Woman Eats Own Hair For Seven Years, Doctors Remove 14-Pound Hairball From Stomach

A UK woman who suffered unexplained abdominal pain for months is feeling better after a 14-pound hairball was removed from her stomach.

That’ll do it.

Sophie Cox, 23, said that the giant ball of hair removed from her body had built up over seven years of compulsively eating her tresses.

Seriously.

Six years ago, Cox was first diagnosed with trichotillomania, a condition where sufferers endure a compulsive urge to pull out their hair.

Moreover, she has trichophagia, in which a person feels an urge to eat their own hair. All of a sudden, your health issues aren’t so bad.

Cox said when she was stressed out she found comfort from plucking strands of hair and eating them during the day, according to reports.

She thought it was harmless … until it wasn’t.

When she got pregnant in 2014, Cox suffered serious stomach pains and kept losing weight at a time when she should be gaining it.

That was the first warning sight. Then two months after her daughter was born, the pain was so excruciating, it left her doubled in agony.

“By October 2015, I couldn’t eat without vomiting and my stomach would swell up,” she said. “I’d lost [84 pounds] in two years.”

“I dropped six dress sizes, taking me to a size 12.” 

Doctors had no clue what was wrong with her, but tested Cox for gallstones and stomach cancer. She, fortunately, had neither.

Finally, when Cox underwent an endoscopy last November, medical professionals figured out what was cause her discomfort.

This insanely giant hairball:

“When they showed me the scan I was speechless. It looked like something from a horror film,” she said, reflecting on her ordeal.

“The specialist hadn’t seen anything like it in 30 years. It was too big to break down in my stomach, leaving me malnourished and dehydrated.”

Even worse?

Having to wait five months to have it removed, due to various favors, including the scheduling of an elaborate, six-hour operation.

The hairball, or “trichobezoar,” was eventually taken out, and “I felt instantly better when I woke up, even though I was sore and groggy.”

“It was disgusting.”

Yes. Indeed it was.

“I cried with relief that it was gone,” Cox says, admitting that she has a problem and is being monitored to ensure no new hairballs develop.

She is on a list to receive treatment to help determine the underlying causes of the conditions that resulted in this experience.

“I’m just so thankful the hairball was found before it was too late,” she said, and a good thing too, for her sake and her child’s. 

“Now I can get on with being a hands-on mum.”

View Slideshow: Strange But True News Hall of Fame

Leah Messer: IGNORING Doctor"s Orders About Ailing Daughter?!

Earlier this week, MTV released a preview for the upcoming season of Teen Mom 2 that showed Leah Messer receiving some devastating medical news about her daughter Aliannah, who suffers from muscular dystrophy.

In the clip, a doctor informed Leah and her first husband, Corey Simms, that Aliannah’s trouble with walking will likely only increase as she gets older, and that she should begin using her power wheelchair on a regular basis both to get accustomed to the controls and to minimize her risk of injury.

Now, an insider tells Radar Online that Leah and Corey have not followed the doctor’s orders, and Aliannah continues to walk on her own, both at home and at school. 

“Ali has her wheelchair available, but she only uses it for long distances,” says a source close to Leah. “She’s usually on her feet.”

The insider adds that the sad situation is made even more difficult by the fact that Aliannah’s twin sister, Aleeah, is healthy and incredibly active, and Aliannah wants to participate in all of the same activities she sees her sister enjoying.

Leah reportedly doesn’t have the heart to tell Aliannah to stay off her feet and use her wheelchair, and frankly, we don’t blame her.

It’s hard to imagine a more heartbreaking thing for a young mother than being asked to confine her 6-year-old to a wheelchair when the child is (for the time being, at least) capable of walking on her own.

Rumors that Leah is depressed and neglecting basic duties such as keeping her house clean have been circulating for weeks, and now it looks as though we may now the cause of her lethargy.

Watch Teen Mom 2 online to relive some of Leah’s happier moments with her girls.

Jenelle Evans: Mystery Illness SOLVED on "The Doctors"!

For nearly two months, Jenelle Evans has been battling a mystery illness that has been so debilitating she thought she may have to quit Teen Mom 2.

She sought help from numerous specialists, but she didn"t buy the diagnosis of anxiety most of them gave her.

Finally, she turned to CBS"s The Doctors, and they believe they have the answer.

“Six weeks ago, everything was going great with my career, and then I just had to put everything on hold,” she said during an episode of the show.

She complained of night sweats, severe anxiety, hot flashes, pelvic pain, joint pain, chest tightness, abdominal pain, loss of appetite and a host of other symptoms. 

After a thorough intake, examination and testing, an endocrinologist and an OB/GYN finally determined the root of her problems:

Birth control pills and withdrawal from marijuana.

The reality star had recently begun taking a new birth control pill, and the doctors deduced that her body had an adverse reaction.

They pointed out that not everyone reacts to birth control pills the same way and suggested she either change pills or find a new method of contraception.

When asked if she had planned to have any more kids in the near future, thankfully, she said no.

