Returning to doctors for help, Annie was given a number of diagnoses, including IBS, anorexia and even gastroparesis – stomach paralysis – in March last year.

But the treatment she was given – including Botox and keyhole surgery in Texas – failed to help.

Annie said: “In March 2021 (the doctor) told me he thought it was gastroparesis – by this time I was on a liquid diet as it was too much to eat and I had a job so I couldn’t be ill all the time.

But medics were baffled when the surgery failed to help – and Annie still had all her symptoms.

Annie said: “I got in touch with the best MALS surgeon in the world who is based in Connecticut and had to send over all my scans – I was put on the waiting list for surgery which will hopefully happen in July.”