After Giving Birth, She Has Awful Stomach Pains. That's When Doctors Find THIS In Her Stomach

#1

When Sophie Cox was first diagnosed with trichotillomaniaa condition where sufferers have a compulsive urge to pull out their hairand trichophagiawhere they eat itshe didn't think much of it.

But that was six years ago, and a lot has changed since then.

Now 23, Cox says she never really understood the ramifications of what she was doing to her body until she found out she was pregnant in 2014.

#2

Throughout the entire pregnancy, Cox noticed that not only did she have severe stomach pains constantly, but she was also losing a ton of weight.

Just two months after her daughter was born, Cox's excruciating stomach pains continued to worsen.

"By October 2015, I couldn't eat without vomiting and my stomach would swell up," she told SWNS. "I'd lost [84 pounds] in two years and dropped six dress sizes, taking me to a size 12."

#3

Doctors were left scratching their heads after Cox's tests for gallstones and stomach cancer both came back totally clear.

It wasn't until she underwent an endoscopy last November that Cox finally learned the horrific cause of all her stomach problems: a giant hairball.

"When they showed me the scan I was speechless. It looked like something from a horror film," she said. "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."

As if the disturbing truth wasn't already enough, Cox actually had to wait five months before having the massive hairball removed.

#4

It took six hours for doctors to remove the 14-pound hairball, technically called "trichobezoar."

"I felt instantly better when I woke up, even though I was sore and groggy," she said. "It was disgusting. I cried with relief that it was gone."

#5

While Cox must now be regularly monitored to make sure that no other hairballs are forming, she's also on a waiting list to seek treatment for whatever underlying conditions are causing her to pull out her hair and eat it.

"I'm just so thankful the hairball was found before it was too late," she said. "Now I can get on with being a hands-on mum."