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I have made a decision. I am going to try the combination of antibiotics that I was prescribed in December last year and refused to take - Rifampicin and Clindamycin. Recently, I haven't had any standard medical treatment for my HS. Years ago, I was prescribed topical steroid cream, antibiotic cream and standard antibiotics, when the HS was misdiagnosed as foliculitis/ingrown hair. Since being properly diagnosed, I have been taking homeopathic meds and painkillers. Despite my recent failure to keep it up, the autoimmune protocol diet has proven to be the most successful treatment I have had. But I have well and truly off that wagon and rolled way off down the hill. I need something to help me get back on. Is this it?

I have completely mixed emotions about this decision. In fact, when I agreed with my GP yesterday that I would try the antibiotics, I burst into tears. Then when I went to the pharmacy to collect them, I welled up again. It seems that I have spent so long (it has only been a few months, but I have never denied being just a wee bit melodramatic), trying to deal with this disease without hard drugs that this just seems like an epic fail. On the other hand, there is so much going on in our lives at the moment - trying to pack the house up for our move, deal with an awkward landlord and all the other general life stuff that happens when you are dealing with a building insurance claim from abroad and building a house! I am struggling to keep up with a varied diet for me and deal with the various food intolerances that my little one seems to have, too. All in all, I just don't feel like I am making progress at the moment and my meandering motivation just will not come back. And combating this disease by diet needs 100% motivation.

I have come to the end of my Serocytol homeopathic treatment and had written it off as not working. However, after speaking to my friend, who recommended it in the first place, I probably should carry on with it for another 3 months before making any firm conclusions. At the moment though, I haven't got time for this disease. Waking up in the night in pain and barely being able to sit down or walk, makes it very hard to deal with life. So I will book an appointment with my homeopath (who lives a long drive away) and get on with my other meds. On the plus side, my GP gave me another referral to a Dermatologist who he says has a lot of experience in her field. Lets hope she's more cop than the last one!

I have read plenty of stuff from you guys and medical publications about the treatment that I am about to embark on. Many say it's the Devil's work. Many say they work just fine. Others stop due to gastrointestinal distress they suffer, whilst some say probiotics (sauerkraut, kefir, or pills) stave off the worst of the side effects. I would love to hear more positive (or negative!) experiences and if anyone has a time frame as to how long it worked for, or the type of improvements they found - or even if it worked in harmony with a change in their diet? I'd really love to hear more about it.

All I know now is I don't feel proud of what I'm about to do to my body, but like everything else, I am willing to give it a shot. I'm going to have one last weekend of Champagne (my hubby's birthday is today), eating out and pretending that this disease isn't having a major effect on my life.

So Monday here we come. I have my sauerkraut ready, antibiotics waiting and I'm good to go.

Bring it on.