Latest news with #MelissaSuffield
North Wales Chronicle
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- North Wales Chronicle
BBC EastEnders star with illness talks about hellish flight
An EastEnders star battling a chronic condition has opened up about a "mad" and hellish flight which ruined her lovely holiday. Melissa Suffield, who played the role of Lucy Beale on the BBC soap opera from 2004 until 2010, was previously diagnosed with small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) after experiencing "horrible nausea". This has reportedly had a massive impact on her life, making any good days she can spend with friends and family all the more precious. However, she said that a recent flight she took after a holiday undid all the fun and rest she had. A post shared by Melissa Carter- Body Confidence | Mum Style | Bloat Friendly (@ Taking to Instagram, the EastEnders actress said: 'I've been a bit quiet because life has been a LOT. The trip away was so restorative, but honestly, the act of getting home undid it 'The ship didn't make it into the final port of my trip due to very bad weather, but obviously my flight was booked from there! 'So booked a flight home from the next available port very last minute, which was a midnight flight, which was delayed by 2 hours because of weather again, and then the ENTIRE three-hour flight was mad turbulence and lightning out the window, I s*** you not. 'I'm not a nervous flyer, but I was on that flight. 'Honestly, not a fun experience, followed by only 4 hours of sleep and then a three-hour train journey home with River and all my luggage. 'On the list of things I simply do not need in my life, this experience was a high-ranking one.' The BBC star added: 'Not aided by the fact that towards the end of the trip, my symptoms started getting worse. 'I think the combination of not eating anything other than steak and potatoes, as well as the stress of making a new very last-minute plan and the childcare and everything that went along with that is probably what did it. 'Also, my period always makes everything worse - I've actually just had a test arrive that looks at your DNA and hormones to see if I can pinpoint anything I'm missing. 'But anyway, I am home now safe and sound, I have done all the washing, I've got full control over my diet again, and I've got my boy back. But I am feeling rough in a way that I haven't in a while, so l'm focusing all my energy on resting. 'I've got a really busy week next week too, so I've really got to try and get back on top of things quickly tbh. But when your nervous system is frazzled, that time limit way of thinking is completely counterproductive.' According to the Mayo Clinic, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) is a condition that occurs when there is an "abnormal increase in the overall bacterial population in the small intestine." It added: "Particularly types of bacteria not commonly found in that part of the digestive tract." This is often diagnosed when circumstances like surgery or a disease slow the passage of food and waste products in the digestive tract, creating a "breeding ground" for bacteria. This can often cause diarrhoea, weight loss and malnutrition.
The Sun
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
EastEnders star details nightmare turbulence on flight after travel hell while battling with chronic illness symptoms
EASTENDERS star Melissa Suffield has revealed her nightmare journey home from a family holiday while battling her chronic illness. The actress - who used to play Lucy Beale in the BBC soap - was diagnosed with small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) after experiencing "horrible nausea" in 2023. 2 2 And it has had a huge impact in her life - which makes her family holidays and quality time all the more precious. But today she has revealed that she had the journey from hell home - undoing the good the holiday did. Taking to Instagram, Melissa wrote: 'I've been a bit quiet because life has been a LOT. The trip away was so restorative but honestly the act of getting home undid it 'The ship didn't make it into the final port of my trip due to very bad weather, but obviously my flight was booked from there! 'So booked a flight home from the next available port very last minute, which was a midnight flight, which was delayed by 2 hours because of weather again, and then the ENTIRE 3 hour flight was mad turbulence and lightning out the window I s*** you not. 'I'm not a nervous flyer but I was on that flight. 'Honestly, not a fun experience, followed by only 4 hours of sleep and then a 3 hour train journey home with River and all my luggage. 'On the list of things I simply do not need in my life, this experience was a high ranking one.' Melissa added: 'Not aided by the fact that towards the end of the trip, my symptoms started getting worse. 'I think the combination of not eating anything other than steak and potatoes, as well as the stress of making a new very last minute plan and the childcare and everything that went along with that is probably what did it. Former EastEnders star has had '40 doctors appointments' and spent 'over five figures' amid gruelling health condition 'Also my period always makes everything worse- I've actually just had a test arrive that looks at your DNA and hormones to see if I can pin point anything I'm missing. 'But anyway, I am home now safe and sound, I have done all the washing, I've got full control over my diet again, and I've got my boy back. But I am feeling rough in a way that I haven't in a while, so l'm focusing all my energy on resting. What is SIBO? SIBO is also known as Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth. Melissa experiences nausea, reflux, constipation, and other symptoms like her hair falling out and suffering from dry skin. According to the Mayo Clinic, the condition occurs "when there is an abnormal increase in the overall bacterial population in the small intestine — particularly types of bacteria not commonly found in that part of the digestive tract." Symptoms are listed as a loss of appetite, abdominal pain, nausea, bloating, an uncomfortable feeling of fullness after eating, diarrhea, unintentional weight loss, and malnutrition. 'I've got a really busy week next week too, so I've really got to try and get back on top of things quickly tbh. But when your nervous system is frazzled, that time limit way of thinking is completely counter productive.'
