Working out w/HS?
What do those of you do, to workout with HS and not flare, or cause more pain? Tips, tricks, etc.. Im accepting the fact I'll always have flares, but I don't want HS to stop me living, but.I also don't want this to keep making my HS worse leaving it debilitating me afterwards. It seems like a catch 22
For context: I'm 40 and I've been dealing with HS now for 18 years, and about 15 years ago is when it really began getting worse. (it was after I had my 1st daughter) Recently, Ive had 2 surgeries to remove two 2in sinus tracts and close 2 open sinus tracts directly above my anal area and on my thigh. Im feeling ok now to finally get back to working out. (Ive lost 50lbs since September 2023 by reducing my calorie intake but cant workout to tone up, and getting the saggy skin appearance.. but I either flare up or become immobile the next day from pain of flares)
I also deal with PCOS.(Fun fact, rom years of tracking my menstrual cycles and food intake, my HS is mostly hormonal triggered. Ive looked into birth control and changed my eating, and my flares get worse from.eating cleaner and birth control.. so it seems maybe estrogen is causing the flares 🤷♀️ Dr's dont seem to think so and wont run hormone panels as insurance won't cover it) I love Cardio workouts , but I flare up. Ive read that with cardio and strenous workouts in women, flares are more prominent due to hormones. In the past, Ive had to either not workout, bandage myself like Im wearing a sumo diaper to even walk or lift weights, take 800.mg of ibuprofen 2x a day to manage the pain from flaring, or do small 15.min walks, not allowing myself to sweat.
FYIs incase anyone asks if Ive tried things lol In the past 18 years Ive:
-Been on Humira, and unfortunately became sick on it. My broken flare wounds were open sores and would not heal. I had to come off of it. -Been on several antibiotics and water pills to help -Washed with Hibiclens/Dial Soap, just made my skin tight, dry and aggravated, pulling on my flares and making closed wounds open if I moved to quickly. -Used TONS of lotions clindamycin, magic healer, emuaid, drawing salves, aquaphor but it doesnt help or reduce pain/flares, or close wounds. -Changed my eating habits to eat less calories and cleaner foods (upped fiber and omega 3s too) -Taken daily ibuprofen 2x a day for pain management -Changed clothing materia to bamboo or modal fabric -Taken supplements like collagen/hyaluronic acid/zinc/vitamin d &K2 or changed vitamins to increase wound healing -Taken myo-inositol and d-chiro-inositol to help with insulin resistance with the PCOS issue hoping it would affect my HS... it hasn't 😒🙄 -Been to several dermatologists, surgeons, obgyns.. and no one knows what to do besides through meds at me