I have previously blogged about the skin condition Hidradenitis Suppurativa and the fundraising I will be doing on my birthday this year. You can read the post and find a link to my charity page here.
For the past week I have been in agony. Screaming, blinding, constant agony. I’ve not had an attack like this for many years and although I pretty much suffer from this condition all the time, this one has completely knocked me off my feet.
Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS) is a chronic skin disorder for which there is no cure. It occurs when pus-filled abscesses form on the skin, close to the apocrine sweat glands. These sweat glands are found in the armpits, buttocks, groin and under the breasts. It is also possible to get them on the face. It affects both sexes, developing anywhere between puberty and the early 40s. The abscesses are sometimes small and go away easily by themselves. Sometimes they continue to grow for days and days until they burst, spitting out a foul-smelling pus. Sometimes they don’t burst at all and you have to go to hospital for surgery. For more information about it, you can visit the NHS website here.
During a big attack life becomes very difficult. A constant round of shovelling antibiotics and painkillers down your throat, followed by hours of debilitating pain until it’s time for yet more tablets. This time I was lucky and it burst by itself meaning I didn’t have to go to hospital, but I still have to change the dressing and keep it clean. Hopefully I’m over the worst of it now and will be able to function like a normal human being again soon!
So why am I speaking out about this? Well, because HS is known to affect around 1% of the population in the UK. It is suspected that many more people suffer from this condition but are too embarrassed to go to their doctor. Even when you do go to the doctor, this condition can be misdiagnosed as something else and the treatments for it are not set in stone. Basically, even the medical profession are somewhat mystified by it.
I want to raise awareness of the silent suffering and put an end to the embarrassment of having to tell your family, your employer, your friends, a new lover that you have this terrible condition. It’s not your fault that you have it. It’s not because you are unclean. It’s nothing you did. No one really knows what causes it.
Assuming I am well in August, I will be doing 36 Sun Salutations for the HS Trust. Here’s another link to my charity page. Even if you don’t want to donate, please read the text. The more people who know about this skin disorder, the better. Obviously I’d love it if you did donate, or you could always join me on top of the Worcestershire Beacon on Wednesday 14th August 2013.
Thanks for reading and thanks for donating.
Malvern Wells Yoga 