Hello there,
Isuffer fromchronic constipation and have done for the last ten months - I can't tell you how constantly amazed I am to find such amazing support groups and people who care.
Yesterdaymy friend told me about a website called and I have just send my application to be a 'plogger' and now I have discovered this brilliant website full of people giving support and advice. For ages I felt so alone and embarassed and now I know I am not alone and more importantly that I should not feel embarassed!!
Getting on my soapbox now - we need to get people talking openly about ibs and associated problems - pages of magazines are dedicated to sexual problems yet very seldom do they ever cover issues such as constipation or diarrhoea. This is why it probably it is now so easy to talk to GPs and pharmacists about sexual problems and buy your condoms from the pharmacy and yet we shy away from talking about natural body functions that for many of us are part of our daily life and impact every thing from clothes we wear to worklife.
These sites are so important for sharing information and for letting women know you are not alone and that we can be upfront and phone in work and say I can't come in this morning because I have diarrhoea etc.. and not have to make an excuse or using silly words to communicate the problem "I am a bit loose at the moment" or "I have a funny tummy". Or be confident about going to see our doctor and not letting constipation drag on for days because we feel that we must have done something wrong to deserve the condition such as not eating the right foods or again being too embarrased to say "I am constipated!"
Hope this post does not come across as patronising to all you fab people who already know and feel the importance of this and other support groups - but was so overcome with emotion, I just felt I had to gush!
Looking forward to being an active member of the group and many more (shorter) posts.
Debbs



Hi Debbs.

I think your post would have fit better in the "Business Development and Effective Marketing" forum. One of the guidelines of HP is that you are not to promote your business in the HP forums. I suspect that a moderator will delete your post. Good luck with your business venture.

Ava



What an odd welcome to a new member! There was me overjoyed at finding warm people on the net and one of my first encounters is met with cynicalism. I have no business venture, what a strange thing to say. I mentioned another support group, hardly a crime. I have just doubled checked the site and can't see any advertising or sponsorship there so what would be the business opportunity - even if it were my site - which it is not!
Please, if you are opposed to members pointing out other support groups out there, please can you make that clear in your forum guidelines.
I was simply gushing about how amazing I find these places, I really did not expect such a response.
Apologies if needed, but otherwise a bit bewildered.
Debbs x



Hallo Debs - I can't see a problem with your post, and it's good to know there is a support group for IBS - I'll tell one of my clients who has it. I know it can be very embarrassing. Have you thought about EFT to try to help you get to the root cause of it? Have a look at the mind therapies forum or
Sharon.



Thanks for your support, was really worried that I had a made a real faux pas in my very first post and thanks for the encouragement regarding ibs. I just really feel we should all stick together and try and get rid of the taboo x



Hi Debbs

I have done a lot of work with blogs, and the posts on that site seem contrived (i.e. not authentic). They don't read like 'real' blogs. And your post sounded similar - written to market the site. You had posted only one message and it was a long "gush" about a website seeded with what I considered as phoney posts. I go by instinct, and it just seems, pardon the pun, to smell suspicious. If I was wrong I certainly apologise. What may be happening is that the posts on the site are indeed phoney, but you are not. A combination, I admit, I had not considered. Time will tell ;-)

A warm welcome if you are genuine. Otherwise, good luck with your business venture!

Ava :-)



Hi Ava
Thanks for your post - now I know where the confusion arised! I was not gushing about ploggers.co.uk at all. I was gushing about this support group!! Sorry if it was not clear, I only mentioned ploggers because a friend had told me about it and I had just logged on.
I don't know who created ploggers, it certainly was not me - I only learned how to use my email six months ago! Still, if it is fake, I can't see what they would be getting out of it as there is no advertising or sponsorship there. Your detective skills are more honed than mine ; 0 )
Either way, this site is much better I totally agree, but I will check it on it from time to time and see if it grows. It does not look that old and I guess all these places have to start somewhere.
Debbs x



Hi Debbs

Ah well, isn't it interesting how things can be misread! Going back and reading your first post in the light of what you said in your last post certainly makes a huge difference. HP is indeed absolutely wonderful - and I am so sorry that my misreading of your post resulted in such a frosty reception. So, once again, welcome... and hopefully I'll be as nice to you in the future as the rest of the lovely HP'ers.

Ava x