HEALTH ORDEAL
Strictly’s Amy Dowden sparks concern as she reveals suffering ‘four to five blackouts a day’ months after quitting show
She was forced to withdraw from the last series of Strictly
STRICTLY star Amy Dowden has revealed her excruciating Crohn's disease can make her blackout up to five times a day.
The professional dancer, who is in remission from breast cancer, began suffering from the chronic bowel condition when she was 11 but didn't get diagnosed until the age of 19.
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On Aimee Fuller's podcast, Amy said the symptoms can be worse than child birth.
She said: "If you think, a woman is designed for childbirth, you don't pass out during childbirth.
"I can have four to five blackouts, because the pain is that much that my body can't control it.
"I get swollen eyes, inflammation to my joints, my skin, but I'm very, very lucky that I work with the most incredible team and a lot of my severe symptoms are now under control and in remission."
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Amy has been to hospital more than 100 times in her life due to flare-ups of the condition.
There is no cure for the disease, so treatment aims to reduce symptoms and maintain remission.
Just weeks ago Amy returned to dancing after being forced to pull out of Strictly after fracturing her shin.
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She will soon be hitting the road with Carlos Gu for their 'Reborn' show throughout March and April.
In November Amy marked a year since she finished chemotherapy for stage three breast cancer.
Strictly hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman pay emotional tribute to Amy Dowden as she forced out of show
She said she felt "so proud" of what she has achieved and shared a video from the day she rang a bell signalling her last round of treatment.
"At the time I didn't know what was ahead, awaiting tests and I guess the hardest part yet the long recovery from what chemo and surgery does to you," she wrote.
"I was a 'new' me but deep inside found I had zero confidence. Even until late spring I wasn't sure I had the confidence to dance again.
"I just didn't feel like me. But I'm so glad I pushed through because it's what has made me truly happy again."
What is Crohn's disease?
CROHN's disease is a lifelong condition where parts of the digestive system become inflamed.
It is a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) which, along with ulcerative colitis, affects almost half a million people in the UK.
Symptoms usually start in childhood, but the disease affects people of all ages. These include:
- Diarrhoea
- Stomach aches and cramps
- Blood in your poo
- Tiredness (fatigue)
- Weight loss
There is no cure, but treatment can help reduce or control symptoms.
Some people take medication to lessen inflammation in the digestive system, while others might have surgery to remove a small area.
The exact cause is unknown, but genes, problems with your immune system, smoking, stomach bugs and gut bacteria imbalances are believed to play a part.
Source: NHS
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