that's a really helpful answer, thanks

thing is it's kind of hard because i've had bipolar since my early teens and so the depression has always been a part of that - although it's definitely under control now, i'm ok mentally, at the moment (touch wood!) - although all this aching is making me a bit pi**ed off.

the stomach problem is nothing new - 4 years, it's hard to know if i have any other crohn's symptoms - the cramping has only started quite recently (within last year or so) , and i have a very very fast digestion, i need to go to the loo within about 4-5 mins of eating, on the whole. i can't tell if i've lost any weight, because lithium puts weight on me and so does quetiapine.

the weather here has gone really cold, almost overnight and the difference in pain is immense - i feel awful. i feel like i'm getting the flu, very very achey, slight fever, my glands are a bit swollen and i have a slight sore throat - but i categorically don't feel ill. just very under the weather. it's really frustrating.

i've jsut started uni again, and i've missed 2 weeks of lectures out of 5, and last year i missed about 1/2 the year. i think i'll have to talk to the disability office and sort something out, in case it all goes wrong. bipolar counts as a justifiable disability anyway.

i'm having physio tomorrow and it'll help but as it's only 30 mins she can only really do one area, which means the others will get worse as they're neglected for a week. it's so painful and there's nothing i can do about it