I just helped my newly wed hubster figure out he has it thanks to Dr. Google this week. We live in the US and cannot afford healthcare, and I'm hoping for his sake that he does not have an advanced case. Can someone please give me a break down of the stages? Also, about how much does an ALCAT test cost? Thank you! Bless all of your sweet hearts!
Doctors classify the disease into three distinct stages:
Stage 1 – single or a few isolated abscesses without scarring or sinus tracts.
Stage 2 – recurrent abscesses in more than one area and the beginning of the formation of sinus tracts.
Stage 3 – widespread abscesses with many interconnected sinus tracts under the skin. There may be severe scarring and continuous leaking.
I hope this helps you good luck with this as i have it am at stage 3
Thank you, Amanda Claire! That does help. I believe he is a Stage 2 still. If you don't mind my asking, how quickly did yours progress from 2 to 3? And where you doing any treatments during that time or now that seemed to help?
No course not mine was very quick i apparently have hs , folliculitis and acne i have been on everything my last option was isotretinoin i was on this for 2 months due to really bad side effects they have not stopped this and have advised going to be on anti biotics now for the rest of my life am under treatment on the hospital nothing has helped for me but maybe your husband might be different have he tried anything to help?
I'm at Stage 2, so painful and messy and hard for others to understand. I took antibiotics for a year but they did nothing to stop flares developing. I had them really badly when I had a gynae op in 2012. I didn't recover properly from the op because the sutures disagreed with my body causing terrible pain and discharge until they were all finally removed this year. Durring the 2.5 years of worse pain, my hidradenitis went into remission Since removing the last suture in Feb I've got it back :-(
Thank you, I'm so very sorry for your suffering. He hasn't tried anything yet, but after my looking through the forums he says he is willing to try an elimination diet and I'm trying to find out how much an ALCAT test costs. Have you tried any dietary changes/treatments?
I haven't tried a specific diet. I would be interested to hear the outcome if you give it a go.
Looks like that is what he is going to do. After calling around locally, the allergy/food sensitivity testing is something we cannot afford. He is a pretty heavy smoker (pipe tobacco) and recalls it was clearing up a good bit a few years ago when he quit for a short period of time. I will update if he finds any relief/remission of symptoms, mos def :]
yeah i have tried everything changed my diet stop smoking everything they advised me to do but nothing has helped dont know if this might help but over here in west yorkshire leeds you can buy over the counter medicines like washes and creams not sure if that might help or if it might be to expensive over there have you thought about maybe getting advice or help in a different country if its to expensive over there please keep us updated and let us know how you both are getting on