I’m so bloated that strangers congratulate me for being pregnant – the truth is much worse

A MUM is so bloated from a health condition that strangers congratulate her for being pregnant.

In reality, Franchesca Flack, 35, from Essex, is in so much pain that she sometimes can’t walk or sit down.

Franchesca Flack’s bloating can make her look pregnantJam Press

The mum-of-one in 2009, before her symptoms startedJam Press

For years, the mum-of-one suffers with bouts of constipation, which have left her unable to use the toilet for a week at a time.

She also experiences pelvic pain, back ache and intense discomfort, and more recently has been unable to urinate.

The fashion writer has previously been diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and Crohn’s disease – both conditions that can cause symptoms in the gut.

But since her condition has worsened over the years, doctors believe there is something more sinister going on.

Franchesca is now awaiting a colonic transit and defecating proctogram – an examination of the lower bowel and rectum function – to understand why her bowels are so slow.

Franchesca said her swollen stomach has “impacted my life in every way”.

She told Metro she has to “desperately holds back the tears as a stranger smiles and asks when I’m due”.

“I feel my confidence plummet every time I look in my wardrobe and try to decide what to wear,” Franchesca said.

“I don’t like my body because of the bloating and in any outfit, my eyes are instantly drawn to my stomach. 

“I have no body confidence left, which I’ve always struggled with it but it’s now at an all-time low. 

“Often I prop a large bag in front of my tummy [when I’m out] to hide any bloat, and I feel paranoid that others are judging me – I feel ugly and insecure. 

“I know I have health conditions, but I can’t seem to accept it and look at my body proudly.” 

Franchesca remembers her stomach “expanding” under her clothes for years, causing agony.

She has drastically tried to change her diet to ease her symptoms, cutting out all the foods she once enjoyed and regularly exercising. 

Franchesca used to be able to enjoy cereal, chocolate, curry and milkshakes.

But now, she drinks four litres of water a day to help with the blockage and has cut out dairy, red meat, fizzy drinks and caffeine.

While it helps in the morning, by the evening the discomfort and pain has returned and is so intense Franchesca can barely sit down.

Franchesca is “blocked up” due to constipation, causing her severe bloatingJam Press

The mum-of-one says strangers congratulate her on pregnancyJam Press

Francesca was told in her teens and mid twenties that she had inflammatory bowel conditions, which may cause bloating, gas, constipation or diarrhoea. 

But it became evident to her there was something else going on when she had her daughter in 2020.

Just 24 hours after giving birth, Franchesca was in “unbearable pain”.

She said: “I was at home and felt what can only be described as contractions, even though I’d just given birth.

“I hadn’t emptied my bowels or passed wind in over a week. 

“I was sent back to hospital but my daughter needed feeding at the same time, so I had to [do this] while still being in unbearable pain.”

In February 2022, the mum’s condition took an unexpected turn when she had her gallbladder removed.

The strong medication worsened her constipation and, as a result, she had complications with her bladder.

Franchesca claims: “I explained to the nurses that the high level of medication you need for surgery would make my constipation worse but they said everything would be fine. 

“I then realised I hadn’t been for a wee since that morning and the nurses became worried. 

“I was in tears from the amount of pressure on my bladder.

“I felt extremely frustrated and angry at my body, as my constipation had now caused my bladder to stop working.”

Longing to find the root cause of her issues, Franchesca insisted on a second opinion.

A few weeks later, following a CT scan, doctors realised just how serious the issue was.

Stools were blocking up her whole back passage and stomach, which specialists said was unlikely to be caused by Crohn’s or IBS alone.

Franchesca is now awaiting tests and a referral to the pelvic floor unit.

Despite the horrific journey she has been through, Franchesca is happy that she might get an answer to what is wrong and that doctors are finally listening to her.

She is sharing her story to help others who might be in a similar situation or feel embarrassed about their bloating or constipation, which is often seen as a taboo topic.

Franchesca said: “I finally feel like I’m on the right path to finding out the cause of my constipation and feeling confident in my appearance again. 

“I’m determined to raise awareness for gut issues and break the stigma for those suffering from the physical and mental strain these conditions put on us.”

Jam PressFranchesca’s symptoms worsened after she had her daughter, Mia, in 2020[/caption]

Jam PressFranchesca crying in hospital[/caption]