Lurkers come out! We'd love to hear from you. :)

[vm]

I know many people will post for the first time saying they had just worked up the courage to post after a long time of reading here at the ICN. Sometimes it feels scary to post that first time - worry that you'll do it "wrong", or sound stupid, or fear that no one will respond keeps you from taking that risk for a long time sometimes.

If you're like I was maybe you're not diagnosed yet and don't want to "need" to post here. I was so mad the first time I posted - I did NOT want to be one of you!!!! ;) I didn't want to have IC at all!

Well, here's your chance - we'd love to hear from you! Everyone here made that "first post". Let us show you how friendly we are, OK? Introduce yourselves if you feel up to it. We'd love to get to know you. :) :) :) :)

[vm]

Awww, c'mon. Don't be shy people. ;)

[sandi303]

Kim, I'm sure you'll get some responses. This is a holiday weekend & a lot of people aren't at their computers....

I know that first post is rather intimidating. I don't know why that is since it's almost anonymous - it's not like you're right there with everybody. But for some reason it feels that way in the beginning. What with the new diagnosis or maybe even still waiting for one or trying to figure out if you even have IC, it's all so overwhelming & then you find this board & you read all the posts from women and men who have had this disease for so much longer than you & they all seem to know exactly what they're talking about & they seem so knowlegdable and you're just trying to maintain some sort of normalcy in your life and don't have a clue how to do that, plus you're probably in pain and starting to get rather depressed. So you read & read all the posts. Perhaps you find someone who posts that you feel really good about & you make sure you always read his/her posts cause they seem so right on. But then some post will catch your attention - something someone says that fits your exact situation and you finally reply to some little something someone has written or even start a new one yourself & then you get all these really wonderful responses. The best one is "Welcome!". That one feels soooo good. And once you get that "Welcome!" and it's almost always from more than one person, you're ok - you can post if you want & don't feel intimidated at all. But, as in life, some people will always "post" more than others. But for all of us, it's nice to know you can if you want & don't have to if you don't want to, huh? Either way, you're accepted.....and that's a really good feeling for someone with IC!

[VickiB]

Yep, that first post can be hard! -I know it was for me! Some of the sites I visit it seems like the folks like to pull themselves up by pulling someone else down! Not so here! The people on this site are so wonderful, so willing to help, share experiences, or just plain say I know where you're at, or I'm sorry you're having a bad time.

I wish no-one ever had to visit this ICN, but for those struggling with bladder issues, I'm so glad it's here!

Vicki

[Dixiefireball]

I agree I lurked around a while myself, but was so thankful when I made that first thread. Everyone here made me feel so welcome, understood. I know it does help just to read the boards a bit, but just to come out and say hello being dx or trying to get dx. the help warmth and support really helps.
C'mon newbie say hello let us know your out there! We are here for you. We are the people that understand what your going threw.

sending all hugs and prayers
Rhonda

[Katrina]

Please add me to the list of people that would love to hear from you!!

I know for me it was about not wanting IC to be a permanent problem....and partly not wanting to have to Join a site and share stuff online.....but it turned out to be a wonderful experience and I strongly believe that this site has taught me so much about IC that it made a huge difference in my treatment....and continues to do so.

I know the beginning can be very hard. Remember that if you join you can Private message individual members you are comfortable with....newbies are always welcome to do things at their pase :) Hope to see some lurkers joining soon :)

[Annie2]

Yes, please do take that first step and just say hello!

