The most obvious and trivial explanation is that the varicocele is causing an increase in temperature, which in turn is causing the sweating

Seems like an IR kitchen thermometer pointed at the skin of the area during sweaty vs non-sweaty moments could test that hypothesis pretty trivially?

You imply that it happens only while sitting. If it ever doesn't happen while sitting, what's different about the times it doesn't happen. If it ever does happen while standing or lying, what's different about the times when it does?

What's the minimum time you have to stand up to get it to stop or not start for the full 15mins when you sit back down again? If simply standing, moving, and sitting back down is sufficient, a timer set for every ~14 minutes to remind you to stand up with minimal interruption to your work could theoretically be the simplest possible intervention.

Have you actually told a doctor what you're telling us, specifically that you're experiencing hyper-localized sweating to a low percentage of your body's surface, and only in one specific position? Because framed like that, it starts smelling like some kind of weird neurological or endocrine malfunction, and the local vascular symptoms start seeming more like effects from a shared cause than a potential cause themselves.

Has imaging verified that your brain looks normal since this problem started? My emergency medical training biases me toward worrying about a brain injury, stroke, or tumor contributing to sudden-onset abnormal sweating.

My guess is that Less Wrong can't really help you. Maybe you could pay someone like @Elizabeth [LW · GW] to investigate? Otherwise all I can offer is what GPT-4 gives me back when I plug in your post:

I'm sorry to hear about your ongoing discomfort and the negative impact it's having on your daily life. Please remember that while I can give general advice and suggest potential routes of investigation, I'm an AI developed by OpenAI and not a doctor. Your healthcare provider is always the best source of guidance for personal health matters.

Given the nature of your problem, it may be beneficial to consider an interdisciplinary approach that combines urology, dermatology, and perhaps even endocrinology. While it may be difficult to find a connection between your varicocele and localized hyperhidrosis, you may want to ensure all possibilities have been investigated.

Given that you've tried medications typically used for hyperhidrosis without success, you may want to consider treatments that are more focused on the specific area, such as Botox injections which are sometimes used for severe underarm sweating, or topical treatments like prescription-strength antiperspirants.

Elevated blood pressure could potentially contribute to increased sweating, although the sweating you describe seems to be localized, which would not be typical of this cause.

It may also be worth exploring if there is a neurological cause. Some people experience excess sweating due to issues with the nerves that control sweat production. This is usually a widespread problem rather than a localized one, but there are exceptions.

In terms of your varicocele, while it's true that an increase in scrotal temperature is one of the potential side effects, there's not a well-established link between varicoceles and excessive sweating. However, if the varicocele is causing discomfort, dealing with it may be worthwhile even if it doesn't resolve the sweating issue.

Also, have your doctors considered the role of anxiety or stress in this situation? It's known that anxiety can cause excessive sweating, and the distress you're experiencing could be contributing to the problem.

Finally, you might consider seeing a specialist in thermoregulatory disorders. Such a specialist might be able to offer more specific insight or suggestions for further testing or treatment.

In any case, do not give up. It may take time to find the right specialist or treatment, but there are many potential avenues to explore. Be sure to keep your healthcare providers informed about how much this is affecting your quality of life, as this is an important factor in treatment decisions.

Meta: What is the best place on internet to ask for (free) medical advice?

It very likely isn't Less Wrong, but what is?