Rhian Sugden has recounted how she developed an eating disorder due to the stress of IVF treatment and her mother’s bowel cancer diagnosis.
The glamorous model, 36, detailed how she could only eat half a banana and a square of chocolate a day because eating made her feel like she was “choking”.
Rhian, who has undergone six rounds of IVF without success, said she dreamed of having “four or five” little boys running around, but “now she would feel lucky to only have one.”
The media personality and her husband, Oliver Mellor, have spent £75,000 trying to conceive but remain one of seven couples to have fertility problems.
Rhian said her high anxiety around the time of her most recent IVF cycle and her mother’s battle with cancer last summer led to an eating disorder.
Tough: Rhian Sugden has recounted how she developed an eating disorder due to the stress of IVF treatment and her mother’s bowel cancer diagnosis.
Revealing that she lost more than two stones after developing a fear of eating, Rhian said: “Last year was the year from hell.
I am in a much better place now, but in the summer I was so anxious that I felt full all the time and every time I tried to eat I felt like I was being strangled.
“It was a really horrible choking sensation and for about three months I lived on a piece of chocolate and half a banana every day.”
Rhian revealed that she now feels in balance after being prescribed anti-anxiety medication to help her cope.
On Mother’s Day, Rhian posted a candid snap to her Instagram Story as she recounted experiencing a “difficult” day amid her fertility struggles.
He was crying in a selfie uploaded to his social networks while writing the caption: ‘The reality of Mother’s Day for an IVF warrior. It’s hard.’
In her Mother’s Day snap, she was lying in bed looking at the camera as tears streamed down her cheeks.
Struggles: The 36-year-old glamor model detailed how she could only eat half a banana and a square of chocolate a day because eating made her feel like she was ‘drowning’
Journey: She has had four rounds of IVF in an attempt to conceive with her husband Oliver Mellor, whom she married in 2018.
She was makeup free and had her blonde hair in loose waves to her shoulders, as she was honest and open in her caption.
She announced her decision to begin the IVF process in 2019 after doctors told her she had an egg count from someone at least 13 years older.
In September 2021 Rhian revealed that her fourth round of IVF had failed and at the time admitted that she was struggling to put on a “brave face”. It is not known if he has attempted a fifth round since.
The beauty showed her vulnerable side as she spoke candidly about feeling down on Instagram amid her challenging fertility journey.
And sharing a glamorous photo in lingerie, Rhian provided an update: “I’ve been feeling sad [blue heart emoji]. I had a very hard few weeks…
‘For those who have been following my journey… IVF round 4 failed ❤️ but now it’s time to get up and carry on!
“Standing in the public eye and trying to keep a brave face is harder than it sounds, but I’ve done it many times before and I’ll do it again.
‘Time to put on my best underwear, get back on track, and get back behind the camera doing what makes me happy! A big shout out to my support network. You are the best! ❤️ #ivfwarrior [pineapple emoji].’ [sic]
In April 2019, Rhian discussed her plans to undergo IVF after being told she had an egg count from “a woman over the age of 45” but added that the procedure only has a “two per cent” success rate. hundred”.
Step back: In September 2021, Rhian revealed that her fourth round of IVF had failed and at the time admitted she was struggling to put on a ‘brave face’
Honest: She announced her decision to begin the IVF process in 2019 after doctors told her she had an egg count from someone at least 13 years older.
Anticipation: In October 2020, Rhian revealed that her third round of in vitro fertilization (IVF) was ‘getting closer’ in a candid Instagram post shared
Rhian explained: ‘I’ve been told I may never be a mother, and I’m heartbroken.
The doctors said that I have the egg count of a woman over 45, which means that it is unlikely that I will conceive naturally.
“It also means that the chances of getting pregnant from IVF have dropped from 30 percent to two percent, which was pretty devastating to hear.”
In vitro fertilization, known as IVF, is a medical procedure in which a woman has an already fertilized egg inserted into her womb to become pregnant.
It is used when couples are unable to conceive naturally, and a sperm and egg are removed from their bodies and combined in a laboratory before the embryo is inserted into the woman.
Once the embryo is in the uterus, the pregnancy should continue as normal.
The procedure can be performed using eggs and sperm from a couple or from donors.