Dear Linda,
I don't know where to start, I have read through your story several times in the last few hours, I just didn't know how or where to start! Firstly, I want to give you a very warm welcome to the board. I just want to fly over to New Zealand & take you in my arms and give you a huge cuddle, and then I want to shake your hand! You have been through so much and still you have such a positive way of looking at things! Thank you for pouring out your story and for telling us so much about yourself.
I am so pleased that you have found us here at IAS, and I know that you will be taken into our fold and cared for with love, understanding and friendship. Just being able to pour out our troubles can be a huge release and a great weapon against over whelming depression, hurt and that aweful feeling that you are alone, the only one who has these types of problems & pain and no one else could understand how you feel, but we do, we are and we will.....
I can not tell you how relieved I was to find this site, it was such a burdon thinking that no one else in the world was having these weird problems that I was having..... and Linda, my problems are a little different to yours, BUT there were a few alarm bells ringing as I read your list of symptoms, and read the surgery list & complications as I continued down the page.
Do you find that your "cycle" of Diarrhea coincides with your menstral cycle? Do you have any sharp pains around the time you would be ovulating in your cycle? Do you have any pain during or after sex? (don't answer that last one...just answer it to yourself), if some of these things are similar to when your "cycle" of Diarrhea occurs, then I would suggest that you see a Gynocologist, I might hazard a guess at endometriosis. Has any doctor ever mentioned this to you? These bowel problems can be caused by the endometreosis attaching to your bowel & other organs, which in turn encourages adhesions. I'm sure you have plenty of those in your poor little body!
Please remember that I am an adhesions sufferer and not a medical person, so I am just making suggestions based on my own experiences, from what I have learned from others here on the board, and from asking loads of questions and hours of reading.
I am going to send your story to a friend of mine who lives in Queensland, Australia (I am in NSW) Suze is a kiwi who moved to Australia 4 years ago, I will ask her to send you a message too. I think there is another one or two Kiwi's who visit the board from time to time, try reading our stories on the quile & add yours too, just copy it from the one you have posted on the board, and then paste it on the quilt. You will be able to find a few Kiwi's there too I should think.
I will also forward your story to Karla who has a similar story to yours..... Helen Dynda will help you research anything you have questions about, but don't forget to use the archives search on the bottom of the message board, trust me, we have discussed LOADS of stuff, and quite a few relevant bits & pieces should get you started. Please feel free to email me any time, I will do my best to point you in the right direction. I will give you my main email address which is seslick@interact.net.au so don't hesitate ok?
I look forward to hearing from you Linda
Love & warm gentle hugs
Jo(Australia)