The Sun
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Ex EastEnders actress has ‘breakdown' as she spots her ribs in picture after illness led to dramatic weight loss
MELISSA Suffield has shared an emotional post on social media after she unintentionally lost weight because of an illness. Melissa, 32, was after experiencing "horrible nausea" in 2023. 5 Since battling SIBO, the former Lucy Beale star has shed weight unintentionally, with the results of this now visible. Sharing a snap from inside a fitting room, Melissa could be seen donning a bright green plunging dress. "I had a bit of a breakdown today," Melissa began her post. She said: "Today has been not a very good day. "I had a bit of a menty b in the changing rooms while I was filming some bits. "I'm sure light didn't help, but I could see my ribs visible in the middle of my chest," she explained, referring to her chest area visible because of the plunging neckline. Melissa added: "And I just totally lost it. Like, cartoon floods of tears, unable to catch breath, that sort of thing. "You can see it on my face, like I am seconds away from breaking the f*ck down. And that is indeed what then happened." Getting even more emotional, Melissa went on: "It's just such a visible reminder of how much SIBO has taken from me. How much else I've lost along with the weight. 'I HATE IT' "And that doesn't even begin to cover the mental/emotional impact. Former EastEnders star opens up about drastic weight loss after health battle and says she was healthier when she was bigger "The fact that we glorify weight loss so much much is weighing so heavy on me, especially when I look in the mirror and see this. I hate it. "I know there are people who would be overjoyed to see this, but when you lose the weight like this, trust me, it's not a nice feeling. There is no accomplishment. Just a reminder of everything you have lost. "And no matter how often I talk about it, I'm going through it alone. Nobody will ever truly understand, even if they're going through it themselves. "Nobody else will know what I'm thinking when my legs feel so heavy I can barely manage the stairs. Or how lonely it is when you're still awake at 3am because the nausea won't let you lay down." Melissa then spoke about how she often talks about body confidence and embracing change, but noted how "this feels different" because there is "nothing to embrace". ANGRY BECAUSE OF SIBO She added how the impact her long term illness has had on her body image is "wild" before saying her body is "broken". The former soap star then said how she has to be a mother, an attentive partner, a cleaner, a cook and everything else in between, but when she was in the changing room, it was just her. "But in that changing room, nobody else, I'm just me. There aren't any responsibilities or asks. "So she puts it all down and she breaks in half. "And then she dries her eyes, and she cracks on. Again," she said. Melissa then revealed the "two good things" to come out of the "breakdown". "I got angry," she penned, revealing the first "good thing". "Yet again, another renewed fire for talking about SIBO. For educating as many people as possible. For helping people understand the symptoms, for forcing healthcare professionals to sit up and listen, for changing the perception, and for advocating for treatment. "A fight I will always show up for, no matter what." She then revealed the second "good thing", saying: "I bought the dress anyway. Because I love the colour, the cut, and of course, the pockets. "I'm not going to let SIBO take anything else from me." 'THERE'S NO JOY' Last year, Melissa opened up about her unintentional weight loss exclusively to The Sun. "Obviously, I've lost quite a lot of weight this year," Melissa began, adding: "But absolutely none of that has been through choice. None of it. Like I'm back in my pre-pregnancy jeans." 'She added: "But there's no joy," noting: "I don't enjoy the fact that that's happened at all in the way that you know, that's like a goal for a lot of people. "A) It was never a goal for me. But B) this is the complete antithesis of whatever I've ever wanted with my body. "So that's been tricky for sure. And then also, just on top of that, like my skin and my hair has been like affected. "Now I'm dealing with feelings of, you know, not enjoying the way that I look, which is frustrating because I've done such a lot of work to get me to a place where." 5 5
