Melissa Suffield has revealed she is closer to discovering the cause of her nausea and dramatic weight loss.
The former EastEnders star, 31, has endured bouts of vomiting over the last six months and has spent £1,500 on private appointments trying to determine the cause.
Taking to her Instagram Stories on Monday, Melissa told how she had been diagnosed with small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO).
According to the Mayo Clinic, SIBO ‘commonly results when a circumstance — such as surgery or disease — slows the passage of food and waste products in the digestive tract, creating a breeding ground for bacteria.
‘The excess bacteria often cause diarrhoea and may cause 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 endured bouts of vomiting over the last six months and has spent £1,500 on private appointments trying to determine the cause
Melissa, who played Lucy Beale on the soap, added that she also has low levels of Vitamin B12 and the SIPO may in fact be a symptom of this.
The actress explained she got her B12 levels tested and found it was 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 level was likely much lower.
In her post, she wrote: ‘It’s highly likely that I have an issue with B12 absorption. Why? Unsure. But we know it’s highly likely, is the reason can come later / this needs to be addressed now.
‘I’m really hopng it’s going to be the start of some genuine healing, and getting me back to where and WHO I ned to be.’
The star told how she is going to Cambridge next month for an appointment with a B2 specialist where she will be taught how to self-administer a B12 injection.
She wrote: ‘I want to stop spending all my spare time reading NICE guidelines and researching and reading papers and studies, and spend my time playing with my son and seeing my friends and family and eating nice meals and generaly just not constantly worrying.
‘Don’t be surprised if you suddenly see me posting a load of ads lol, because this s**t is exepennnnnnsssssiiiveee.’
Taking to her Instagram Stories on Monday, Melissa told how she had been diagnosed with small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO)
Melissa, who played Lucy Beale on the soap, added that she also has low levels of Vitamin B12 and the SIPO may in fact be a symptom of this
It comes after Melissa proudly showed off her post-baby body in lacy lingerie as she encouraged mothers to ‘let themselves be.’
The soap star posed in a lacy, yellow, lingerie set as she hit back at the pressure that is put on mums.
Melissa gave birth to her son River in March 2020 and has since devoted her Instagram page to encouraging women to celebrate their bodies and help them feel confident.
In an Instagram update, she clutched on to her tummy and explained how it’s okay ‘if your body is new.’
The actress wrote: ‘It’s not a race. There is no time limit on postpartum. You will always be ‘post birth’.
It comes after Melissa proudly showed off her post-baby body in lacy lingerie as she encouraged mothers to ‘let themselves be
The actress gave birth to her son River in March 2020 and has since devoted her Instagram page to encouraging women to celebrate their bodies and help them feel confident
She continued: ‘It’s ok to show signs of that. Having a baby changes every part of you, it’s ok 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 have your energy, body, life back, your s*** totally together.
‘It’s b******. I’m not convinced I’ll ever get any of those things back and my kid just turned 4.
‘So welcome to the fifth trimester. The pressure is off here. It’s ok to let yourself be, mama.’