I am so miserable right now I dont know what else to do ?

Wow Jessica you describe how you are feeling very well, I do know how you feel all to well. I myself have been dealing with this for over 20 yrs now.Back then no one knew what and how painful it was physically and mentally...I for years thought I was some kind of freak.....On this site there are sooo many people that have tried different ways to try to cure and help themselves deal with this...I was so touched and reminded when I read your words...I honestly hope that you can somehow find some kind of relief..always remember that You are not alone....and that by gods grace someone will finally cure this...keep your chin up girl...I'll pray for ya...

I am sorry to hear you are in pain I know how it feels to go to your doctor and feel like they don't care or understand trying to hold back your tears but can't as you walk back to your car. I a cyst that I had lanced and drained twice in the past 2months and antibiotics and its still the same size and hurts like hell nothing is helping but its still draining so I guess that's good. HS is hard to cope with and the emotional pain is just as hard as the physical but like Teresa said your not alone. We are all here to support each other and to walk through this with each other. I have had this for 30 years before someone finely figured out what it was. Some days are harder then others. Hang in there. Try a warm comprises i wet my wash cloth and microwave for 30 seconds that may help it some.

 

I'm sorry to hear you are going through such pain and discomfort with HS. Your dermatologist is correct in saying that you should go on antibiotics for inflammation and not for infection, this is because with HS the antibiotics are used purely for there inflammation properties even if they fight infection as well. Because HS is an inflammatory disease. The boils contents won't have a particular culture either. Every antibiotic I have been on has had little to no effect. Until recently to which has been miracle for me as I have not had a flare up since. I have been on a 12 weeks course of clindamycin and rifampacin combination. I shower twice a day, morning before work and after work and use hibiscrub which is an antimicrobial wash that surgeons use before surgery. I also apply clindamycin gel to the affected areas (for me, groin and top of bum crack) only ONCE per day (morning). The gel does take a while to start working, probably several weeks. But if you're on clindamycin and rifampacin tablets for 12 weeks whilst constantly using the clindamycin gel routine, in that time it will have started working so you can stop the tablets and carry on using the gel as a preventative measure. Please let me know how you get on and if this is a possibility and has been of any help. As more people read these threads it might help more people. Thanks for your post.

I had 3 recurring boils/abcesses that healed up but still with pockets of hard matter.  In the end I went to a surgeon who incised them completely under a local anaesthetic and they have never come back.   I find that is the only way to get rid of problems ones entirely.   Ok they come back in a different place but if they keep recurring there I will get them done too.

My dermatologist said this is the only way at my stage to stop them recurring.  I presume you are under a dermatologist?   If so go back and see them.  x

Hi Jessica I too feel your pain! I know in my own experience the one time I had one lanced it didn't work in fact now it's more painful whenever I get them in that area because it is on top of hardened scar tissue. I Know that because I am overweight and I smoke that changing those two things about myself would help immensely but one thing I have noticed that is helpful in maintaining my outbreak areas is plain old hydrogen peroxide. I have it in a spray bottle that I keep in the bathroom and everytime I use the bathroom I spray the area thoroughly and let it set for about 30 seconds before patting it dry. unfortunately nothing out there will heal our disease but taking better care of ourselves is definitely key to making it easier...unfortunately, for me that's been a bit of a challenge to! good luck sister hang in there :-)