Abi lives her life in constant, excruciating pain – yet docs have so far failed to find a cure

hadn’t subsided the following day, they ended up at the GP.

“We assumed that would be the end of it, but the pain never really went away,” Lesley, 51, recalls.

“Looking back, she spent a lot of time in the sick bay at school with sore tummies.

“Of course, I thought she was just skipping classes, but now it seems like the problems were there much earlier.

“We just didn’t realise it at the time.”

Over the next year, Abi was in and out of hospital undergoing tests to find the source of the severe pain.

To date, her diagnoses include coeliac d i s e a s e, Hashimoto Thyroid Disease and Vitiligo, as well as chronic slow transit constipation, bowel dysmotility, obstructive defecation syndrome, Irritable Bowel Syndrome and an overactive bladder.

She faced the heartbreak of having a stoma fitted aged just 21, but the procedure was reversed a year later for a three- week trial of a Sacral nerve stimulation device, which works by stimulating the nerves that control bowel and bladder function. Sadly that didn’t bring Abi any relief.

She’s also had her large bowel removed and follows gluten- free and low- fodmap diets to aid digestion issues.

But so far, nothing has been successful.

“Before she got sick, Abi was a happy, bubbly girl, who always had a smile on her face,” Lesley says.

“She had a pipe- dream of becoming a pilot, but she’s so removed from that now.”

The gym receptionist adds: “For the last 18 months, Abi has virtually been confined to her room. Because of the strength of the drugs, she dozes most of the day and can’t really focus or concentrate because of the pain.

“She’s managed a few hours out here and there, but last summer is the last time she went out on her own – and