A woman says she has been left housebound by an illness that caused her to vomit blood and lose large amounts of hair claims doctors ignored her worrying symptoms for months.
Jessica Booth, 20, a nursery practitioner from Stoke-on-Trent, began suffering from chronic headaches and nausea in June 2022 and knew instantly something wasn’t right.
But during numerous hospital appointments and blood tests, she says doctors insisted there was “nothing wrong” with Jessica.
Her symptoms only continued to worsen and in the space of three weeks, Jessica lost two stone, started vomiting blood and suffered rectal bleeding.
Jessica felt she had no choice but to seek private health care and, after pushing for a colonoscopy, was finally given a diagnosis in December of Meckel's Diverticulum – a bulge in the small intestine of leftover umbilical cord.
While the condition is usually diagnosed in childhood and can cause few problems, in some cases it can cause gastrointestinal bleeding and severe pain.
For Jessica, life would never be the same again and she has been left largely housebound for six months.
“I used to have so much confidence I would normally be the life and soul of any party,” she said.
“Meckel’s Diverticulum has completely changed my life.
“I have become so used to being in the house poorly that I am scared to leave the house.
“I don’t enjoy the things I used to enjoy.
“It doesn’t just affect you physically – emotionally it’s draining.
“My body is no longer fit enough to do anything to do with exercise.
“I used to love going on family walks with the dogs but physically I just cannot do it."
Jessica said she had not been able to do anything for six months due to the extreme fatigue and nausea.
Although she was relieved to get her diagnosis, the months she spent suffering in pain took their toll and prompted her to cancel plans for her dream trip to Disneyland.
Her partner, 23-year-old Owen, often had to care for Jessica by helping her wash her hair and put her pyjamas on - leaving Jessica feeling helpless.
Jessica said: “My first symptom was nausea and chronic headaches that never went away.
“I also had a feeling of needing the toilet urgently. In May 2022 I was on my way to work and I had to turn back and I’ve not been to work since.
“From the start of my first symptoms, it progressively got worse and I started to notice more and more symptoms as the days went by.
“The week before I was due to go to Disneyland, I became so weak and had a raging temperature with chronic diarrhoea.
“I could not make that trip and ended up in A&E. My mum kept telling the doctor’s that I was poorly as I would not have missed a trip to Paris.
“But it fell on deaf ears because my bloods kept coming back clear. I was never offered any scans.
“I kept on suffering day after day, not being able to wash my own hair. I was missing out on life.
“I’ve had multiple doctor’s appointments and trips to A&E – all to be told there was nothing wrong and my symptoms should pass.”
Eventually, after seeking private health care, Jessica was diagnosed with Meckel's Diverticulum and will now have to undergo surgery to remove the bulge.
Until the surgery, Jessica is managing her symptoms through her diet and is feeling better physically.
Although she has been left feeling mentally drained, Jessica is hoping she can encourage more people to push for help when they know something isn’t right.
She added: “Anybody experiencing these symptoms, please make sure to see your GP.
“You know your own body and if you feel something isn’t right, push for tests and never let anybody tell you there’s nothing they can do.
“I'm worried about the surgery but also excited – I will accept any kind of treatment to make me better.
”After the surgery I am most looking forward to having my life back again, and to be able to enjoy the things I used to enjoy.”
