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DR HILARY'S DIAGNOSIS

Behçet’s disease is rare, so it isn’t surprising doctors took a while to diagnose it correctly.

Usually it produces recurrent ulcers in the mouth and tender lumps on the shins, but in severe cases the inflammation can also affect the eyes, nervous system and joints.

The exact cause is not known, but something Rosie came into contact with, such as a simple virus, probably led to her producing antibodies which, as a side effect, went on to attack cells in her own body.

This is known as an autoimmune disorder.

To stop inflammation and disarm the antibodies, steroid medications are used, but because of problems like weight gain, other immunosuppressants are often preferred.

Rosie’s condition will always be there, but the good news is that it hardly ever becomes serious enough to affect life expectancy – so Rosie should try to put a brave face on it and carry on living a normal life.

'My skin disorder wrecked my confidence'

EVERY WEEK A CELEB ASKS OUR FABULOUS DOCTOR FOR DIAGNOSIS. THIS WEEK IT’S HOLBY CITY'S ROSIE MARCEL, 30

Five years ago I started to get hard, raised lumps on my legs – some as big as 50p pieces – which were really painful. I saw my GP, who was baffled.

Within weeks they were much larger and so sore that sometimes I was reduced to tears.

I went back to my GP, who prescribed steroids.

They didn’t help with the lumps and the pills made me really hungry, so much so that I added 3st to my 5ft 8in frame in only a few months, shooting up to 11st.

After the lumps, I then suffered with boils and lesions on my body.

I also had mouth ulcers and even needed sticks to walk.

Eating was painful and my confidence hit rock bottom.

I began to experience blurred vision and my short-term memory started to fail.

I was convinced I was dying. This nightmare continued for over two years.

At 27, I was referred to a dermatologist who finally diagnosed me with a disease called Behçet’s, which is a rare syndrome affecting the immune system.

It’s not infectious and no one knows why it strikes, but some research has shown there may be a genetic link.

I now take a combination of medication to keep it under control.

After two years I finally feel back to normal and through dieting I now weigh 9st.

But I always worry that it will flare back up again.

What’s your view?

Holby City is on Tuesdays, 8pm, BBC1.

Photography: David Levine/StayStill/PhotoShot for more information on Behcets, visit www.behcets.org.uk or call 0845 130 7329