Sam Faiers, of The Only Way Is Essex (TOWIE) fame, has been diagnosed with Crohn’s disease.
The 23-year-old recently underwent a series of tests and the results reveal the reality TV star is suffering from the inflammatory bowel disease.
During her stint in the Celebrity Big Brother house at the beginning of the year, Sam fell ill and was rushed to hospital.
She was placed on an emergency drip for reyhydration and has since had numerous tests including a CT scan, an ultrasound, a colonoscopy and blood tests.
Crohn's Disease can lead to ulcers, abdominal pain and weight loss and those suffering from this condition have to be careful about the foods they eat.
Sam Faiers featured on this year's Celebrity Big Brother
A source told
The Mirror: “It’s Sam’s diet that will be most affected by the diagnosis. She’s been told that if she must eat solid food in the next few weeks, she must stick to chicken, eggs and white fish.
“She is suffering from lots of ulcers, so she needs to give them time to heal before she looks at the long term effects of diagnosis.
“At the moment, she is just trying to cope with the excruciating stomach cramps. That has been the most difficult thing. Now, she is working with her gastroenterologist to see if she can work around her illness.
“Sam won’t let things hold her back, she’s dealing with it in the best way she can. She knows she can’t change anything, but she can educate herself about the disease.”
Crohn’s Disease is a long-term illness and sufferers often alternate between periods of feeling well and ill-health.
A spokeswoman for Sam has said: “I can confirm Sam has very recently been diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease.”