The physicians also noted that her system may be reacting to a sudden absence of marijuana. Jenelle said she smoked for "years and years and years" but quit in December.

She explained she is fighting her mother for custody of her son Jace and wanted to clean up her act. 

The medical team also suggested Jenelle seek counseling for her anxiety, which has been known to exacerbate symptoms.

But we don"t know if a counselor can make her anxiety disappear completely as she still faces assault charges, is mired in two separate custody battles and feuds with fellow Teen Moms on an almost weekly basis.

Still, we"re happy Jenelle is making positive changes in her life and getting the help she needs.

 

 

Khloe Kardashian: Doctors Said Lamar Had "Four Hours" To Live

You have to hand it to Khloe Kardashian for being honest about Lamar Odom"s recovery.

Today"s Natalie Morales filmed an interview with Kardashian at her LA home, in which she revealed the initial hours of Odom"s  October 13th hospitalization

“They told me that he had four hours. It’s a horrible call to get,” Kardashian told Morales.

Odom had been found unconscious at a Nevada brothel after ingesting Herbal Viagra and cocaine.  

“Getting to the hospital and knowing he’s in a coma and having to run these tests and make medical decisions — it’s terrifying.

“You have to make risk and reward decisions like ‘Okay, well, there’s an 80 percent chance we do this operation, he may pass away, but also if we don’t do it, there’s a 90 percent chance he’ll pass away.’

"Like just having to make these executive decisions is really hard, I think, on anybody.  So it was definitely probably one of the most emotionally stressful times ever my life.” 

Kardashian"s life was put on hold, forcing her to make serious decisions for Odom"s benefit.

“I was expediting the divorce prior, and I’m still separated with him, but I’m just not expediting them anymore,” Kardashian told Morales.

“There was no reason for it. And also, [it’s] in his will that I’m always the medical adviser. And it was just — he had no one else to make these decisions for him."

Doctors told Kardashian that Odom was "nowhere in the clear,"” she said. 

“They think, like, within a year and a half to two years that, mentally, he might be fully recovered. But they don’t know.” 

Lamar Odom: Condition Worsens; Doctors Ban All Visitors Except for Khloe Kardashian

In the days after Lamar Odom was found unconscious in his room at a Nevada brothel, it looked as though the former NBA star would not be long for this world.

Doctors reported that Odom had overdosed on a near-lethal cocktail of drugs and suffered several strokes before he arrived at a nearby hospital. 

Hospital sources reported that Odom’s friends and family were bracing themselves for the worst and that it didn’t look as though the 35-year-old would pull through.

Just as it seemed that there was no cause for hope, however, a series of miracles took place.

Odom emerged from his coma and began to show major signs of improvement. Insiders say he’s been breathing on his own and even engaging in simple conversations. 

Sadly, Radar Online reports today that Odom has contracted pneumonia, and his health has been in decline ever since he was transferred from Las Vegas to a hospital in Los Angeles earlier this week.

“He has gotten weaker since arriving at Cedars Sinai in L.A,” says one insider.

Odom’s condition has reportedly gotten so bad that his estranged wife Khloe Kardashian is the only one permitted to visit him until further notice.

“Lamar’s doctors told Khloe Lamar was at a risk of getting infections from visitors, and told her he couldn’t have any more until his health improved,” says the source.

Khloe and Lamar recently called off their divorce in hopes of building a new life together once his health improves.

We’ll keep you updated on Lamar’s condition as more information becomes available.

View Slideshow: Lamar Odom: A Timeline of Tragedy

Lamar Odom Opens Eyes as Doctors Remove Breathing Tube

Lamar Odom has been fighting against the odds for his entire life.

His heroin addict father abandoned his family when Lamar was in grade school. His mother died of colon cancer when he was only 12. 

Despite growing up with no parents in in a rough part of Queens, NY, Lamar went on to be nationally recognized as the high school basketball player of the year in 1997.

From there he found success in college and the NBA, and went on to an unlikely second career as a reality star.

Now, it looks as though the 6’10” 35-year-old with the gift for elevating his teammates’ game may have one more miracle left in him.

After being found unconscious and declared brain dead earlier this week, Lamar has reportedly opened his eyes and begun breathing under his own power.

Radar Online is reporting that when doctors removed Odom’s breathing tube this morning, he responded in such a way as to give family and friends considerable cause for hope. 

“He opened his eyes around 10:30 a.m. PT and made a sound like a whisper,” says one insider.

Remarkably, it’s not the first time that Lamar has shown signs of life. 

Doctors say his heart is functioning much better than expected, and he squeezed Khloe Kardashian’s hand last night.

Obviously, he’s not out of the woods yet, but for a man who’s death seemed inevitable just 24 hours ago, this constitutes a stunning turnaround.

We’ll keep you updated on Lamar’s condition as more information becomes available.

View Slideshow: Lamar Odom: A Timeline of Tragedy

Lamar Odom Overdosed on Drugs, May Have Suffered Stroke, Doctors Report

Last night, Lamar Odom was found unconscious after several days of partying at the Love Ranch brothel in Nevada.

