A MUM says she's been left housebound after being diagnosed with a rare condition that makes her vomit 70 times a day.
Leanne Willian, from Bolton, suffers from gastroparesis – which means her stomach cannot empty itself of food naturally as it is partially paralysed.
The 39-year-old was diagnosed with the long-term condition in 2008 and throwing up repeatedly her whole life.
Leanne was fitted with a gastric pacemaker that year which regulated the condition and eased the vomiting and nausea.
But its battery ran out two years ago, once again leaving the mum-of-one in pain and constantly throwing up.
A new battery for her pacemaker is not available on the NHS, meaning Leanne would have to fork out £10,000 for a new one, reports Manchester Evening News.
“As a baby, I had a really bad reflux. I was always a sickly child," she told the outlet.
“When I had my daughter at 22, it got progressively worse. It was horrible, it was draining.
“Before I got diagnosed, I was being sick all the time. Everything I drank just came back up. I couldn’t keep it down.
“When it would stop working was always in the back of my mind."
Former carer Leanne, who was forced to give up work two years ago, says her condition has been "going downhill" and she's now "stuck in the house all day".
“I can’t see my family or friends. I can’t do what I used to enjoy or spend time with my husband and daughter because I’m going downhill," she added.
Leanne is now crowdfunding for a new pacemaker battery.
"I can’t understand how the NHS can deny paying for someone and rather tube feed them at a more expensive cost," she said.
“And then there’s the aftercare.
"It’s like a postcode lottery. I was lucky I was able to watch my daughter grow without this surgery.
What is gastroparesis?
GASTROPARESIS is a long-term condition where, because it is partially paralysed, the stomach cannot empty in the normal way
According to the NHS, it's believed to be the result of a problem with the nerves and muscles that control how the stomach empties.
Symptoms include feeling full very quickly, weight loss, bloating and heartburn.
It can also be caused by poorly controlled diabetes or a complication of some types of surgery.
Gastroparesis can't usually be cured – but dietary changes and medical treatment can help control it.
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