I was a MAJOR lurker.......9 months staying in the shadows before I got up the nerve to even register! It took even longer before I first posted. I felt I had so MUCH to learn and nothing I could contribute, so I just read and tried to increase my knowledge. Of course this site helped me immensely in my quest for knowledge about IC and other people's posts covered many of my questions. Now I know I could have learned so much faster if I had asked my own questions and the support I felt coming here and reading about others with IC would have been much more personal if I had gotten involved sooner. Sandi, I think you described the feelings of many "lurkers" very well. Another thing that I, as a lurker, felt was that by registering I was accepting IC and admitting that, yes, indeed, that is what I had. For a long time, I was looking for the "out clause"...the loop hole....the back door out of here... that would say no, I don't really have IC...it's something else and it can be fixed. By registering and then posting, in my mind, it was admitting to myself that I did truly have IC and I would no longer be able to remain in denial. The amazing thing I discovered when I did register and post was that it was not just an act of accepting my IC diagnosis, it was my first step forward towards healing.

Please, lurkers, we're all here to help one another. We're here to support you, too. We can do that so much better when you post and let us know your questions and needs.

[ICNDonna]

Lurkers: I absolutely guarantee you won't be sorry. We're here to help --- and you can help others too.

:)
Donna

[sandi303]

Well I see that the only posts have been from people who are already posters. Perhaps if we didn't call them "lurkers"? There's something about that name that just doesn't sit right, ya know? Maybe we we could say "lookers" or "readers" or something a little more pleasant sounding.....

[callie0767]

i am not a new icer but did lurk for a long time. then posted some not really felt i belonged. then started posting more thinking that would help for everyone to get to know me better but then got discouraged so back to just reading. not really sure i feel comfortable posting which is partly my problem
but i hope to become more involved.
courtenay
diagnosed with hypothyroidism at 18 yrs old (am now 38)
diagnosed with ic at 19 yrs by my first urologist
diagnosed with endo in nov 2005 surgery did not work
diagnosed with hyperparathyroidism in 2006/hypercalcemia
diagnosed with leaky gut /prob with my intestional lining march 2006?

[vm]

The term "lurkers" is a very common term on most all message boards. It merely means the person has been reading for some time, but hasn't posted yet. In fact, at a lot of the message boards I have gone to for years that's how new posters first introduce themselves.

If anyone is offended by the term, I am sorry for that. I certainly hope that alone wouldn't stop you from meeting all of us! :) I think you can see that we're pretty nice despite the label we used and hope you don't read a negative connotation into it. It's certainly not implied.

[vm]

Courtenay! I'm so glad you did post again after feeling left out before. Thank you for letting us know that so we can make it up to you. :) I know I've seen your name around before and I see you joined the site a month after I did back in 2001.

How are you doing these days? Looks like you have had a lot to deal with health-wise. :( Have you found any relief?

[vm]

By the way, please know that none of us here consider people who are not posting to be any less valuable to this site. You don't NEED to post. That's certainly not a requirement and most of us did not post for some time when we came to the site. Not everyone wants or needs to participate in that way.

But if anyone needs a little encouragement or a warm "voice" to ease into posting b/c you've wanted to, but were feeling uneasy about it - we're here for you. :)

[Vampireness]

Yeah I totally agree, I joined ICN but the thing is I'm not a forum person and I didnt really like the idea of posting and coming back to check or having it come up on my email from ICN.
For two reasons one, it's annoying to have subscribed and it keep coming in and two is because it's like your trying to forget and do other things then its there to remind you ICN! Blah.

But I certainly didn't wanna post because I didnt see the point to it, everyone has IC and we are all patients so whats the point of getting together and saying we have a life long disease and we wont be cured and feeling bad about it???
I also did worry I won't get ONE reply.

The first few times I posted I got NO replies at all, but that was with others thread and after that I just lurked around reading.
But after a long time I created a thread and posted to vent and I did not care if I had any replies at all.
But I did get replies this time around and was surprised. This website is alot more to than just having miserable people gather around talking about IC, I have certainly learnt so much and I'm so grateful for this website!!!

But now for some reason my ICN subscription goes into my bulk mail lol. Oh well but I still check and I like being able to tell someone try this and that (something they might have missed), it saves alots of time and we certainly know time means years if given wrong treatment.

Now I'm just addicted to ICN lol and it's like my daily journal of IC LOL with comments from others (refering to my own thread)