A woman with severe bloating says it leaves her "looking nine months pregnant" and strangers even ask when her baby is due.
Sarah Mason, 51, was diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome at the age of 30 and says the bloating can often leave her looking like she has a bump. The condition which affects the digestive system and can cause stomach cramps, bloating, diarrhoea and constipation.
Sarah claims strangers have come up to her when shopping and said: "Not long until your baby is due" - leaving her mortified as she's not expecting. A self-employed cleaner, Sarah's poor health has even meant she has had to reduce her hours and go on universal credit.
Sarah says she feels bloated all the time (Sarah Mason/SWNS)
Sarah's IBS is worsened by stress (Sarah Mason/SWNS)Mum-of-one Sarah, from York, North Yorkshire, said: "It's a horrible feeling to feel so bloated all the time - it's not just looking pregnant, it's the constant churning in my stomach." Sarah says her IBS is worsened by stress while she also suffers with osteoarthritis - a degenerative joint disease, in which the tissues in the joint break down over time.
She said: "I recently had a back operation last October where surgeons removed part of my bone from my back to ease the pain. Initially it helped, but the pain has come back, which then causes me stress which makes my bloating much worse it's a horrible vicious cycle."
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Sarah's lived with severe IBS after being diagnosed aged 30 (Sarah Mason/SWNS)On March 27, Sarah had a fall while at home and fractured three ribs, which stopped her working and added to her stress. Her IBS has gotten so bad that when she has a flare up she has to wear size 20 clothing - despite normally being a size 14 or 16. She said: "When it's bad I can't wear any tight clothing I have to wear trousers with an elasticated waist or jeggings I never wear dresses anymore, I've become so self-conscious.
"It's embarrassing when you're going shopping and get people coming up to you saying 'Oh, not long until your baby is due. It's not nice I'm definitely not pregnant at my age." Sarah's health issues have left her reducing her hours and relying on universal credit. A single parent, she lives with her daughter, Sophie, 23.
Sarah is from York in North Yorkshire (Sarah Mason/SWNS)Sarah has tried hypnotherapy for her condition, but says this also didn't help. "I have to take laxatives most days to go to the toilet, most days it works but if I don't take laxatives I won't go to the toilet for three to four days," Sarah said.
There is no known cure for IBS - which is thought to affect up to 15 per cent of the population. Sarah said: "I really hope they can find a cure, it's a horrible feeling to feel so bloated all the time."
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