First of all, I'm so sorry that you have to suffer. I hate that HS can control us sometimes, and make us subject to whatever it brings. But your attitude is inspiring! God does indeed have plans for us and He will carry us through! I love that you use Job, because he certainly was miserable but in the end, he was so blessed because of his faith. I hope you have a better day today, God bless!

sitting here crying, your post made me feel a bit better. You're so strong. I find myself crumbling more and more every day. That fire I used to have is nearly gone. I hope you're right...

Well, I'm not a terribly devout person and it must be hard for anyone to guess the purpose of this ordeal especially me - HS is diverse enough that we probably make poor Guinea Pigs for one another, let alone for anyone else.

On the other hand, I don't think your faith or sense of purpose is misplaced, if I can just figure out how to say this without making HS any more difficult than it deceptively tries to make everyone think that it is...

I think that HS generally is a very complicated disease, which is not really a cheerful thought. I'm not just saying that either, let's look at this other problem or that other problem that I might have in addition to HS. This other thing or that other thing usually has a half dozen different microbes that are suspected of playing a role, whereas maybe some fifty different microbes have been isolated from HS lesions and you get to try to guess what any of all 50 of them may have to do with it or not.

It may actually be fair to say that by the time someone has a good handle on HS, other diseases are going to look pretty simple in comparison, and THAT certainly strikes me as a cheerful thought. Maybe we really are God's Learning Lab for some very mighty healers for all I know.

It might also come as a cheerful thought that what we may go through may end having quite a bit to do with what other people with different problems go through after all, because when you get down to it, HS may be only one of a number of diseases where the clean-up crew of the immune system needs a good wake-up, so to speak. It may thus turn out that if there is ever a "cure" for HS, HS will not be the only thing that it cures.

It's still very hard for me to think there's any good in this and I wouldn't wish it on anyone for any reason - but I think you're very right, it IS quite possible that some good may come of it and if that thought makes you feel any better, no one has any business trying to talk you out of it if you ask me.

Hello Elish
I have been dealing with HS for over 40 years. I am now 64. Please try French Green Clay. It reduces the swelling and takes the pain level down significantly almost immediately. Go online and order some. I purchased mine from a company called French clay for all (frenchclayforall.com). Order the tube of fine green clay, if u want order a small one whatever. Once you see how fast it works you will order more. Clay does not go bad so you can order larger quantities. I have not used the dry kind that needs to be hydrated with water but I did order it. The tube however is ready to use, I am only suggesting the tube because you need to apply quickly so you can see for yourself what happens. Over time it would be more cost effective to order the larger bags of dry clay. Since a cure for this disease has yet to be discovered we need to know how to improve our quality of life in the interim.
I applied the clay during an exceptionally painful outbreak an area in the groin that has become a sinus track. At the same time I had a small area at the base of my spine where one was beginning. I applied a clay poultice to both areas the one on the spine dissolved an disappeared almost immediately. The sinus track is at least 70% smaller almost no pain and getting smaller everyday. It's been about three weeks since I started using the clay. The clay draws down these cysts quicker than anything else I've tried and believe me I have been at this for a long time. The greener the clay the better so for the company I have mentioned is he best I have found in the US.

Coming out of the tube is has a grey/green color I just smear it on the affected area put a piece of gauze those 4x4 squares you get at the drug store work fine. It's not a wet thing once you put the gauze up top so it's not too messy. The directions say not to let the clay dry before washing it off but I have. The only problem there is that when the clay dries it sticks to your hair and gauze so you will need to get it wet in order for easy removal. It may sound like yet another wild good chase. It believe me it's not, try this I promise you, your quality of life will improve dramatically so much so that you will actually believe you have found a cure. I am not that naive, even though it is improving daily I am still referring to it as managing my disease.
God bless you and I hope all young people with this disease will give this a try. There is much else we can do to cut down on flare ups and I am guessing you already have a good idea what those things are so add the green clay to your regime and you won't feel so hopeless or depressed. My only regret is that I didn't discover this remedy years ago.

Elisha - I am not in the HS group and actually have no idea what it is. I am in the ulcerative colitis group and came across your post by 'accident' and only God knows exactly how I found this. However, I wanted to say how moved I am by this post of yours. Since becoming chronically ill myself I have become much closer to God. I have searched for meaning in my illness and read the book of Job. Though I never thought of it the way you have phrased it. That we hare special to suffer like this, specially picked, as God spoke so highly of Job and knew that he would not loose his faith through all he was put through. If anything my faith has certainly grown stronger in all I have been through.

I just wanted to write to let you know you touched someone with what you wrote. Thank you for that.

Rachel