Thank you!

[Alifit]

Anyone remember the song ‘Help Me Make it Through the Night’? Well thanks to you lot I did (I know that’s not exactly what the song is about, but you get my drift I’m sure!).

I’m going home armed to the hilt with laxatives, but will try alternatives too - liquorice is top of the list, followed by figs, followed by Oxi-action - oh no that’s the laundry stuff - I mean the stuff that Kryssy recommended,

Once again - or still - I love you all, thank you Ali xxx

[Kryssy]

So pleased that you are leaving the madhouse. I'll keep an eye out for the tsunami. Thank goodness I live on a hill and that at this time of year the wind blows from the south... xxxxxxx

[Alifit in reply to Kryssy]

The wind can change you know! 💨💨💨

Love to you xx

[BeeWild]

Great news but OMG when the plug goes beware!! 🌊💩

I use liquorice and find it’s brilliant, I get tesco liquorice twists and eat 3 a day and that seems to do the trick when things are ok. If constipated through chemo etc I also drink fresh orange with bits.

Hopefully you can find the right balance and keep things moving xx

Good luck and hope you’ve plenty of soft toilet paper and air freshener lol 😂👍

[Alifit in reply to BeeWild]

I would like to find an alternative to the medicinal laxatives - because they divert fluid in your body to the bowels I’m finding I have a variable headache during the day - remedied by drinking loads in the day, but when I wake up I am really dehydrated. I’ll probably get it right just before my next chemo when it’ll go horribly wrong again!

I must got and pack for my holiday now!

Love Ali x

[Yoshbosh]

I hope you get some relief very soon, Ali! Being constipated is absolutely horrible!! I suspect a lot of us have terrible, cringeworthy stories of finally managing to “go” and the aftermath...or is that just me?!? 🙈 Vicki xxx

[Alifit]

Thank you, Vicki,

Yes, the problem has resolved itself (a bit too well at the moment)! I’m not sure that I’ve ever discussed the ins and outs of my bowels with anyone until I found this lovely forum!!

Best wishes! Ali x

[lyndyloo101 in reply to Alifit]

Hi Ali. I’m lynn. I met you at the ovacome research day at Birmingham medical school in June. I was with my friend Rhonda & we had a good chat for an hour or so & you showed me this site along with Anna. We were sat in front of you.

I joined up a couple of weeks ago but haven’t found the strength to comment as I have kind of read nothing but sad news & it’s scared me quite a lot as I’m coming up to my first 3 month check! I am so very very sorry to learn of your recurrence & your bowel problems!! My heart goes out to you.

I know only too well how bad the old bum can be & that was before my chemo (I have ulcerative colitis so suffered before the shit hit the fan/pan) scuse the pun!!! I’m still suffering with my bowels 3 months after finishing chemo (complete opposite to how you was though 😬) they sound like thunder going off in-fact it’s happening right now as I’m typing!!!! 🙄

Anyways I’m wanting to send you all the very best wishes & praying you will get over this horrendous ordeal & that you can enjoy your holiday & have a lovely time. Take care & thankyou for the chats we had at the research day. Lots of love. Lynn xx

[Alifit]

Hi Lynn,

First of all, of course I remember you, it was great to chat (and admire your boots!).

This forum can be extremely emotive - as Anna said on the research day, people often post when they need advice about problems they are having and it can be scary, however as you continue to use the site you will learn about everyone who post regularly and it becomes apparent how supportive it can be. When I was in hospital last week I felt very lonely once my bloke (who is brilliant, but doesn’t have ovarian cancer) had gone home, and although I knew I wasn’t really ill, I also knew that this forum would offer me support from folk who have been through a similar experience. The support came in shedloads, with good advice, words of support and a great deal of lavatory humour! All of that and the post about the Thai football team helped me through.

Your experience with ulcerative colitis and its associated problems can’t have been easy, but you have helped me by sharing it.

Thank you so much for your kind words, fortunately (depending upon how you look at it) things have improved - in fact gone in the other direction now, but I’ve made it to Cornwall for a holiday with some of my beautiful family.

I will send you a private message - maybe we could meet up for a coffee.

Love to you, Ali x

[lyndyloo101 in reply to Alifit]

Hi Ali.

It surely has been emotional reading all the ladies stories & I think I had buried my head in the sand to a degree. I haven’t read any literature I’ve been given through it all I’ve just gone with the flow so to learn that it is highly likely to return has scared the shite out of me! Literally haha.

I do think it has been helpful though in learning that I’m not on my own when I feel I can’t tell my family how I feel as they haven’t been there so don’t understand. It feels very sad that I can’t open up to them properly. My mom is 85 & I try not to tell her too much but she is my best friend so she gets the brunt of it. Bless her.

I’m sorry you have gone the total opposite to what you was & in my experience I would be on the Imodium now (they have been my godsend in the last 26years) but I’m doubting very much that that is an option for you!! I hope they settle down real soon.

You sound like you have a good one in your “non ovarian cancer” husband bless him.

Yes message me. A coffee & a chat would be good.

Take care Ali & enjoy Cornwall. Xxxx

[Alifit in reply to lyndyloo101]

Thanks Lynn - I’ll message you when I get back to sunny Birmingham! Oh and this evening I have succumbed to Imodium - no idea if it’s a good idea, but after a somewhat unpleasant evening I decided to give it a go. Hopefully I won’t go back to where I started.

Lots of love, Ali x

[lyndyloo101 in reply to Alifit]

Well I really hope so too. Just take it easy with them. Sometimes taking the 2 initially & 1 more after is enough but not always. So be careful & try not to take the 8 as you may well go back to where you started. Keeping my fingers (and legs) crossed for you.

Speak to you soon & enjoy the rest of your hols. Xxxx

[Jessica-DianeB]

Really nice reading the support you’ve had on here. Heart warming. Glad bowels are now responsive Ali xx