A woman who concealed her Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) symptoms until it nearly claimed her life is urging others to seek medical help if they suspect something is wrong.
Lucy Harman, a resident of Southampton, Hampshire, endured extreme discomfort, going to the toilet over 50 times a day, suffering constant pain, and losing her hair before being hospitalized just a few months into her university studies at the age of 18.
Now 22, Harman uses social media platforms to raise awareness about IBD and Crohn’s disease, encouraging people not to suffer in silence. “You’d go to the doctors if you’ve got a broken arm or something like that, so why wouldn’t you go to the doctors if you’ve got a problem with your poo?” she stated.
Harman explained that when her symptoms first appeared, she always found excuses and embarrassment prevented her from seeking help. “I didn’t tell my partner, I didn’t tell my mum,” she recalled. “No-one really talks about poo, because it’s so taboo especially when you’re freshly 18.”
As her condition worsened, she was “in agony all the time” and had stopped eating entirely. During a Christmas break from university, she passed out and was rushed to the hospital. “My organs were going into shutdown, so they needed to figure out what was wrong with me really fast,” she said.
Normally, diagnosing Crohn’s disease—a type of IBD—takes time, but for Harman, it took just 48 hours. “It was very sudden,” she noted.
She was treated with steroids, antibiotics, and immunosuppressant injections and now describes her diagnosis as “the best thing that ever happened to me.” “Finding out what was wrong with me gave me the ability to get help,” she explained.
Today, Harman shares her journey with over 6,600 followers on TikTok and Instagram, a practice she describes as a “coping mechanism.” “It’s a way of putting it out there and just getting out all my emotions,” she said. “I think the main thing I’ve learned about myself is that I’m far stronger than I realize.”
Harman’s story highlights the importance of not ignoring health symptoms and seeking medical advice promptly to prevent severe health consequences.