Reality hits and everything sinks in. Yes, I have this horrible skin disease. Yes, it makes me insecure. Yes, it is painful, disgusting and unbearable. I decide I have to take a stand and find a way to not let this thing control me! It was only 2 days later when I stumbled upon a book that talked about how changing your diet can "cure" this disease.
If you are a Hidradenitis Suppurativa sufferer, there are several lifestyle changes that must be made. The most important is your diet. After reading this book and researching anti-inflammatory foods, I finally started to believe that there was hope for prevention. While there is not a cure, there are several things that you can do to prevent future flare-ups. I have been flare-up free for 1 1/2 years because of the lifestyle changes I have chosen. I can't stress enough the importance of a diet (lifestyle) change.
I know the antibiotic (Doxycycline) that the dermatologist prescribed me, along with the clindamycin gel, was helping my flare-up shrink down and become less and less painful. However, I also started the recommendations from the eBook. The day came when I took my last antibiotic pill. I remember not wanting to stop the antibiotic because I was terrified that I would have another flare-up. I continued to follow the anti-inflammatory diet recommendations. I ate oatmeal with blueberries, veggies with hummus, apples, salads with my Sesame Garlic Dressing (posted July 7th), tried quinoa for the first time, and drank a lot of green tea. Days passed and I didn't have another flare-up. Months passed and I was flare-up free. I can't even tell you how relieved I felt.
Any lifestyle change is bound to affect the people that are close to you. I had to change everything! I had to change the recipes that I was cooking for my husband and I. I had to stop eating candy! I LOVED candy! I was a sucker for Skittles, Good 'N Plenty, and Jelly Beans. My lifestyle changed and therefore, the lifestyle of the people around me changed too. I will say this. Do not be afraid to talk to a therapist. This saved my husband and I and helped us both understand how to deal with the daily changes.
I still have cravings. I remember a get together at a friends house around Halloween. We were all playing a board game and the candy was spread out all over the table. I could almost taste that mini twix and snickers bar. I just wanted to eat a twix! It is in these moments that I have to take a deep breath and ask myself, is it worth it? To me, the pain and suffering is absolutely not! In a way, I treat this like a food allergy. I just tell myself, the people around me, the waitress at the restaurant that I have an allergy. It makes it easier.
I still struggle and have fear that I will have another flare-up. I have to remind myself though, that I am doing everything I possibly can to prevent this horrible disease! My goal is to share the recipes that I have compiled with you. I will also share tips and tricks that have worked for me along the way. If you commit yourself to a lifestyle change, I promise you will see positive results!
Can I ask you a question? I have my first HS outbreak on my inner groin. I'm 23 and it's giving me extreme anxiety. I have 2 marble sized ones and they are like under the skin and not yet to painful, but tender to touch. I have had them for about 2 weeks now and im wondering if they go away on their own or do I have to get them drained? I really really don't want to go that route but I'd like to know from your experience if they recede on their own with a healthy clean diet or if they have to indeed burst... :[ ugh. please help!
ReplyDeleteIn my experience, I have never had my flare-up drained/lanced. I was put on an oral antibiotic, clindamycin gel/lotion (both prescribed by my dermatologist) and started my "clean" eating diet. Prior to being put on the antibiotic, I left it completely alone. I was told not to squeeze it or mess with it because this can cause it to spread. I took Epsom salt baths to relieve the pain and I think that caused it to drain a little (naturally) on its own. I still use the clindamycin gel/lotion every single day, along with my diet changes. If I feel a tender area (as if one is about to appear), I go into complete "detox" mode. I take turmeric, zinc, drink parsley tea, drink a lot of water, eat tons of green leafy veggies, and allow myself a relaxing evening in my Epsom salt bath. This has worked for me....I hope it does for you as well.
DeleteOh it is such a hard change to stay away from sugar....I agree. I really like your ideas for detox mode, thank you!
ReplyDeleteMichelle