A woman has revealed that she was forced to live on a diet of Haribo sweets and bran flakes for a year after this was the only food that did not make her sick.
Sianny Thomas, 36, has opened up about how she lived on a heavily-restricted diet in order to control nausea caused by an inflammatory bowel disease she didn't even know she had.
After battling with her symptoms and losing a considerable amount of weight, the stand-up comic was eventually diagnosed with Crohn's after she ended up in hospital.
She went on to say that her body was left suffering and she had dark circles under her eyes, bull hair and nails because her relationship with food has deteriorated so badly.
Since the 36-year-old, who also works in an office, started the medication she was given by doctors for the incurable condition, this has allowed her to start eating normally again. However, Sianny says that a lot of the time she has to avoid spicy or high fibre foods that 'trigger her'.
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Crohn's patients are usually given steroid tablets to help them reduce inflammation in the digestive system and to allow them to eat more regularly.
However, Sianny, from Swansea, says that she was forced to eat gummy sweets as they were the only thing she could have without being sick.
And she went on to add that she added bran flakes to her limited diet after reading advice online that suggested she may have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
Opening up about her battle, Sianny said that she lost three stone (19kg) and her hair and nails were left looking really dull, and her eyes became 'sunken' with dark circles around them.
After ending up in hospital after her condition flared up, medics finally diagnosed her with Chron's.
But she went on to say that she felt her diagnosis had come too late, saying: "If I'd been diagnosed earlier I needn't have had such strong medication, nor developed a bad relationship with food."
She went on to urge others to check their symptoms, saying that if you have diarrhoea, stomach pain or blood in your poo - and even if your symptoms come and go - you must see your doctor.
Sianny said: "Send the results to your GP so you both have everything you need to get the right diagnosis and the right treatment as early as possible."
Following her diagnosis, Sianny joined a campaign to encourage young people with digestive problems to use an online symptom checker, rather than delaying seeking care.
By sharing her experiences to help Crohn's & Colitis UK promote its new public awareness campaign — Cut The Crap: Get Checked For Crohn's and Colitis, Sianny hopes that people will not delay their treatment - that can leave them needing stronger medication.
It can even result in emergency surgery to remove part of the bowel, leaving them needing to use a colostomy bag.
While the exact cause of Crohn's is unknown, around 50,000 people in Britain and three million in the US live with Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis, which is another form of IBS.
Problems with the immune system that attack the digestive system may trigger the lifelong condition.
It is important that people are aware of the symptoms, which can include: diarrhoea, stomach aches and cramps, blood in your poo, tiredness and weight loss.
Stomach aches can also cause nausea, as well as sharp, sudden pains in some cases.
Crohn's & Colitis UK's new public awareness campaign has found that in a poll of 10,000 British adults, commissioned by the charity, found 19 per cent of 18- to 24-year-olds would delay seeking help from the GP for at least a month if they found blood in their poo.
Several went on to say that they were scared to discuss their symptoms with a GP, while others claimed they would be embarrassed to discuss things like persistent diarrhoea with their doctor.
Meanwhile, the campaign went on to warn that many young adults are now turning to social media for advice which can pose a risk to health.
Consultant Nurse Isobel Mason warned treatment becomes more difficult if the signs of Crohn's are ignored for too long, adding that: "you are more likely to need stronger medication, hospital admissions or surgery."
She said it is important that the earlier doctors can diagnose, the earlier they are able to treat people - and the better people do.
The charity's chief executive Sarah Sleet has also said that it is important to use the right tools to get a right diagnosis, saying: "Our symptom checker gives people the confidence to go to their GP with a summary of what they've been experiencing, to help them get the right diagnosis and get back on the road to recovery."
What is Crohn's and how is it treated?
Crohn's disease is a long-term condition where the gut becomes inflamed.
The disease affects people of all ages, but the symptoms usually start in childhood or early adulthood.
While there is no cure for Crohn's disease, treatment can help reduce or control your symptoms. Medicines to reduce inflammation in the digestive system, or to stop the inflammation coming back are usually offered. Surgery to remove a small part of the digestive system may also be performed.
The main symptoms are:
- diarrhoea
- stomach aches and cramps
- blood in your poo
- tiredness (fatigue)
- weight loss
Support is available and for more information you can visit: https://crohnsandcolitis.org.uk/
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