Hi there! I know nothing about pregnancy and have yet to have a child myself (I'm only 21) but what I think is that because your body is under more stress after having a child maybe that is why your HS is worst after child birth. I know when I am stressed out they get worse and also my hormones are all wacky so I think that adds to it as well. I can't really say what to do, but don't let this keep you from having another baby children are truely a joy and a blessing. I hope you'll be able to find something that will help keep this under control so you won't have to worry about it being worse after having another baby. :)

No..OMG if I would have known that it gets much worse I probably won't have had my son. In my 8th month I woke up one morning with about 30 cysts under my breast. I had never had it in that area.
It's never gone away.

Ariesgurl, I would not let this disease deprive you of the most rewarding experiences of life. I have been suffering from this in my groin and under my breasts for 15 years and recently under one arm pit. :( I have had three pregnancies and have four of the most amazing people in my life from those pregnancies. The HS has definitely flared up and progressed a bit more with each pregnancy. In fact, I realized that's what I had when it appeared under my breasts with my first pregnancy. It's painful and irritating and downright depressing, but I would go through it any day to experience being a mother to four wonderful little people. My 14 year old twins aren't so little anymore, but always little in my heart. :) Be sure and try washing with Hibiclens 1-2 times a day. Can be found at CVS or Walgreens and in larger, less expensive quantities on Amazon. I also use rubbing alcohol soaked cotton balls 1-2 times daily to clean up the oozing sores. Then I smother them with antiobiotic ointment with pain medicine in it. I also use the Desitin with 40% zinc oxide on the open sores and then each night I cover the active areas, oozing or not, with lanolin cream. This helps reduce the bacteria spread. At night I sleep in men's boxers... so sexy, right. LOL! But they really help get healing air to those oozing areas. However, on those "special" nights or days I just use the antibiotic ointment and skip the other stuff. ;-D I also rub the lanolin into the new "deep into the skin bumps" that come up. They almost always go away within a week and never surface. :) So happy to have found this helpful hint!! I use a lanolin made for use on horse udders. LOL! It's comes in a big yellow tube made by Corona's and I get it at my local feed store. About $10 for a tube that lasts about 3-4 months. Not bad!! :) The newest thing I've started is limiting and trying to eliminate gluten and yeast from my diet. It's hard to eat out or at someone's house though... but I manage pretty well. I eat a lot of salad and fruit. But, honey, don't make a decision to have a baby based on this disease. Chances are it will worsen on it's own.... yes, pregnancy may incite it to flare up, but that baby is soooo worth it! I can say this, as I'm a stage 3 sufferer and still hold that my babies have been worth the hell HS dishes out. So go for it!! Take each day as it comes and try with all your might not to worry about tomorrow. {{hugs}}

My hs did not get worse during or after pregnancy. I think stress is what makes mine get bad. Not everyone get worse, EVERY case is different in my humble opinion. HS is a crap shoot as to where it will go. Staying calm is my best advice. I wish I had had the opportunity to have another child. Good luck.

Goodness, you all are so brave, I have fibromyalgia and when I was pregnant it always got better; after the babies came it was always worse...so I guess it is hormones and the stress of babies but I had 3 beautiful children in my life and would trade nothing for those experiences...why I say had is my only son died at 19 years old in a terrible car accident...I still have my 2 beautiful daughters and at 41 and having fibromyalgia I had my little angel with Down syndrome who now is the joy of my life..... She has HS but we still laugh, smile, love and joke every day...... Nothing is worth missing the joy of having children...... as far as HS goes, it does its own thing regardless of pregnancy........ Dont stop living your life because of HS...if you want to be a mother go for it..... It is an experience that you will never regret...The joy of bringing another life into the world is so overwhelmingly satisfying...... Tangerinebear xo

thanks for the support everyone. I wouldnt trade having my daughter for anything and I definitely wont let this bloody HS stop me from having more babies. I will be brave and face what comes. This is the path God has chosen for me and i will try and accept it the best that I can...

i dont think i had H.S w/ my two older kids that are 21 and 18. but i did w/ my new lo who's 17months. i didnt think the H.S. got worse w/ that pregnancy. i still had it, but wasnt as bad. still was embarressing and i feared giving birth and having nurses and doctors staring at them while babys coming out. but i got lucky and had a c section. id like to have another baby too. and if i get the chance i will do it!! but right now my H.S is at its worst. i have atleast 10 boils. but i also like 70 pounds over weight and i think thats why its gotten so bad! i was just reading on tumeric spice or pills and it seems to of helped a lot w/ others. so i think im gonna give that a try. maybe ask your doc if its ok to take while preggo. now go get yourself preggo!! :)

Pistoff.....

