A WOMAN who lost 6st after pooing 30 times a day initially put her symptoms down to eating too much pizza.
Matilda Crome, 24, was diagnosed with the bowel condition Crohn’s disease – which causes the digestive system to become inflamed.
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Her symptoms, which included a “gassy stomach”, began aged 14 while on holiday in Italy, so she assumed they were caused by over-indulging in the local cuisine.
But back home, her issues continued – though doctors dismissed them as period pains or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
When Matilda found blood in her poo, she feared it was something more serious.
Her condition became so severe that she took her GCSE exams in her bed at her home in Manchester, with an invigilator sitting next to her.
At her worst, Matilda lost a staggering 6st and nearly died after developing sepsis – a life-threatening reaction to an infection.
But new medication meant that in October 2023, she was healthy enough to buy a van and go on a solo climbing trip.
She travelled to Spain and Morocco, returning home in February this year.
Matilda then underwent surgery to remove her colon and reattach her small bowel to her rectum, and she now hopes to go travelling again.
Matilda, who cannot work due to her condition, said: “I was going to the toilet up to 30 times a day.
“When I saw blood in my poo, I thought I had cancer and was going to die.
“I was passed from pillar to post and told it was all in my head.
“When I finally got my diagnosis, I cried with pure relief.
“During my recovery, I found climbing and became quickly attached.
“I can safely say climbing was a massive part of what helped me – it made me feel 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
Matilda started going to the toilet more frequently while she was on holiday with her parents in Rome aged 14.
They assumed she might have a gluten intolerance from eating pizza, but her symptoms continued to get worse at home.
She then noticed blood in her stool and two years later, she was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease.
Along with colitis, another type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), the condition, which can cause abdominal pain, diarrhoea, weight loss and fatigue, affects one in 123 people in the UK.
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Matilda battled severe symptoms while sitting her GCSE exams in 2016, aged 16.
She said: “Part of me was happy to know what was causing it, although I knew I faced a life ahead of me with a chronic illness.
“I was determined to sit my GCSEs, despite how poorly I was feeling.
“We had a note on the front door which said ‘exam in progress’, which was quite funny.”
My parents were called urgently to come say ‘goodbye’ and prepare for the worst
Matilda Crome
Despite being put on various medications, including steroids and monthly injections, Matilda said she was in “constant pain”.
She became housebound and couldn’t go anywhere unless she knew there was a toilet nearby.
Her weight plummeted to just over 5st and she was making frequent trips to A&E.
In 2020, when she was 20, she was admitted to Manchester Royal Infirmary hospital and “nearly died”.
“I truly owe my life to my IBD doctor, who fought for a bed in hospital for me,” Matilda, who has shared her journey on TikTok, said.
“Without her, I believe I would’ve died.
“I remember one night I was sure my body was going to give up and I wasn’t going to wake up.
“My parents tell me now how lucky I was.
“They were called urgently to come say ‘goodbye’ and prepare for the worst.”
‘SPARK’ FINALLY STARTS TO RETURN
Luckily, Matilda was prescribed strong antibiotics, and her health began to improve.
After a couple of years, she got back to a healthy weight and was able to start “living life” again.
“I was finally starting to see my spark come back and the reasons for living and it felt amazing,” she added.
“I bought a van and went on a solo climbing trip to Morocco and Spain, something my Crohn’s had stopped me from doing previously.”
However, in March 2024, she received an email from the hospital and doctors revealed her large bowel was still inflamed.
She underwent an operation to remove her colon called a colostomy – but luckily, didn’t need a colostomy bag fitted.
Now, four months post-op, Matilda’s recovery has been up and down but she’s hopeful for the future.
“I was shocked I needed surgery, because it was the best I’d felt in years,” she said.
“I try to run with the good days, because I know how bad the bad days can be.
“You can still live your life with a chronic condition, it might just alter the path your life takes.
“I’ve got a long road of recovery ahead, but if this means I can live a semi-normal life and travel the world, then it will be worth it.”
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