Former Made in Chelsea star Louise Thompson revealed she was forced to rush home from Antigua after “losing cups of blood every 20 minutes”.
The 33-year-old spent two weeks in hospital receiving treatment for a flare-up of ulcerative colitis, which she was diagnosed with before the birth of her son in 2021.
Ulcerative colitis is a chronic intestinal condition in which the colon and rectum become inflamed and small ulcers develop on the lining of the colon that may bleed.
The charity Crohn’s & Colitis UK reports that at least one in 227 Britons has been diagnosed with ulcerative colitis. This is equivalent to about 296,000 people.
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Louise Thompson, 33, was forced to rush home from Antigua after “losing cups of blood every 20 minutes”, she revealed on Monday.
The severity of symptoms can vary depending on which part of the rectum and colon is inflamed. For some people, it can have a significant impact on their daily life, the NHS says.
Diarrhea
The need to have more frequent bowel movements or looser stools more frequently is a common symptom of ulcerative colitis.
Some people may find that their stool contains mucus or blood and may also cause cramps and pain when they need to go to the toilet, warns Crohn’s & Colitis UK.
However, the severity of symptoms can vary depending on which part of the rectum and colon is inflamed.
For some people, it can have a significant impact on their daily life, the NHS adds.
bleeding from your ass
The condition not only causes blood and mucus to appear in your stool, but can also cause bleeding from the anus, says Crohn’s & Colitis UK.
This blood loss can make you feel extremely tired.
This is because it can trigger anemia – a reduced number of red blood cells, meaning less oxygen is carried around the body.
You are more likely to develop anemia if you lose a lot of blood or don’t eat well, explains the NHS.
The former Made In Chelsea star was admitted to a London hospital late last month following a series of health problems since giving birth to her two-year-old son Leo (pictured in Antigua).
The reality star spent five weeks in hospital suffering ‘serious complications’ in 2021. She has had to deal with a host of physical issues since the traumatic birth along with ulcerative colitis, which she was diagnosed with before becoming pregnant.
Constipation
Although it is common for people with ulcerative colitis to experience diarrhea, constipation is also a common symptom.
The condition can make it more difficult to defecate regularly or empty the intestines completely.
It can make you strain when you need to poop and can be hard and dry, adds Crohn’s & Colitis UK.
This is common with proctitis, a form of the condition that causes inflammation in the lining of the rectum.
Exhausted
It’s not just anemia that can make you feel extremely tired.
Ulcerative colitis can also cause sleep loss if you keep waking up at night with diarrhea or pain.
However, the condition can make you feel generally unwell and even cause problems outside of your digestive system.
In addition to fatigue, it can cause joint pain and swelling, mouth ulcers, and skin rashes.