Well first I want to say I think that anyone here who has had HS for 15 years is much stronger than I think I am. Ive had HS for a year, and yes, Ive been told the same old crap about how its because I'm overweight and its because I smoke. I personally think that if I didn't have HS, I wouldn't be stressed and in pain so I wouldn't have a problem with quitting smoking. So, yes, I can understand where youre coming from. Most doctors dont seem to care about HS. they seem to treat it as though its our fault thaf we are suffering. Noone asked for HS. I think doctors need to go back to med school and re-do the part about compassion and bedside manner.

the doctors never said y they think i have it.......actually they dont say much at all......so frustrating!!! but one thing i can tell you is that i am always so stressed out.....so maybe that is a factor.....i wouldnt say its y we have what we have but i would have to agree that it triggers it

I understand your pain! I just had a doctor tell me some of the same things. I've had it for 7 years and its progressively gotten worse. I just want to find a DOCTOR who will understand that this disease is not my fault and that I really am in pain, and its the stress and pain. that makes it worse!

Yes. I have been told the same thing about being overweight. Not by the "Doctor" but by my own "Mother." What she doesn't understand is I didn't "develop" this disease until after I lost 20 pounds! Now I feel worse than before! Don't let the doctors put you down even Skinny People have HS.

I was told by my General Practioner that my disease was worse because I was overweight, smoker and diabetic. That if I got my sugar under control I'd be just fine. Well I only got Diabetes in the last two years. What is the reason the six years prior I was getting them?? So I have lost 60 lbs and quit smoking my diabetes have been in check for 7 months yet I still have HS, in fact it has gotten worse....... So in theory I believe they may be factors but I do not feel that any one of these makes my disease come or go. I just pray that my new specialist is as amazing as I have been told. Good Luck!!

Dear Kaitli41,
I have heard the same thing from Doctors and I always ask them, well why in the "H" did I have these before I ever smoked, and I tell my Dr. well im 6'1" and weigh 230# yes I know I could lose some wieght but my God I have been fighting this "H.S." since I was 13, I have even been to MAYO Clinic and they told me that there is know cure.

Doctors DO NOT understand the pain of this, I wish you the best of luck ans I hate that you have H.S.

Squirrely Burl

Thank You all for helping me understand. I use to weigh 235 lbs and have lost 35 lbs and haven't been able to lose anymore due to having the birth control depo shot. I did try to quit smoking in March I didn't smoke for 4 days I thought I was gonna go crazy.I have dealt with Drs that don't care and have a horrible bedside manner. I decided that I am in control of my own life and I was on a mission to find one that was decent.(After the dr that I had for years he moved away and I was devasted) I now have a plastic surgeon he seems really sweet and he listens. In my experiences they can lance these things til the cows come home and 9 times outta 10 they do come back in the same place. My new Dr cut open and cleaned out 8 areas I have about 50 stitches or so but, they kinda feel alot cleaner. It does still hurt though but it hurts when there inflammed so hopefully they will not reappear in those places again.I get my stitches out next Thursday. I am really embarrassed by this condition and can't just talk to anybody about this I am so glad I found this support group. I hope will can all help each other.We have to hang together. Thank You so much for all of your support,caring and understanding

I have had HS for 3 years, and have had arpit surgery. Vicadin (or the knock-off) works wonders for the pain. It still hurts--but you just don't care. Trouble is, it's a narcotic and you can get hooked.

arMpit surgery, that is

I have had both Axillary areas done about 8 years ago. I have had about 15 surgeries in @ least 20 different areas

UGH! Yes! The exact same thing...so yeah I'm sure the fact I'm overweight and used to be a smoker didn't help things, but I didnt get my diabetes until recently...and yet they use it as the fall back excuse as to why anything is ever wrong with me. I had health problems BEFORE i was diabetic...suddenly its all to blame on my "beetus" lol. Sometimes I just think they are clueless and its the scape goat for when they don't have anything better to add.

Harmony Yes your right when they can't tell you anything they use our medical problems for our problem.I do have my diabetes more under control then before and I have lost weight soo I don't know. This new plastic surgery did not use those excuses which I thought was awesome. He said it was genetic I asked around in my family and my great uncle had a few "boils" like 40 years ago but he had been eating too many tomatoes and that was the problem I guess he never had any surgeries ( they were on his back) Then that doctor said that when I was in about my sixties they would go away I'm like OMG that is like 20 some years away I have to suffer that much longer??? If you can I"d shop around for a Dr that would have more compassion and not to blame you.

I meant plastic surgeon my son was talking to me lol

Equally as bad is when they tell you it's because you don't shower enough. If you have HS, you could live in the shower and it wouldn't make a bit of difference. That's the excuse I hated the most from doctors. HS is not caused by not taking showers.

You are absolutely right Mommax I use to take 3 or 4 showers a day and it didn't help. I still say No# 1 reason STRESS. I worry all the time about everything and can't chill out it sucks