Scottish Sun
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Ex EastEnders star shows off ‘loose skin, belly overhang and saggy breasts' after health battle
She shared a string of images which prompted praise from fans CANDID POST Ex EastEnders star shows off 'loose skin, belly overhang and saggy breasts' after health battle AN ex EastEnders star has shown off her 'loose skin, belly overhang and saggy breasts' after her health battle. Former EastEnders star turned body confidence advocate Melissa Suffield took to social media to share an update with her 153,000 followers. Advertisement 6 An ex EastEnders star has shown off her 'loose skin, belly overhang and saggy breasts' after her health battle Credit: Instagram 6 Former EastEnders star Melissa Suffield , , Credit: Instagram/@ 6 Melissa shared various unedited pictures, and revealed her 'stretch marks' and 'bloating' among other things Credit: Instagram 6 Melissa was praised by fans Credit: Instagram Sitting in a pink bikini, Melissa shared various unedited pictures, and revealed her 'stretch marks' and 'bloating' among other things. She captioned the candid post: 'Want a bikini body this summer? Just put a bikini on- there you have it! A perfect bikini body, full of beautiful imperfections. 'Because imperfections are gorgeous, unique, and interesting- just like YOU. That body you're always trying to hide? Way more normal than you think. That woman over there probably feels the same way about hers. In fact she's probably too busy worrying about her own to even glance your way. 'Get that bikini, put it on, slam your body down and wind it all around- and truly, a zig a zig ah.' Advertisement Melissa was praised by fans for being so honest and body confident, as one person wrote:' Yay to celebrating the bikini body... Great post.' And a second added: ' Fantastic how you show up as you are! X' She shared a photo of her bikini top and wrote over it 'empty post baby tatas,' as well as sharing a photo of her 'belly overhang' while sitting upright. Other images included the star revealing her 'thighs that tough,' and 'silver stretch marks.' Advertisement Melissa, 31, was diagnosed with small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) after experiencing "horrible nausea" on December 16 2023, with her having felt nauseous "ever since". Former EastEnders star has had '40 doctors appointments' and spent 'over five figures' amid gruelling health condition After around 40 appointments with her GP and spending more than five figures on tests and other medical costs, Melissa has a diagnosis of SIBO, B12 deficiency, and is still yet to work out the root cause of it all. Melissa experiences nausea, reflux, constipation, and other symptoms like her hair falling out and suffering from dry skin. According to the Mayo Clinic, the condition occurs "when there is an abnormal increase in the overall bacterial population in the small intestine — particularly types of bacteria not commonly found in that part of the digestive tract." Advertisement Symptoms are listed as a loss of appetite, abdominal pain, nausea, bloating, an uncomfortable feeling of fullness after eating, diarrhea, unintentional weight loss, and malnutrition. The former soap star who played Lucy Beale from 2004 until 2010 has opened up about how SIBO impacts her and how she is now less healthy than she was a year ago, despite being slimmer now, with her keen to raise awareness of the chronic illness. Melissa told us in our exclusive chat that her health condition is "very frustrating", but noted a silver lining of sorts. "Obviously, I've lost quite a lot of weight this year," Melissa began, adding: "But absolutely none of that has been through choice. None of it. Like I'm back in my pre-pregnancy jeans." Advertisement She added: "But there's no joy," noting: "I don't enjoy the fact that that's happened at all in the way that you know, that's like a goal for a lot of people. "A) It was never a goal for me. But B) this is the complete antithesis of whatever I've ever wanted with my body. "So that's been tricky for sure. And then also, just on top of that, like my skin and my hair has been like affected. "Now I'm dealing with feelings of, you know, not enjoying the way that I look, which is frustrating because I've done such a lot of work to get me to a place where." Advertisement Revealing the silver lining of sorts, Melissa revealed that her weight loss proves that being slim does not equate to being healthy. 6 The former soap star played Lucy Beale from 2004 until 2010 Credit: Instagram
