A FORMER EastEnders actress has opened up to The Sun about her tough year after being diagnosed with SIBO – and now it seems her Christmas Day won’t be as festive as she’d hoped.
Melissa Suffield, 31, was diagnosed with small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) after experiencing “horrible nausea” last December.
The mother of one played the role of Lucy Beale in BBC One’s hit soap opera EastEnders from 2004 to 2010 but is now a body confidence advocate trying to promote self-love and raise awareness of SIBO.
After around 40 appointments with her GP this year alone and spending more than five figures on tests and other medical costs, Melissa has a diagnosis of SIBO and B12 deficiency.
The former soap star has shared exclusively with The Sun how SIBO will impact her this Christmas after hoping that she’d be able to have a slap-up roast on the big day.
“So last year I cooked a Christmas dinner and didn’t eat any of it,” Melissa told us in an exclusive chat.
She added: “So this year I’ve decided I’m not doing that.
“We have Christmas, just the 3 of us at home. I can eat chicken, potatoes and carrots. They’re all safe food for me, so I could kind of do a roast.
“But River [Melissa’s son] doesn’t really eat a roast dinner, anyway.
“And Robert [Melissa’s partner] would be just as happy with like a burger.
“So I think what I’m gonna do is just not do that Christmas in general,” she confessed.
Melissa then opened up about what Christmas means to her, adding: “For me, I would say about 80% of the joy comes from all the food.
“So I’m not feeling very festive this year,” she added, noting: “But that’s mainly because I can’t eat loads of chocolate, biscuits and cake.
“So you know it is what it is. But I’m hopeful that next year I’ll be eating that Christmas dinner again.”
Melissa then told us that having a Christmas dinner this year was actually her goal.
“I’ve totally f***ed that [having a Christmas dinner], that’s not happening.
It’s very bleak, I would say, quite bleak.
Melissa Suffield to The Sun
“So I’m gonna make that the goal for next year and have that Christmas dinner.
“Because that’s the thing it’s actually like. It’s a bit of a sick joke.”
She then spoke of how this year she’s been at her healthiest.
“This is on paper, this year I’ve been healthier than I’ve been ever in my life before. The only thing I drink is water or water, with like ginger in it.
“I don’t eat anything that I haven’t like prepared fresh myself, really at home, unless I absolutely have to. While I’m out I can eat chips.
“But even myself, like even chips at home and make them myself.
“I get an okay amount of sleep. I’ve got loads of like vitamins and minerals that my body needs going in, and I’ve never been sicker in my life.”
Melissa then confessed that she hasn’t even had a “drop of alcohol” since her birthday last year, which was Christmas Eve.
“Have not had a drop of alcohol and like, look at the state of me! Look at the state of me!
“It’s it’s just a bit of a sick joke, so like so healthy on paper, and so unhealthy in reality. It’s very bleak, I would say, quite bleak.”
