I know I have HS but an confused by some of the posts

Posted , 6 users are following.

I keep reading on here about people here with HS bursting their boils/abcesses.   Or pricking them etc,

I have never been able to do that with any of mine because of the pain and the fact they have no head.  Literally the only thing that helps is antibiotics and incision afterwards.   

All my abcesses have several big red hot bumps with lesser bumps all around and the rest of the area is red and incredibly painful.   The redness and infection spreads all round the area too.   How people can bear to prick or even touch them is beyond me as I can't move without pain.   

The lesser ones begin to drain a bit but only a bit and pressing on them to drain them further is out of the question because of the pain.

Does everyone have a higher pain threshold than me?   x

0 likes, 7 replies

7 Replies

  • Posted

    No, it don't think so. I had very deep ones like that and my dermatologist would numb them, do an incision and scrape out the cystic materials in the tunnels.  It always felt better instantly because of all the pressure and inflammation.  On my journey to remission, I did have some come up closer to the surface of my skin as if my body was releasing them ?? and they didn't hurt near as bad as the deep ones did!  I don't think there was as much inflammation in those either. 
    • Posted

      Oh thank you crystal I thought it was just me!   I had 2 nasty big boils done like that.  But usually no doctor will touch my abcesses and just give me antibiotics because of the infection.   They say they can't because it might make them worse until the infection is gone.   I generally only go back to have them incised if they keep recurring then they are done under a local anaesthetic.

      The only exception to this was a monster one I got a few years ago.  It was massively infected and I literally couldn't move without huge pain.  The doctor sent to to ER and they said they couldn't do it under a local because it was too big.   They did it under a short general and I spent 3 days in hospital and had intravenus ab's coz even then they couldn't get rid of all the infection.   Gross.  Thankfully I have never had any more as bad as that and hope I never do.  

      I have been very lucky recently not to have had many (touch wood)  but did have a couple of lumps on my leg for ages then they both because infected but ab's sorted them out even if they haven't got rid of all of it.  I hope they don't recur.

      It's a horrible disease isn't it?  

      Thanks again for your reply.  I hope you are ok at the moment love.  x  

    • Posted

      Yes, it IS horrible! Antibiotics and steroid shots only help that cyst temporarily.  It's still under there lurking for the next time and grows each time it comes back! Even with the incisions, the cysts eventually come back under scar tissue but it takes years. 

      My dermatologist said they form because your body is attacking the hole /opening where your hair folical meets your sweat gland.  Your body attacks that opening due to your autoimmune system.  She has studied it and researched it for a while now.  

      I'm doing good right now! Cutting nightshades put me in remission but if I slip up and eat just a tad of nightshade I have a cyst flare up within hours! Peanuts also do it to me.  Before HS, Peanuts would give me horrible ulcers in my throat and ear canals.  When the ulcers stopped, it turned into HS instead of ulcers.  I have to stay away from nightshades AND nuts now! It's so hard because I love potatoes but my HS was horrible, I had tried everything and that poison just builds up over time.! It's worth watching ingredients to have my life back! 

    • Posted

      No definitely not all abcess are easy to drain. Some i have to go see doctor so the can numb and drain. They are very painful especially if they are in uncomfortable areas. Mine dont spread around it but sometimes in a couple of weeks after one has healed another will come out around same area. I dont wish hs on even my worst enemy. Its embarrassing, painful, and just disgusting. 
  • Posted

    No not at all! 

    I said the exact same in my recent post. Mine seems to get seriously inflamed and excrousiating  

    I can't seem to sit at times never mind pop them.

    You're not alone there. I think maybe it depends in the severity of the outbreak but for ten years I've never been able to touch mine. 

  • Posted

    I can't play with mine to painful. I had two area's surgically removed yesterday. 1 on my lower butt and the other in the scrodum.

    This is such a painful process it took months for any surgeon to even do the surgery. They just keep putting me on antibiotics which did nothing and the tracks were getting deeper and spreading. This HS disease is not joke and lots of people don't understand the pain involved in having this..

    Good luck to all who have this and let's hope for a cure or even where or what causes it..

    Mike C

  • Posted

    Hi there, only just found this page. I'm coming up for 31 and have been a sufferer since I was 17. I was diagnosed with stage 3 in 2010. I hear a lot about fellow sufferers needing surgery but being fobbed off with antibiotics. As someone who has had 19 (yes 19!) surgeries in 6 years my advice is to fight your corner.

     I've been sent by my dermatologists to hospital for emergency surgery to then have a surgeon put me on IV antibiotics. As I told them, it would only delay the surgery. Antibiotics will only make the problem APPEAR fixed, it will come back. Most of the time it works and they will operate. I think having an exceptional dermatologist helps, and I am blessed to have an outstanding one. 

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.