The Sun
13-05-2025
- Health
- The Sun
Ex EastEnders star shows off ‘loose skin, belly overhang and saggy breasts' after health battle
AN ex EastEnders star has shown off her 'loose skin, belly overhang and saggy breasts' after her health battle. Former EastEnders star turned body confidence advocate Melissa Suffield took to social media to share an update with her 153,000 followers. 6 6 6 6 Sitting in a pink bikini, Melissa shared various unedited pictures, and revealed her 'stretch marks' and 'bloating' among other things. She captioned the candid post: 'Want a bikini body this summer? Just put a bikini on- there you have it! A perfect bikini body, full of beautiful imperfections. 'Because imperfections are gorgeous, unique, and interesting- just like YOU. That body you're always trying to hide? Way more normal than you think. That woman over there probably feels the same way about hers. In fact she's probably too busy worrying about her own to even glance your way. 'Get that bikini, put it on, slam your body down and wind it all around- and truly, a zig a zig ah.' Melissa was praised by fans for being so honest and body confident, as one person wrote:' Yay to celebrating the bikini body... Great post.' And a second added: ' Fantastic how you show up as you are! X' She shared a photo of her bikini top and wrote over it 'empty post baby tatas,' as well as sharing a photo of her 'belly overhang' while sitting upright. Other images included the star revealing her 'thighs that tough,' and 'silver stretch marks.' Melissa, 31, was diagnosed with small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) after experiencing "horrible nausea" on December 16 2023, with her having felt nauseous "ever since". Former EastEnders star has had '40 doctors appointments' and spent 'over five figures' amid gruelling health condition After around 40 appointments with her GP and spending more than five figures on tests and other medical costs, Melissa has a diagnosis of SIBO, B12 deficiency, and is still yet to work out the root cause of it all. Melissa experiences nausea, reflux, constipation, and other symptoms like her hair falling out and suffering from dry skin. According to the Mayo Clinic, the condition occurs "when there is an abnormal increase in the overall bacterial population in the small intestine — particularly types of bacteria not commonly found in that part of the digestive tract." Symptoms are listed as a loss of appetite, abdominal pain, nausea, bloating, an uncomfortable feeling of fullness after eating, diarrhea, unintentional weight loss, and malnutrition. The former soap star who played Lucy Beale from 2004 until 2010 has opened up about how SIBO impacts her and how she is now less healthy than she was a year ago, despite being slimmer now, with her keen to raise awareness of the chronic illness. Melissa told us in our exclusive chat that her health condition is "very frustrating", but noted a silver lining of sorts. "Obviously, I've lost quite a lot of weight this year," Melissa began, adding: "But absolutely none of that has been through choice. None of it. Like I'm back in my pre-pregnancy jeans." She added: "But there's no joy," noting: "I don't enjoy the fact that that's happened at all in the way that you know, that's like a goal for a lot of people. "A) It was never a goal for me. But B) this is the complete antithesis of whatever I've ever wanted with my body. "So that's been tricky for sure. And then also, just on top of that, like my skin and my hair has been like affected. "Now I'm dealing with feelings of, you know, not enjoying the way that I look, which is frustrating because I've done such a lot of work to get me to a place where." Revealing the silver lining of sorts, Melissa revealed that her weight loss proves that being slim does not equate to being healthy. 6 6
