Melissa Suffield reveals health battle as she searches for the cause of her unexplained nausea and weight loss
Melissa Suffield has revealed she is closer to discovering the cause of her nausea and dramatic weight loss.
The former EastEnders star, 31, has suffered from vomiting for the past six months and has spent £1,500 on private appointments to determine the cause.
In her Instagram Stories on Monday, Melissa shared how she was diagnosed with small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO).
According to the Mayo Clinic, SIBO “usually occurs when a circumstance – such as surgery or illness – slows the passage of food and waste products in the digestive tract, creating a breeding ground for bacteria.
‘The excess of bacteria often causes diarrhea and can lead to weight loss and malnutrition.’
Melissa Suffield has revealed she is closer to discovering the cause of her nausea and dramatic weight loss
The former EastEnders star, 31, has suffered from vomiting for the past six months and has spent £1,500 on private appointments to determine the cause
Melissa, who played Lucy Beale in the soap, added that she also has low vitamin B12 levels and the SIPO could in fact be a symptom of this.
The actress explained that she had her B12 levels tested and found that they were at the very low end of what is considered a normal level.
The star noted that she had already been taking B12 supplements, so her natural levels were likely much lower.
In her post she wrote: ‘It is very likely that I have a problem with the absorption of B12. Why? Insecure. But we know it is very likely because the reason may come later / this needs to be addressed now.
“I really hope that this will be the start of a real healing, and that it will bring me back to where and WHO I need to be.”
The star told how she is going to Cambridge next month for an appointment with a B2 specialist, where she will learn how to administer a B12 injection herself.
She wrote: ‘I want to stop spending all my free time reading the NICE guidelines and researching and reading articles and studies and spend my time playing with my son and seeing my friends and family and eating nice meals and generally just not worrying all the time.
“Don’t be surprised if you suddenly see me posting a bunch of ads lol because this is exepennnnnnsssssiiiiveee.”
In her Instagram Stories on Monday, Melissa shared how she was diagnosed with small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO).
Melissa, who played Lucy Beale in the soap, added that she also has low vitamin B12 levels and the SIPO could in fact be a symptom of this.
It comes after Melissa proudly showed off her post-baby body in lacy lingerie as she encouraged mums to ‘let themselves be’.
The soap star posed in a lacy, yellow lingerie set and hit back at the pressure put on mothers.
Melissa gave birth to her son River in March 2020 and has since dedicated her Instagram page to encouraging women to celebrate their bodies and give them confidence.
In an Instagram update, she clutched her stomach and explained that it’s okay “if your body is new.”
The actress wrote: ‘It’s not a race. There is no time limit for postpartum. You will always be ‘post-birth’.
It comes after Melissa proudly showed off her post-baby body in lacy lingerie as she encouraged mums to ‘let yourself be’
The actress gave birth to her son River in March 2020 and has since dedicated her Instagram page to encouraging women to celebrate their bodies and give them confidence.
She continued, “It’s okay to show signs of that. Having a baby changes every part of you, it’s okay if your body is one of those new things.
“I know it feels like there’s pressure, a time limit, when that fourth trimester is over and you’re expected to suddenly get your energy, your body, your life back, your shit all together.
‘It’s B******. I’m not convinced I’ll ever get any of those things back and my child just turned four.
“So welcome to the fifth trimester. The pressure is off here. It’s okay to let yourself be, Mom.”