Odom is currently comatose, and until recently, there were conflicting reports about how he wound up in his present state.

Now, E! News is reporting that Odom has overdosed on several different drugs, and he may have suffered a stroke and permanent brain damage.

“He was doing crack cocaine all weekend and he choked on his mucous,” the insider explains. “They’re now having to fix all the damage it has done.

“So, likely there’s brain damage, but they’re not sure how much. Virtually every drug imaginable was found in his system.”

Doctors add that it appears Odom suffered from an “ischemic stroke,” which is the result of a clot preventing proper blood flow to the brain.

Ischemic strokes are often the result of prolonged cocaine use.

“The long term effects of his drug use have taken a toll on his body and the binge this time was too much to handle,” the source says.

The insider adds that while doctors are “treating this as an overdose situation,” they do not believe that it was a suicide attempt.

We’ll keep you updated as more information becomes available.

View Slideshow: Khloe Kardashian & Lamar Odom: Romance Rewind … Then Unwind

Kardashian Effect is Raising Demand For Dangerous Butt Implants, Doctors Say

Apparently, there’s something called “the Kardashian effect,” and not surprisingly, it has to do with butts.

Yes, it seems women the world over are looking at Kylie Jenner’s butt implants and deciding they’d like a Kardashi-ass of their own.

Unfortunately, cutting a basketball in half and shoving it down the back of your pants is impractical and uncomfortable, so the butt envy epidemic has led to a rise in the demand for surgical booty enhancements.

“It’s the Kardashian effect. The big butts are very ‘in’. I see a lot of young girls want to do the Kylie Jenner thing,” said plastic surgeon  and Botched star Terry Dubrow in a recent interview.

“The butt thing is really concerning, because they want to go big. They’re pushing the envelope of what the buttocks will take. When you put a ton of fat in the buttocks, some of it’s going to dissolve.

“Some of it’s going to die. You can get into fat necrosis and scarring. The buttocks is really, really hard to fix.”

Of course, Kylie claims her ample butt is the result of Spanx and a little creativity, but no one is buying it.

The tabloid that claimed Khloe Kardashian has undergone $ 3 million in plastic surgery may have been exaggerating, but it’s widely agreed that all the gals in the Kardashian-Jenner clan have had some work done.

Those artificial curves may have helped to make them “America’s first family” (HA!), but that doesn’t mean safe – or remotely advisable – to try to achieve that look for yourself.

Kim Zolciak"s Stroke May Have Saved Her Life! Doctors Apparently Discovered A Life-Threatening Heart Condition During Her Hospital Stay

We are so thankful she’s OK!!

After Kim Zolciak-Biermann‘s mini-stroke on Thursday, she went home to recover and it appeared that a scary episode was behind her for good.

Related: Kim Got Botox Right Before DWTS!

Now, though, it turns out we are only just learning how scary the health problem really was — and how close it came to being truly life-threatening!

As it turns out Kim had a procedure done on her heart following the mini-stroke when doctors discovered an underlying heart issue, which had it not been completed, could’ve ended up claiming her life.

In a bizarre way, the stroke actually turned out to be a good thing for Kim — had she not gone to the hospital on Thursday, she likely would have never found out about the heart issue, and doctors apparently are saying that if it hadn’t been treated when it was this week, it certainly would’ve been life threatening.

Kim likely won’t be on DWTS on Monday night, but that’s certainly insignificant at this point — we are just very very thankful she’s on the mend!

[Image via Kim Zolciak-Biermann/Instagram.]

Fat Shaming YouTuber Nicole Arbour Alleges Michelle Collins Secretly Bad-Mouthed Nurses Backstage On The View: "They"re Wannabe Doctors"

Get your popcorn!

Nicole Arbour, the YouTube fat-shamer who produced the video Dear Fat People, went on The View this week to discuss her controversial viral video — and when she was there, she claims she witnessed another controversy on set!

Related: Nicole Does Not Apologize For Her Video On The View!

The hosts of The View are of course in some hot water over comments they made recently about nurses, and now Arbour is inserting herself right into the middle of this controversy, too!

On Thursday night, Arbour went on SiriusXM Radio’s Opie and Jim Norton Show, where the revealed that the hosts of The View had been discussing nurses backstage after the show:

“Backstage, I heard the girls being like, ‘Oh yeah, our nurse jokes didn’t go over well so we have to apologize because they’re Tweeting us too much.’ And I’m like, ‘Y’all are p*****s.’ See, I can sit in my jokes and be like, yeah, I made them, I think it’s funny. Whatever. But they go on there and make a fake apology.”

More shockingly than that, Arbour alleges that Michelle Collins specifically bad-mouthed nurses back stage, away from the cameras:

“When when the cameras weren’t rolling, Michelle [Collins] was like, ‘Yeah, that’s not a real profession. They’re wannabe doctors."”

Wait, WHAT?!?!

Check out the interview in question where Arbour alleges these stories:

WOW… we’re skeptical on this one, but what do U think about this shocking allegation about Michelle Collins??

[Image via YouTube.]