alice, you know i can't remember if i actually offered you an apology way back when, but anyway in case i didn't, i just wanted to say sorry now for the tone i took with you and the way i expressed my anger: i get now that it was an inappropriate way of expressing what i was feeling, and perhaps inappropriate to express anger towards you at all, given the nature of this messageboard. and sorry for in the process making you feel that you didn't want to use this messageboard for a long time because of it.

(am in the process of coming off antidepressants again, and one of the side effects i got last time was extreme anger and mood swings, so gonna reduce the levels REAL slowly this time, like maybe over the course of a year or two years. i just don't trust the advice the pharmaceutical companies give out with their drugs anymore. they say you should be able to come off seroxat over the course of a few months without problems. yeah right!)

i can understand why you don't want to come to the workshop and face people who are a fair bit younger and as you say, maybe more open in their talking; and yes i guess you're right that the longer you've had the condition the slower the recovery will be (although more eventually to be gained perhaps?). anyway, hopefully will be running these workshops in the future, so if you ever change your mind.... ;-)

as well as sharing, we'll also be doing a fair bit of cognitive-behavioural type work in the workshop looking at our thoughts, feelings and behaviours around poohing, and also looking at ways of improving gut health generally.

thanks for your encouragement and well wishes,

baz x