HEARTBREAKING – Thought it was just Weight Loss, BUT It’s a Rare Disease – EastEnders Star C0unting D0wn her Days leaves fans in Tears!

THE actress has shared an emotional post on social media after she unintentionally lost weight because of an illness.

Melissa, 32, was diagnosed with small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) after experiencing “horrible nausea” in 2023.

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Melissa Suffield has opened up in a candid postCredit: Instagram

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She has unintentionally lost weight due to SIBOCredit: Instagram

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Melissa often promotes a positive body imageCredit: Instagram
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 br3aking the f*ck d0wn. 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.”

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.

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.”

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Melissa has a mass following on social media and raises awareness of SIBO while promoting body confidenceCredit: Instagram/@the.confidentmama

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Melissa previously played the role of Lucy Beale in EastEnders