Hidradenitis Suppurativa: A Nurse’s Story
Published: October 17, 2006
© Dermanities
My name is Kirsten McNaught and I have been working as a Staff Nurse with
the NHS Trust in Scotland since 1993. In 2003 I was promoted to an E Grade
Staff Nurse. I have worked mainly with the elderly, worked with young stroke
patients for 1 year.
I suffer from a disease called Acne Inversa (Hidradenitis Suppurativa).
There is no known cure for this disease. There are many, many theories,
studies and articles written, but they in my view have not reached the goal
that must be achieved by the medical profession.
I survive with this and I cope with it, but I feel that more provision
should be given in the way of support and research. Basically in the first
stage I just coped with this disease, because in my eyes it was manageable.
I went to the doctors - and I have been to many doctors! - only when I had
lesions I could not cope with and needed treatment for. Not one of them gave
me a diagnosis, partly because they did not see my whole body. I would only
show them the particular lesion that needed treatment.
Entering the second stage of this disease, I had just given birth to my son
and the lesions were now coming on a regular basis. I soon returned to work.
I was having to change these dressings more frequently (I was having 6-8
oozing lesions at a time) and did this in the rest room.
I could only cope with this for a short time and my visits to my GP were
even more frequent. I was mostly prescribed flucloxacillin in various doses.
I was having frequent days off with stomach cramps and diarrhoea. Until one
day my manager took me into the office to discuss my recurring absences. My
manager at the time was unsympathetic to my needs. She told me that she had
looked back at my file and noticed that I had been off sick on 9 occasions
in that year with diarrhoea; she made an inappropriate remark about this. I
demanded that she refer me to occupational health. She made this referral in
front of me and I was glad that she did it. I was now demoralized by my so
called superior, I did not want to talk about it with her. So I attended
occupational health. At the time my HS was really bad and I had an excision,
drainage and debridement of a rather large lesion on my left breast. I was
on night shift when this flared up and I had cellulitis and was determined
that I would have no more sick time after what had happened with my manager;
I did not want to go to her again. I must stress I did not expect, or even
want her sympathy, I just wanted her to understand and help me find the
right support. I am a human being just like anyone else.
So I worked through to finish my 3 night shifts. I was in charge on each
shift so I did not want to be sick. Same story, as a nurse, you never want
to feel like you are letting the team down. I also suffered from body image
problems as most of these lesions mainly affected my breasts. I have to be
brutally honest and say that it has affected my sexual and psychological
health and my health in general. I also had to liaise with infection control
at work, more for my benefit than the patients. My main concern was working
with the patients. I was afraid I would or could pass on an infection to
them, however, infection control reassured me and stated that their concern
was for me and that I would or could be at risk of staphylococcal infections
or MRSA. I was instructed to be even more vigilant with the infection
control measures nurses’ use.
It is hard living and coping with this disease and I never knew what it was
initially, until one day I had bought a magazine. It had a feature on
Hidradenitis Suppurativa included in the health section and I knew straight
away that that was what I had. The woman’s story mirrored mine, her armpits
looked exactly like mine. I was amazed. I took the magazine to my very
understanding GP and he agreed that I have HS. From there he referred me to
a dermatologist, unfortunately no treatment has worked so far, but I live in
hope!
At present I am still working as a Staff Nurse, I have a very understanding
partner and a lovely son. I class myself as one of the lucky people who
suffer from this disease.