A 21-year-old woman ignored constipation and severe bloating that ‘left me looking six months pregnant’ — and suffered horrific consequences as a result.
Courtney Ingham suffered with the extreme symptoms for eight months and was only able to empty her bowels once every three weeks.
But instead of seeing a doctor the carer from Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, said she took laxatives daily and drank black coffee in a bid to kick start her system.
In June she heard a terrifying ‘pop’ and noticed she was bleeding after going to the loo — a after taking a photo of her bottom realised ‘my insides had fallen out’.
Following two unsuccessful operations she is now awaiting specialist treatment and urging anyone experiencing changes in bowel movements to seek medical help.
Courtney Ingham, 21, suffered with extreme bloating and constipation for eight months and was only able to empty her bowels once every three weeks
The carer confessed to looking ‘six months pregnant’ despite having two operations
‘I had really severe constipation for about eight months and I didn’t really think anything of it,’ Ms Ingham said. ‘I was just taking over the counter laxatives and pain relief.
‘It’s been really difficult. Prior to the eight months I was someone who would regularly goes to the toilet, it could have been up to three times a day.
‘Then I noticed a little bit of bloating so that was really concerning and then I thought my bowel habits have massively changed.’
Stomach cramps caused by her constipation left Ms Ingham in so much pain she was calling in sick to work.
‘Every day I was using the regular sachets of Laxido because that’s what we give our patients and they’re meant to really help but I stopped taking them for a little while because it didn’t feel as if they were working,’ she said.
She tried natural remedies drinking black coffee, lemon juice and eating more fibre without success.
Ms Ingham also reduced her portion sizes thinking the cause was overeating, but even after eating less she was still feeling nauseous.
‘I did try to watch YouTube videos and things like putting your legs up, elevating your legs, like rubbing your tummy,’ she said.
But when she did try to strain a little bit she felt a ‘muscle pop’.
‘When I was pushing there was immense pain and it felt like I’d put something out of place. It was what I imagine labour being like,’ she said.
‘When I wiped and it was blood, I was really concerned because there was no faeces but it felt as if there was.
‘It was a little bit of spotting at first and then it was tissue filled. I did know something was wrong because the blood was fresh so it was coming from some type of wound.
‘I did have to use a panty liner in my knickers because of the bleeding, it was getting a little bit heavy.
‘So then I had to squat and take an unattractive photo and I noticed that it was like, I described it as somebody’s organs. It was almost like flesh. My insides had gone out.’
Stomach cramps caused by her constipation left Ms Ingham in so much pain she was calling in sick to work
Ms Ingham said she has been tested for IBS and Crohn’s Disease but has not yet had the results back, she has since been referred to a specialist and is waiting for an appointment in December
Frightened, she swiftly went to A&E at Darlington Memorial Hospital where doctors examined her under general anaesthetic.
She was diagnosed with a rectal prolapse — when internal muscle weaknesses result in the rectum inverting and dropping outside of the back passage.
This usually presents as a lump protruding from the back passage. The medics performed an operation to correct the issue, but this was unsuccessful.
Rectal prolapse is rare — thought to affect 2.5 per 100,000 people in the UK, predominantly impacting older women.
Ms Ingham explained she was left with anal fissures— tears in the lining of the anus that can cause pain and bleeding during bowel movements.
Following her surgery to fix the prolapse Ms Ingham was ‘bed bound’.
‘I had to rely on everyone to look after me. I couldn’t shower on my own. It was really daunting.
Less than two weeks after the operation, on July 3, Ms Ingham came back to the hospital after experiencing lots of pain and sickness.
She said: ‘Obviously with me being so constipated I couldn’t push anything through my bowels so everything was just coming up. I couldn’t keep any food down.
‘And then there was dizziness and the bleeding and pain and the wound itself.’
She underwent the surgery for the second time in August but said it has not helped and she has now been told that she might need to consider a stoma bag.
‘That really really got to me. I remember just sitting and crying because I thought I am 21 years old, what are people going to think?
‘I spoke to my therapist and I said I almost feel as if I’m grieving the loss of using the toilet. That’s what it felt like.
‘I’m still pooing once every three weeks. It still remains the same.
‘It’s been very miserable, very depressing and it has stopped me from doing everyday things.
‘There are certain things I can’t wear anymore because it’s too restrictive. It has affected everything.
‘I know it sounds really silly because it’s just a small thing but to me it did feel like it was taking over my life.
‘I look about six months pregnant. My belly bloats massively, it’s huge. It does knock your confidence.
Ms Ingham said she has been tested for IBS and Crohn’s Disease but has not yet had the results back, she has since been referred to a specialist and is waiting for an appointment in December.
She has shared her story on TikTok in the hope of raising awareness for what has happened to her, but regrets not going to the doctor sooner herself.
‘If there’s any change in anyone’s bowel habits or they feel that they can’t go to the toilet effectively anymore I think seek the advice of a GP straight away, don’t leave it as long as I did.
‘I believe if I went within the first eight months and I spoke to a GP sooner, I could have avoided all this.’
