A woman lived with stomach paralysis for three years and was told she might die after doctors misdiagnosed her with anorexia.

Luned Davies, 23, has Gastroparesis This affected the nerves in her stomach and caused her to be unable to digest her food properly. Her weight subsequently dropped to just 31.7 kg.

Ms Davies, from Banwen, Neath, said she “knew” she did not have an eating disorder but claims no one took her concerns seriously after symptoms first appeared in 2020.

Swansea Bay Health Department has been contacted for comment.

Ms Davies said she was referred to an eating disorder specialist in 2020 despite her doubts about her anorexia diagnosis.

“They kept telling me I had an eating disorder, but I knew it wasn’t and that there was something wrong with me,” she said.

“I was losing weight and had no appetite. I felt full all the time and knew something was wrong.

“I kept going to the doctor and having blood tests, but nobody took me seriously.”

Ms Davies also sought medical attention at a private hospital, but after her diagnosis did not change by August 2022 and she had lost so much weight, she was told she might die.

“I weighed 35 kilos, you could see my bones. I looked disgusting.”

“I couldn’t walk, I couldn’t take care of myself. My mom had to take me to the shower, wash me, lift me up from the toilet.

“You could see every bone in my body and people thought I wanted to be like that.

“I didn’t want to look like that, people thought I had an eating disorder, anorexia.”

“Nobody knew what was wrong because they saw me eating, but then I felt sick.”

“They told me I was going to die and not survive.”

Ms Davies said it took up to three years for her to be diagnosed with gastroparesis, but even before then she found it difficult to deal with people questioning her symptoms.

“People kept telling me that everything was fine and that I was just imagining it all,” she said.

She added that the worst part was witnessing the strain on her family.

“The worst thing for me was seeing mom and dad, the family, suffer and experiencing the impact I had on their lives.

“I have often said that I do not want to be here, but I would never sit idly by and have an even greater impact on my family’s life.”

A combination of tablets is now helping Luned to get her symptoms under control.

“I’m in pain all day every day, but I have to keep going. I have one life and I have to make the most of it,” she said.

“If I do nothing, I lie in bed all day, every day.”

She said she hopes sharing her story will help raise awareness of the disease among others who may be affected by it.

Symptoms of Gastroparesis can vary and occur after eating. These can include:

• Feeling full more quickly than usual – you may not be able to finish meals
• feeling sick and being sick
• Abdominal pain
• heartburn
• Flatulence

If you have been experiencing these symptoms for some time, you may also be losing weight.

Source: NHS

According to nutritionist Gwawr James, those affected need to adjust their diet.

“Once the nerves in the stomach are damaged, there is no cure,” she said.

“Traditionally, we tell people they should eat three main meals a day – breakfast, lunch and dinner.”

“In this case, however, we recommend eating four to six smaller meals at the same time that do not put too much strain on the stomach.”

If you are affected by the issues described in the report, you can get support at: www.bbc.co.uk/actionline