Married at First Sight star Mel Schilling shocked fans last month when she revealed she was suffering from colon cancer.
And now the 51-year-old relationship expert has taken to social media to share painful details about how she discovered she had the disease.
Posting a lengthy video to Instagram, Mel appeared in good spirits as she discussed her symptoms, which led to a tumor being removed by doctors in Britain just before Christmas.
Mel said she started feeling unwell while filming both MAFS in Australia and the British version of the show, explaining that she started getting terrible stomach cramps so bad she “doubled over” in pain.
She also experienced vomiting and felt like her digestive system was 'closed', but she continued to ignore the symptoms due to her busy schedule.
Married at First Sight star Mel Schilling shocked fans last month when she revealed she was battling colon cancer. Pictured: Mel shared details about her symptoms in a new video
“My body was literally screaming for attention and I wasn't listening,” she said in her video.
Mel described her painful symptoms as 'labor' and said she had to take a break while filming MAFS Down Under.
A GP later diagnosed the symptoms as 'constipation'.
However, Mel said she knew something was wrong on a flight to Britain when she couldn't eat any of the delicious food on offer.
Mel said she started feeling unwell while filming MAFS, and had terrible stomach cramps so bad she 'doubled over' in pain
“I actually consider myself a bit of a foodie,” Mel continued in her post.
'Food is my greatest pleasure in life and that's why I'm on a plane and I'm offered things like scrambled eggs, smoked salmon and champagne – all my favorite things…
'And to turn them down and think well, 'I just don't even feel like having a cup of tea.' – that was a warning sign for me.'
Mel ended the video by thanking her fans for their support and urged followers to prioritize their health in 2024.
She also added a message to her post: “Happy New Year. I recorded this video to share my colon cancer journey with you. I've tried to answer many of the questions you asked and provide some thoughts on how you can become better at health management in 2024.
Mel revealed her shock cancer diagnosis just days before Christmas
Mel told fans last month that she had undergone keyhole surgery to remove a 5cm tumor from her colon
“I'm not an expert, just someone going through an experience like many of you. I'll learn as I go and if you want, I'll take you on a journey. Let's learn together.'
It comes after Mel updated fans last month, posting that she had undergone keyhole surgery to remove a 5cm tumor from her colon.
It accompanied a photo of the TV star in a hospital bed, giving a thumbs up with a tube in her nose.
Mel added: 'Crucially the cancer had not spread to my abdominal cavity, which was our biggest fear, but was completely localized to my colon.'
Mel, who nicknamed her tumor 'Terry', also revealed she would be discussing her cancer journey on her social media platforms in the coming weeks.
The relationship guru will appear on both MAFS Australia and MAFS in the UK