First Surgery for HS went terrible!

I'm so sorry you are going through this terrible ordeal. May I ask why the need for surgery right after a recent diagnoses? I like to consult other experts in this condition for different opinions before proceeding with any major procedure. HS tends to be so misdiagnosed and there are so many approaches. My experience with an armpit surgery included daily visits to a clinic for cleaning and bandaging for 6 weeks. Even a few weeks after that the wound was still open slightly but was told to leave it un-bandaged so as to naturally ventilate. Eventually it closed. Sadly another bump under the surgical wound maybe two weeks after the surgery. I hope things look up for you. All the best.

After my surgery for 5 bumps under my arm which I considered were cysts not H.S I had a few for 5 years or longer then over time 3 more showed up. I got rid of them because of size and awkward position. Not pain.

After surgery the stitches broke the doctor just left them open, took over a month to heal big scars but closed up.

The cysts havent showed up since for a year now. But right after surgery I had H.S show up under both arms. After breaking them and getting off a lot of sugar I have been more stable. Sugar causes mine, I just dont eat a lot of sugar crap anymore.

I have had HS on my beltline and thighs for years that werent aggressive but the ones under arms repeatedly came back until I cut off cakes. donuts cookies that had high sugar.

Hi Sukii

Hang on in there! It's horrible! It's rubbish! Excruciatingly painful! But you will get through this! Be nice to yourself and treat yourself well and remember you are not alone. There's loads of us out there in many countries who are going through similar.

HS is so undiagnosed and seems so little research is being done on this but it seems to be infecting an increasing number of people young, and old no matter what our backgrounds and life style. Surgeons and specialists are even confused by what the root cause is.

For some reason which I can't grasp, it seems that it affects certain areas of the body with hair differently. For example, mine isn't in my arm pits or breast area but it has well and truly taken hold in my groin area.

I've got golf ball sized abcesses in my groin which are also termed by the medics as "runners" i.e. they also spread downwards in lines down to my thighs. I've had these for over 6 months when I first got this condition (I'm 3 years post menopause so this should so not have happened based on all the research). These areas just weap a bit but don't go away no matter what I treat them with. Of course, extremely painful and sometimes just walking is a struggle never mind sitting down. I now wear baggy joggers because wearing any other type of trouser is just too painful.

I've done the antibiotics things for over 3 months - no difference other than to stop them feeling ouchie because this is an inflamatory disease. Discovered tumeric tablets after reading this website, and they've stopped the inflamation in terms of it being "ouchie" but hasn't stopped the actual abcesses happening. At least though it means I don't need antibiotics to keep the pain of the inflamation at bay. My dermatologist consultant at hospital also said - if that's working for you - then don't do antibiotics.

Having surgery should work but you need to give it time.It worked for me in the past. Just give yourself a pat on the back for reaching out ... although we can't give you the answers, and stop you feeling depressed, just recognise that it's your body that's trying to work its way through helping you survive.

You are not alone! There's loads of us here struggling with the condition but we're all refusing to let it rule our lives and dictate who we are and what we do.

Like you, I was offered surgery. But having read this forum, and also having experienced cystic acne on my face big time and peri-anal abcesses in my early 20s which was very much like your experience now, where the wound had to be packed etc ... I've decided there is no point unless it's going to cause sepsis which they've confirmed I won't get even though I've got leaking open wounds.

I'm still researching about this stuff ... somewhere at sometime someone will realise what's it's all about.

For now - I refuse to give in - I refuse to let it rule my life ... and I'll deal with it ... so long as I'm not in pain and for me Turmeric tablets each day from a local store has solved that bit of the puzzle.

All the very best to you ... keep strong.

I'm sorry your first surgery has been so difficult for you. I have had a diagnosis of HS for 26 years. I did consult with a surgeon about 10 years ago. The worst part of my rash is the pelvic area. She said it would require a lot of tissue removal, and bedrest for several weeks. So I never got it done because I have a family to take care of, and no one to take care of me for several weeks.

Hi sukii.k I hope things are better for you about the above and your outlook is positive no matter what. Sending you good vibes.