Reality television personality Chloe Meadows has opened up about the fear that led her to ignore the symptoms of ulcerative colitis for nearly ten years, despite seeing signs of the condition as a teenager.
The former The Only Way Is Essex (TOWIE) star, now 33, first noticed blood in her stool at the age of 16 but put off seeking further medical attention due to a deep-seated fear of hospitals and medical procedures.
Speaking candidly on Dr Oscar Duke’s Bedside Manners podcast, Meadows described the moment she realised something was wrong. “I went to a college where I boarded when I was 16,” she said. “I was living in a student house and there was blood down the toilet. I told my mum straight away, and of course, she told me to go to the doctor.”
The doctor advised her to undergo a colonoscopy – a procedure used to examine the bowel. However, Meadows admitted she was so frightened by the prospect that she ignored the referral. “This is awful, but I got the letter and just never went to the appointment. I was terrified.”
Meadows said she had never experienced serious illness or needed medical procedures prior to this, making the situation more daunting. “I’d never been sedated, never been sick. I think I was scared of what they were going to tell me, and of the whole idea of being in hospital.”
Over the following years, her symptoms came and went. “I’d go into remission, and the blood would stop. I’d think, ‘Oh cool, it’s gone, I’m better,’ and then it would flare up again. But I’d convince myself it wasn’t serious.”
Ulcerative colitis is a chronic condition that causes inflammation of the colon and rectum. According to the NHS, symptoms include recurring diarrhoea, often with blood, fatigue, weight loss, and abdominal pain. While the condition can be managed with medication and sometimes surgery, early diagnosis is vital for effective treatment.
Meadows admitted she even lied to her mother about how often her symptoms occurred, out of embarrassment and fear. “She always pestered me about it, but I’d say, ‘No, it’s fine.’ I just ignored it and got on with my life.”
It wasn’t until she turned 26 – a full decade after first noticing symptoms – that Meadows finally sought help. “I was on a diet and losing blood at the same time. I looked grey, and my mum told me I needed to get checked.”
Blood tests revealed dangerously low iron levels, and her father urgently contacted her while she was filming to tell her she needed to go straight to A&E. “That’s where it all started,” Meadows said. “I had to have iron infusions and loads of checks. It was a wake-up call.”
She recalled experiencing her worst flare-up after filming a particularly stressful scene for TOWIE. Stress is known to aggravate symptoms of colitis, and the nature of her work may have contributed to the episode.
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Treatment for ulcerative colitis can include corticosteroids, immunosuppressants, and, in severe cases, surgery to remove the colon. The NHS also notes that the disease often presents in cycles of flare-ups and remission.
Crohn’s & Colitis UK, the country’s leading charity for people living with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), estimates that over 300,000 people in the UK are living with ulcerative colitis.
Meadows hopes that by sharing her story, she can encourage others not to delay seeking help. “Ignoring it didn’t make it go away,” she said. “If anything, it made things worse in the long run. I’d urge anyone who’s scared like I was to speak up and get the help they need.”
Her message is one of reassurance and understanding: “It’s scary, yes. But it’s much scarier not knowing.”
