Lupus Symptoms: Selena Gomez, Nick Cannon And Other Celebrities Battling Autoimmune Disease

lupus is a long-term autoimmune disease that sadly does not have a cure yet. While people who have this condition are unlikely to die because of it, the complications that tend to develop in relation to the disease could be life-threatening.

For normal people, the battle against lupus is personal and out of the public eye. But for celebrities, having this autoimmune disease can be a cross to bear. Apart from working in the spotlight and being subjected to the scrutiny of the public, their personal struggles to manage the condition are magnified.

However, celebrities opening up about their battle against lupus can also be a good thing because more and more people become aware of the disease and its symptoms, leading to early diagnosis in people who may not be aware that they have the autoimmune disease.

Below is a list of famous personalities who have addressed their lupus battle in public.

Selena Gomez

The actress-singer was diagnosed with lupus in 2013, causing her to cancel her tour that year and spend a couple of years on the down low. It wasn’t until two years after when she revealed the diagnosis in an interview with Billboard.

In her interview, Gomez revealed that she underwent chemotherapy while she was out of the spotlight because she “could’ve had a stroke.”

Since lupus is a condition that causes the body to produce antibodies against its own tissues, sufferers can experience recurrent strokes when they also have high blood pressure, as pointed out by Verywell Health.

In 2017, Selena once again took a break from the showbiz industry even though she had released new music before her hiatus. In an Instagram post, the “Same Old Love” hitmaker revealed that she got a kidney transplant and her donor was her best friend Francia Raisa.

According to the Lupus Foundation of America, a kidney transplant is necessary for people with severe lupus kidney disease. The kidneys of people with this condition are unable to remove waste from the blood and control the amount of fluids in the body.

There are two options if the kidneys of a lupus patient fails to respond to treatment: chronic dialysis or a kidney transplant. In Gomez’s case, she chose the latter because it was what she “needed to do for my overall health.”

Nick Cannon

Mariah Carey’s ex-husband has been openly sharing his battle with lupus ever since he was diagnosed in 2012. The rapper-comedian revealed that the first severe symptoms he experienced were kidney failure and blood clots in his lungs.

In an interview with HuffPost Live in 2016, Cannon admitted that he was quite scared when the severe symptoms manifested because he was still unaware of lupus at the time.

“You realize that this is something that you can live with and actually overcome with the proper research and with the proper support system,” the former “America’s Got Talent” host said.

Ever since he got diagnosed and learned more about lupus, Nick has been raising awareness about the autoimmune disease. He filmed a public service announcement in 2014 and he’s been actively participating in lupus-focused events in Los Angeles, as per WebMD.

Toni Braxton

The Grammy Award-winning songstress has also shared her struggles with lupus with the public. Braxton was diagnosed in 2010 and she publicly acknowledged her condition after learning about it.

While accepting a Women in Achievement award at the 8th Annual lupus LA Bag Ladies Luncheon, Toni proudly claimed that she’s already a survivor of lupus because she is not the type to lose hope easily, Billboard reported.

In October 2016, the “Un-break My Heart” singer was rushed to the hospital and had to stay there for several days due to complications from lupus. Even after she got home, she was still monitored at all times.

Speaking with HuffPost Live, Toni admitted how hard it is to live with lupus. But she doesn’t let it get in the way of her passion for her music career.

“Some days I can’t balance it all. I just have to lay in bed. Pretty much when you have lupus you feel like you have the flu every day,” she said, adding, “Even if I can’t perform, I still figure it out.”

Other Celebrities

• Singer-songwriter Seal has discoid lupus erythematous
• Comedic actress Kristen Johnston has lupus myelitis
• Rapper-actor Trick Daddy has discoid lupus
• Actress-writer Maurissa Tancharoen was diagnosed with lupus at a very early age
• Singer-actress Lady Gaga has tested borderline positive for lupus

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