'I vomited every day for six months because of a very common condition'

A woman who kept vomiting up food and water every day for six months discovered it was actually because of a common health condition affecting one in 10 people.

Linda Kelly started experiencing frequent spells of stomach pain, but she thought it was just a bout of unpleasant food poisoning.

Yet, over the following months, the problem only grew worse. The mum was left in "crippling agony" each day, coupled with rushing to the nearest toilet to be sick. Linda had no idea what was going on, and claims that doctors too were none the wiser.

That led the 60-year-old decided to go private to find out the cause, reports WalesOnline.

The result turned out to be gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD), which, according to the NHS, affects 1 in every 10 people in the UK. "I carried on feeling sick, tired and in pain, with no end in sight for such a long time," said the retired business owner, from North Wales. "I felt utterly drained, like a shell of my former self.

"The constant pain and inability to eat left me physically and emotionally exhausted. As my family tucked into their delicious dinners, I was left taking tiny sips of water, as that's all I could handle. And even then, that was sometimes too much for me. It was hell and I didn't know what was causing it. I just wanted my old life back."

Linda was forced to abandon her career and take early retirement when her condition became unbearable. The decision was "heartbreaking," but she had no option. GORD refers to a wide range of symptoms, from acid reflux and heartburn, but can also cause bloating, vomiting and tooth decay.

When receiving her diagnosis in March 2024, she was told her case was much worse than medics had thought. Linda had to undergo emergency surgery