Success... So far

Thank you!

And no cheating doesn't help I am going to try potateo soon and see how I react to that! But I do know tomatoes are a big no go!

I will! I want to help people but with HS everyone's different so it's hard!

Once again thank you and take care!x

It's very difficult but worth it. I don't eat any nightshade vegetables which are: potatoes, tomatoes, peppers any type of spice from a pepper (paprika is one - It's in lots of stuff), eggplant, tobacco and something else that I can't remember but I didn't eat it anyway. I have to watch ALL ingredients. If it says "spices" "natural flavors" or such, stay away... it could be a nightshade spice! Also modified food starch could be potato starch. You really have to watch everything and it takes dedication. Shredded cheese in a bag for example is coated in potato starch! That alone kept me from remission the first whole month that I cut out nightshades because I didn't look at the ingredients! I get inflammation from peanuts so I don't eat those either.

Nightshades may not be your sensitivity though. The lady I learned about this from started experimenting by eating chicken, lettuce oil and vinegar and she added a food group at a time. When she got to the nightshade group she flared.

You'll have to experiment to see but I took a short cut with the nightshades and cut those first. Worked for me!

We're you strict in eating no nightshades? The least little bit will cause inflammation! You cannot have ANY of your trigger once you find out what it is!

There could be a number of factors. First of all, nightshades may or may not be a trigger for you. Gluten and nightshades seem to be major triggers for people with HS. I'm actually fine with gluten, but nightshades will set me off in a matter of hours. It may be a different food group you have trouble with. The only way to know for sure is to do an elimination diet to determine what your triggers are.

The second thing is, double check all of the ingredients listed on the foods you eat. Even something as simple as vegetable oil might contain potatoes. Potato starch can be found in candy, yogurt, ice cream and a lot of cheeses. Paprika is in a lot of processed foods as well, ie hot dogs, margarine, mayo, a lot of salad dressings etc,  and that's something you definitely need to avoid on a nightshade-free diet.

Thanks for the advice - yes i did think i was being strict with no nightshades - i have even given up smoking. But i did not realise to what extent the nightshade family of foods are in everyday products too! I am 99% sure i have eaten grated cheese!

I think i will start fresh with an elimination diet.

What is your experience with HS and the way you are feeling day to day? Over the last few weeks I feel like I am losing control and losing myself. I am (or always thought i was) a strong minded person, never giving up and certainly never letting anything get to me... All of this seems a distant memory at the moment. Any comments would be greatly appreciated. Is HS making me depressed??

It definitely will make you depressed. I was in stage 4. It gets worse as you get older and it disables you if you don't find remission. I don't know if your married or if you have kids but I HAD to do it for them!! I cried after I went into remission and went on my first bike ride with my family in YEARS! The change in my diet is a small sacrifice compared to my health and happiness! Good luck!