Personal Stories

The Power of a Handshake: Ramona Gomez Gains Choices with ETS

Until recently, Ramona Gomez, a 39-year-old insurance consultant from Rockaway, New Jersey, had to offer her clients hugs instead of handshakes because of her pronounced fear of one thing—her sweaty palms. "I could literally hold my hand parallel to the ground and you could see the sweat drip off of it," explains Mrs. Gomez.

As long as she can remember, Mrs. Gomez says both her hands and feet would sweat. "I can remember as early as third grade feeling uncomfortable taking off my sneakers at a friend's house. There was always an odor because my feet were constantly wet. I remember not wanting to wear sandals because my feet would slip around in sweat. I don't think a day ever went by that I didn't sweat."

Mrs. Gomez struggled to understand what was causing her excessive sweating. It seemed as though virtually anything could trigger her to sweat. "If I was hot, I would sweat. If I was cold, I would sweat. If I was anxious, I would sweat. And sometimes, even if I was none of these things, I would sweat. Basically, I was sweating all the time."

In her early 20s, Mrs. Gomez found some initial answers. She learned that she had a medical condition known as hyperhidrosis, which literally means excessive sweating. Mrs. Gomez was diagnosed by her dermatologist, who prescribed a medical therapy to treat the condition. "I was given Drysol®, a prescription medication. I used it for about a year and it helped for a while, but with time the effects wore off," says Mrs. Gomez.

Years went by and Mrs. Gomez learned to live with her excessive sweating. She tried not to take it personally when her five-year-old daughter didn't want to hold her hand crossing the street, or when colleagues would joke about her condition at work. "You learn to compensate. I have a strong personality, so after a presentation at work I wouldn't shake people's hands—instead, I would hug them. I'd joke with clients, telling them that they really don't want to shake my hand. I'd even mention that I had a condition without going into the details."

In May 2004, Mrs. Gomez went to a dermatologist again about a case of poison ivy. While there, she casually asked, 'So what's new with hyperhidrosis these days?' She says the answer pleasantly surprised her. "I learned that the treatment options had come a long way. My dermatologist told me there was a new, minimally invasive surgical procedure that involved snipping a nerve and that could potentially put an end to sweating for good. Twenty years ago the only surgical alternative was very invasive," explains Mrs. Gomez.

Lyall A. Gorenstein, MD

The dermatologist referred her to Dr. Lyall Gorenstein at Columbia University Medical Center to learn about the procedure, known as Endoscopic Thoracic Sympathectomy (ETS). "The first thing Dr. Gorenstein said is that he performs this procedure all the time, and that it's a straightforward surgery that can be done thoracoscopically. He was very optimistic that I would be a success story. He immediately put me at ease and I did not leave Dr. Gorenstein's office until I had my surgery scheduled."

Mrs. Gomez had her surgery on August 20, 2004. The procedure took about an hour. "The recovery was phenomenal," she says. "I had no problems at all. I was just a little uncomfortable the first day. I had a slight chest pain and it felt like I couldn't take a deep breath. The tiny incisions under my armpits were a bit sore to the touch, but I didn't experience any strong pain at all. The same day of surgery I was eating lunch with my husband at an outdoor bistro. The next day I had a big meeting at work, and believe it or not, I was there. Within two days the chest pain was almost gone and I felt myself again."

As for the results, Mrs. Gomez says they were immediate. "You notice a difference the same day as surgery. From the minute I woke up in the recovery room things were different."

From that moment on, life has been very different for Mrs. Gomez. "I used to rub my hands on my pants all the time, and I just don't have to any more. My hands are totally dry. They don't sweat at all. It's so nice to wear sandals without having to worry about sliding, and it's nice to finally shake someone's hand after a meeting."

Mrs. Gomez is a satisfied, sweat-free customer. "I love it. It's the best thing I've ever done. It's definitely something I would highly recommend to anyone who suffers from hyperhidrosis. For once, I never have to stop and find a way to compensate—and you have no idea how good that feels."