sweat immediately; I always wear underclothes; hands and feet always cold; I am either freezing or sweating; feel dehydrated regularly; crave salty food, which was never the case before the surgery.

I have had a lot of problems with both insomnia and intense fatigue. Some weeks, I lack energy in a way that I had never experienced before. Getting up for work in the morning just isn't fun anymore, as I know that I will spend most of the day wondering if my students can notice the sweat through my clothes (maybe I should get a desk job like everyone else, where I don't have to jump up and down all day). Other weeks, and this was especially true soon after the surgery, I am exhausted but don't seem to be able to fall asleep in any way. I am not sure if my energy/sleeping problems are direct or indirect causes of the surgeries, and simply due to depression and lifestyle changes. Either way, I had never had such problems before.

I also seem to have problems with my joints, although I really don't see, biologically, how this could have anything to do with the surgey. I can't sit in the same position for very long or my joints hurt and feel locked. I am also constantly eating, and will probably start putting on weight soon as I don't have the energy to exercise as often as I used to. It is very disappointing to suddenly realise that I may never enjoy playing soccer in the sun, walking in the park, taking some sun or going on a beach holiday, which are all things that used to be among my favourites. Of course these aren't essentials in life; I've still got both my legs and arms. Nevertheless, I feel cheated.

On the psychological side, I am very depressed and my level of energy is about half of what it used to be. This has affected my work with young children very much. I am staying away from any social events and I haven't made any efforts to meet anyone in this new country. My body disgusts me and my libido is null. I am always unhappy and unsatisfied with everything from my work to the way my hair should look. I had several suicical thoughts for the first time in my life. I wake up in the morning, go to work and come back home. That's it. Just the thought of having to go out again is distrubing as I have no more energy to fight the cs. Much rather stay in the tub with a good book.

I don't wish this to anyone, and consequently I would not recommend an ets, no matter how severe your HH is. You will stop sweating form your hands, armpits or head, but the rest of your body will sweat twice as much, and other problems, much more important, will arise. Not a good trade-off at all.

Good luck everyone with your fight. For the ones that are even considering an ets, this is for you that we are telling our stories. It was the biggest mistake of my life, so please stay away from it.

Marie (Japan)

I had ETS in November 1999 in Gothenburg in Sweden. I was operated by a doctor at Carlanderska. Facial blushing was the reason I had the operation. The op gave me a lot of side effects: CS, 25 % reduced pulse, reduced physically, tiredness, reduced potence and loss of libido, cold right hand, weakness in feet and arms, sweating in face when eating strong food and lack of energy. All these side effects I noticed immediately after the ETS. The information I had from the hospital was that the only side effects were Horners syndrome and easy CS on the upper body.

I had the reversal in Helsinki May 2002 by Dr Telaranta. I had to stay in Helsinki for one week because I got an air pocket in my lung and they had to drain it. From 2 to 4 weeks after the reversal my CS was much better, and I felt strong and had a lot of energy. Four weeks after the reversal my CS came back worse again like it was after ETS.

Today, as of January 2003 and 8 months after the reversal, I feel that my CS is a little bit reduced and I don’t sweat as much after exercise as I did before reversal. I feel stronger physically too. I haven’t started to sweat in my hands, shoulders and face yet, but I hope I will start. But I have heard that it can take from 6 months till 3 years before the recovery is done...so I have to wait.

B (Norway)
* You may contact B through me

In April 2002 I had ETS for facial blushing and had Tier 2 cut. I had hideous side effects including CS, hairloss, anhidrosis, fatiue, and bad thermoregulation.

In August 2002 I had a sural reversal with Dr Telaranta. On the left side T3 to T1 was grafted. On the right side I had T3 to T1 and T2 to T1 grafted. I unfortunately picked up horners in my left eye. I also had temporary numbness of my right arm (sympathetic neuralgia). By early November 2002 I had much reduced anhidrosis, much reduced eyebrow loss, and better tolerance to the cold.

In November 2002 I had a heavy blow to the chest, which was still tender after the Reversal. I felt like I had lost gains of the grafts, and it seems that the vulnerabilty to 'pain disorder' was realised by the accident. I now have much pain, numbness and coldness in parts of my body.

By March 2002 the 'pain disorder' is worse, there have been no gains from sural grafts, and my horners remains.

Gigs (Great Britain)

* Gigs has set up a site at http://www.noetsuk.com/ for the British. He can also be contacted at: gamangigs@btopenworld.com

I have had the ETS reversal with Dr Telaranta in MERANO (ITALY) in December 2002 with method intercostal. I am feeling well as the Chronic fatigue is much less, sweating is less and hair scalp disturbance is much less. The only negative effect is a little sensibility in the chest muscle near the arms when they're in contact with clothes.

After the surgery I had strong pains in my chest. After ten days I only had pain on the left to the armpit and a little to the right. It was annoying. It was enough to feel annoying even if I went on a bicycle and I could feel an irritation. I have written to Telaranta and he tells me that because the intercostal nerve was cut it will ache, but will get less with time. But after a few more days the pain on the right had almost disappeared, but the left was still annoying. I also felt a light pain behind the back. After about a month I can tell that the pain on the right has disappeared and the left has reduced greatly. My hands feel warmer.

After six weeks my sensitivity in the upper chest near the armpits is reduced by about 30 - 40 %. The pain at this time on the right front chest near the armpit is total erased. On the left the pain is reduced every day. At this time I still have also a little pain on the rear high back near the spinal column.

As of February the pain on my chest is totally erased.