There is a definite correlation between HS and Hormone and Androgen issues. Many women report that their HS will flare around the time of their menses. Many have also reported that their HS worsened around a pregnancy. In both of these instances a womans body will undergo MAJOR hormone changes.

Visit with your Gyno and have them do a full Androgen and Hormone work up on you and see where things are. Then treat any thing that is outside "normal range".

Additionally, many women have reported a significant improvement in their HS once they have gone through menopause. (Another major hormone change).

Some women have also seen an improvement with the birth control pill Yaz. It uses Drosperenone as its active ingredient. Drosperenone is an anti androgen!

While we know that HS is genetic based, there are lots of things that can exacerbate it.

Hope this helps!!

Peace

Rick H.

The above should be addressed to Ariesgirl.... sorry for the typo

Rick

Hello Ariesgurl... I have had HS for 9 years it started out bad, then got worse, then it settled down.. when I was 20 I got pregnant and I'm trying again, it was the best 9 months of my life I have no outbreaks at all even though I had morning sickness I would rather have that then being in horrible pain.. then after I had my baby once I hit my fist period I got one huge boil under my arm gotta admit it was pretty horrible but I wouldn't say my condition had gotten worse or better all I know is that when I was pregnant I didn't have one single outbreak=) I think my condition is hormonal I usually only get an outbreak a couple days before my period..anyone feel that way?? Anyway hope this helps..

I only had 1 when I got pregnant with my first child, and didn't start getting any more until I was about 22 (got pregnant at 19), Got pregnant about 4 years after the first, and didn't have a single one pop up that I can remember. But I had "morning sickness" morning, noon, night, coughing could bring on vomiting fits, but no aliens that I honestly can recall.. But about 2 years after my second kid is when things kicked into full gear and went nutz.
Definitely don't let this rob you of the joy of having more children, and poo on any DR or nurse that would look at you funny for having HS AND having another baby. Just tell 'em to take a picture or to shove it where the sun don't shine..lol
Best of luck to you sweetie!

RichysMommy, mine also seems to be hormonal as I too only get the flare ups a few days before my period, with it lasting until drainage maybe 1.5 weeks after the start of my period. Ugh.

Anyways here's my experience:

First started my period at 16, and around this time noticed a boil on my bikini line. Went to see a doctor freaked out and was advised to "wash better". Ugh. That was the start of it. For years after this the boils would come and go but always in the groin area, never anywhere else.

At 28, first pregnancy. During my pregnancy complete remission, no boils at all. It was great. After I give birth, it started up again, only this time also under my right armpit (had never had it there before). It was SO painful under the arm, made it very difficult to lift a baby, they would get golf ball sized. I also started having some under my right breast, but they were much more manageable/less painful than the armpit. Through this I continued to have it in the groin area as well.

2nd pregnancy at 31, again complete remission and no outbreaks during my pregnancy. Since this pregnancy (2 years ago now), I have not had any further outbreaks under my arm, I am back to only having them on the groin area. The severity of that hasn't really changed, it is usually manageable with the pain becoming sharp a day or two before drainage. Then the cycle starts over next month.

Glad to hear that things didn't go totally downhill for you after baby #2...gives me some hope!

well just to give you all an update....Im about 10 weeks pregnant now and my HS HAS gotten worse. It hasnt drastically changed but I am now getting cysts on/under my breasts which was not a problem before. My groin/thigh area has gotten a little more active along with my armpits. Im hoping its due to the crazy1st trimester hormone surge and that it will level out once I hit the second trimester. I seem to be getting acne on my chest and arms as well, which is similar to what i experienced during my first pregnancy...

I am wondering though if you guys have any treatment ideas for the cyst that I have on my breast. it hurts soooo bad, and it wont seem to go away. So far Ive been using polysporin and tea trea oil topically but dont know what else is safe to use during pregnancy. Any tips you guys might have to help get rid of if will be much appreciated.


ariesgurl

Further to my last update I've got monster swelling in my groin! It's so painful and difficult to walk. I've been feeling sick lately and don't know if it's the flu or from HS...how do you tell the difference? The worst part is that I can't take any type of medication whatsoever! Nothing for the flu symptoms and nothing for the HS pain...I cannot wait till these 9 months are over and the baby is born so that I can start antibiotics or something! I'm considering not even breast feeding this time so that I can start treatment right away! Hopefully the HS eases up in the coming months as I am having problems coping with it right. It's probably all the preg hormones but I just can't deal anymore!