Woman who VOMITS poo is left in constant agony from crippling stomach condition
A FORMER nurse is left in complete agony daily from a crippling stomach condition - which causes her to frequently vomit poo.
Jacqui Hayward Gant, 54, hasn't been able to go to the toilet for four months as her stomach nerves are paralysed - making it extremely difficult to go to the toilet.
And the rare illness is also taking it's toll on Jacqui's mental health - as she is now "mainly bedbound" and was forced her to quit her job.
Jacqui, from Tunbridge Wells in Kent, is now desperately trying to raise enough money to pay for a natural treatment in India which she believes could help enhance her life.
She told : "I just want to get to India for some treatment and relief."
Jacqui's ordeal begun back when she was just 17 when she was diagnosed with Crohn's disease.
Her symptoms continued to worsen until she was diagnosed with idiopathic gastroparesis at the end of 2014 - after she began vomiting multiple times a day, sometimes bringing up blood.
The condition is a long-term, incurable illness where the stomach cannot empty in a normal way due to problems with the nerves and muscles.
Jacqui has tried a string of treatments to ease the symptoms and makes frequent trips to London to see specialists at St Mark's Hospital and The Royal London Hospital.
I just want to get to India for some treatment and relief
Jacqui Gant
And while she had a feeding tube fitted in May 2018, Jacqui is still no closer to finding relief.
From the moment she wakes up every day, she experiences pain and nausea and she can only tolerate 240 calories in 24 hours.
This has seen Jacqui's weight plummet and she has lost four stone in five months.
Jacqui takes medication to stop her from constantly vomiting faeces, however she experiences the side effect of Parkinsons-like tremors instead.
During the past six years, the illness has triggered two blockages in Jacqui's lungs, known as pulmonary embolisms, and numerous blood clots.
Her inability to digest food has also seen her develop diabetes.
Doctors recently told Jacqui there was nothing more they could do to help her except treat her symptoms, so she has decided to try a form of natural medicine.
In particular, she is eager to head to India in October this year to try Ayurveda treatments.
Jacqui previously found the therapy helped ease her Crohn's when she was a teen.
Jacqui now needs to raise £7,200 to go to the best Ayurvedic hospital in Kerala, South India.
She said: "If I don't reach the target there are other places I can go but it's like instead of being able to go to Waitrose you have to go to Aldi."
To allow the hospital enough time to find the right treatment she has to stay there for at least three weeks.
What is gastroparesis?
Gastroparesis is a long-term (chronic) condition where the stomach cannot empty in the normal way and food passes through the stomach slower than usual.
It's thought to be the result of a problem with the nerves and muscles that control how the stomach empties.
If these nerves are damaged, the muscles of your stomach may not work properly and the movement of food can slow down.
Symptoms of gastroparesis may include:
- Feeling full very quickly when eating
- Feeling sick (nausea) and vomiting
- Loss of appetite
- Weight loss
- Bloating
- Tummy (abdominal) pain or discomfort
- Heartburn
These symptoms can be mild or severe and tend to come and go.
See a GP if you're experiencing symptoms of gastroparesis, as it can lead to some potentially serious complications.
These complications include:
- Dehydration from repeated vomiting
- Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) – where stomach acid leaks out of your stomach and into your food pipe (oesophagus)
- Malnutrition – when your body is not getting enough nutrients
- Unpredictable blood sugar levels – this is a particular risk in people with diabetes
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During that time she hopes they will find a natural medicine, unavailable in the UK, which helps get her bowel moving.
According to Jacqui, the medics perform two treatments, including placing drugs and herb-filled muslin bags all over her body so the medicine goes directly into the body and a massage which is said to balance health.
Once they find an effective one, she will return home and the drugs will be shipped to her.
Although the measures may seem extreme, she feels she has no other option: "I have waited months to see specialists in the UK but we haven't got that much time left."
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And Jacqui believes that if her condition is left untreated, she could end up in a hospice.
She has credited her husband John for looking after her - as just walking around makes her breathless.
So far Jacqui has raised more than £1,000 so she can head out to India.
To donate on Jacqui's Go Fund Me page, .