Project Description

ORIGIN STORY – JULIANA

Hello everyone, my name is Juliana and I’m a 30 year old woman from Bayamon, Puerto Rico and I have HS Disease.

This is my story…

My HS symptoms first appeared when I was between the ages of 15 – 18. When I told my generalist about it they referred me to a Surgeon. That doctor did 2 surgeries without knowing that I had HS. Twelve years later, when I was 30 I finally received my proper diagnosis from an internist.

There are 3 stages associated with HS Disease, and I have stage 2. Along with HS, I also have Psoriasis. My current treatment plan consists of using Beyaz [a type of Birth Control]  and Humira along with clindamycin in a gel for new bumps and resorcinol.

I would say that HS has not impacted one or two areas of my life, but rather, it’s impacted everything in my life…but I’m working on that. When the negative feelings often associated with HS get bad I try to stay positive by treating myself to food because I love to eat. My favorite type is Thai food, especially Vegan Pad Thai.

Yes, I have discussed my HS with some of the people around me. At first, my job didn’t understand but now they know. In my family the only one who really knows what I’m going through is my Mom. I would also say that she is my own Hero who has made a difference in my situation because she supports me everyday.

There is a trick that I use to help manage my HS, and that is I make a diary about my flares, the time of the flare and if they recur. This also includes if I had signs and all my symptoms. I think HS is misdiagnosed because so much of our medical history is lost between the different doctors we see.

A positive experience I’ve had related to my HS is finding my Dermatologist Dr.Resnik, who is an angel. I think he’s the best doctor because of his commitment to the HS community. Also, thanks to HS I know so many patients now that I can help people by giving advice. If I could say one thing to a HS Hero who was struggling, or a newly diagnosed HS patient it would be that You’re not alone! If you talk about your diagnosis other HS patients can find you.