ORIGIN STORY – DONNA

My name is Donna and I’m a 43-year-old woman from Portage la Prairie, Manitoba. 

This is my HS Origin Story.

I was thirty-nine and had just had my fifth child when my HS symptoms first appeared. I was so uncomfortable and concerned about what it could be that I saw a doctor within a week. That doctor did not give me a proper diagnosis, and instead, told me it was “just a rash“. 

It took another two and a half years after my first lesion for a newly graduated family physician to diagnose me with HS. Along with living with Stage 2 HS I have also been diagnosed with Chronic Lyme Disease and depression. Currently, my treatment plan consists of taking doxycycline for any outbreaks I have.

There are not many areas of my life that HS has not impacted. Before I had a diagnosis, I was in such pain and I was embarrassed by what was happening to me. When I’m dealing with some of the negative feelings associated with HS I have great support from my doctor and my husband. The hero in my life who helps me get through the extra hard days is my husband. He encourages me and understands when I’m painfully uncomfortable. I also keep active by working out at home to deal with stress. I have spoken to friends and a few family members about it, but only to the ones who I believe will understand that HS is a serious disease.