Chronic Illnesses Affecting Famous People

Like most of us, celebrities have chronic ailments that they must contend with daily. Medical disorders like lupus, Lyme disease, and multiple sclerosis can affect anyone.

As a result, celebrities not only indulge in spa treatments and relaxing vacations but also make time to be pushed and prodded by doctors. It is up to them to ensure that the medication is taken, even if it is picked up by one of their helpers. When a celebrity is diagnosed with a disorder that affects many people, the disease's awareness can be a silver lining for other sufferers.

1. Selena Gomez: Lupus

When Selena Gomez was diagnosed with lupus, she canceled her 2013 tour. According to Gomez's 2015 interview with Billboard, she got treatment after being diagnosed and took a hiatus from the spotlight afterward. When women are in their reproductive years, they are more likely to be diagnosed with a chronic autoimmune disease.

According to the Lupus Foundation of America, the body fights its cells when a person has lupus as if they were foreign invaders. Inflammation in the kidneys and other body parts might result from this, as can skin rashes and ulcers in the mouth.

Treatments like corticosteroids and monoclonal antibodies can help people with lupus manage their symptoms, but there is no cure. Cancer-fighting medications may be used to treat more severe types of the disease. Nick Cannon, Toni Braxton, and Seal are famous people with lupus.

2. Lena Dunham: Endometriosis

In her November 2015 newsletter, Lenny Letter, writer and actress Lena Dunham detailed her decade-long battle with Endometriosis.

According to Dunham, she has had irregular periods, abdominal pain, and chronic tiredness ever since puberty. Dunham noted that the diagnosis of Endometriosis had a profound effect on her life.

Endometriosis is a condition in which cells from the uterine lining develop outside of the uterus, causing discomfort and irregular bleeding. When women are trying to get pregnant, the condition might be an issue.

People living with Endometriosis can benefit from medication to reduce their symptoms and slow the disease's progression. According to the Endometriosis Foundation of America, in some cases, surgery is utilized to remove endometrial cell growths from the body.

Susan Sarandon, Padma Lakshmi, and Jillian Michaels are some of the other celebrities who have Endometriosis.

3. Charlie Sheen: HIV

On the NBC show "Today" in 2015, Charlie Sheen revealed that he was HIV-positive in an interview with Matt Lauer.

Sheen claimed to have heard of his disease at his public revelation around four years earlier.

A death sentence is no longer attached to HIV, the human immunodeficiency virus. According to the CDC, around 1.2 million Americans are now infected with HIV.

To combat infections, the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) damages T cells, a kind of immune system cell. It's known as acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) if HIV has wiped away a high percentage of a person's T cells.

According to the CDC, antiretroviral therapy medicines can decrease HIV progression and protect the body's immune system.

Pre-exposure prevention, which can be taken as a daily pill, has been demonstrated to be highly successful in avoiding HIV infection in persons at high risk of catching the virus.

4. Tom Hanks: Diabetes

During an interview on the Late Show with David Letterman in 2013, Tom Hanks revealed that he has type 2 diabetes.

During an interview with Letterman, Hanks revealed that he lived with high blood sugar levels for years before his doctor diagnosed him with diabetes. People with higher blood sugar levels but not enough to qualify for diabetes are classified as having "prediabetes."

Diabetes is a condition in which the body cannot regulate its blood sugar levels. Uncontrolled diabetes can lead to heart disease, nerve damage, blindness, and renal failure, among other complications.

Half of the American adults have diabetes or prediabetes, according to research by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases in 2015.

It is possible to control type 2 diabetes by exercising regularly and eating a balanced diet. Halle Berry, a well-known actress, and Paula Deen, a well-known cook, admitted diabetes.

5. Kim Kardashian: Psoriasis

When the "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" star saw red, flaky areas of skin on her lower thighs in 2011, she was diagnosed with psoriasis on a show about her family. Kris Jenner, Kris' mother, is also afflicted with the condition.

Due to the immune system attacking the body's cells rather than foreign intruders. Raised red spots with silvery scales are the telltale signs of this skin condition. [4 Skin Woes and How to Treat Them] In the United States, 7.5 million people have psoriasis. For a few weeks or months, the problem can worsen or go away completely, depending on the severity (from a moderate skin rash to a disabling condition).

A new study has shown that inflammation from psoriasis may be present in other parts of the body and may affect the heart's health. According to experts, an attack may be triggered by high-stress levels, certain drugs, alcohol, or smoking. Although psoriasis can be treated, there is no cure for the disease itself.

6. Michael J. Fox: Parkinson's Disease

In 1991, at the age of 30, TV and film star Michael J. Fox was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. He was best known for his roles in "Back to the Future" and other classics. Fox kept his condition a secret for seven years before announcing it publicly. He told Parade magazine in 2012 that despite having terrible days, he no longer views living with Parkinson's as a battle or a struggle. [Three Parkinson's Disease Myths to Dispel] Movement and walking are affected by Parkinson's disease, a neurological illness.

Dopamine, a neurotransmitter produced by neurons in the brain that aids in regulating movement, begins to degenerate and die due to age. Muscle cramps and tremors are common symptoms: trembling, balance issues, trouble swallowing, difficulty making facial expressions, and a mask-like appearance. People over the age of 50 are more likely to suffer from it. According to the National Parkinson's Foundation, between 50,000 and 60,000 new instances of Parkinson's disease are diagnosed each year in the United States.

7. Elisabeth Hasselbeck: Celiac Disease

For more than a decade, celiac illness has plagued former "The View" co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck. Celiac disease affects the small intestine lining, making it difficult for the body to absorb nutrients from meals effectively. A protein contained in wheat, barley, and rye, called gluten, causes the body to overreact to it.

According to the National Institutes of Health, the condition affects more than 2 million people in the United States. The New York Daily News revealed in 2009 that the talk show host had been suffering from a painful intestinal illness for years. As Hasselbeck writes in her book, "The G-Free Diet: A Gluten-Free Survival Guide," "No matter what I ate, I would soon be bent over with cramps, severe indigestion, diarrhea — or all of the above simultaneously" (Center Street, 2009).

In 2001, while filming "Survivor: The Australian Outback," Hasselbeck's symptoms vanished, and she realized she had celiac disease. The only treatment for those with the condition is a gluten-free diet.

8. Montel Williams: Multiple Sclerosis

Days before discovering the disease that cripples the brain and spinal cord, daytime talk show personality Montel Williams made his diagnosis public in 1999. Williams admitted to Oprah Winfrey in 2009 that her "main symptom" was pain. My shins and feet hurt all the time, 365 days a year, and it's been that for the past ten years. There are around 400,000 people in the United States who have multiple sclerosis, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society estimates. Like other autoimmune illnesses, multiple sclerosis occurs when the body's immune system destroys healthy tissue. The actual cause of the illness is unknown at this time. In "Oprah," Williams explained that he manages his sickness by focusing on diet, exercise, and medicine.

Coffee consumption has been linked to a lower chance of developing multiple sclerosis, according to a 2016 meta-analysis. According to the researchers, caffeine may protect the brain and spinal cord, but the study only found a connection, not a direct cause-and-effect relationship.

9. Bret Michaels: Heart Disease

A hole in his heart triggered a "mini-stroke" in Bret Michaels, a reality TV personality and former lead singer of the band Poison, in 2010, according to CNN. According to the American Stroke Association, a blood clot is the likely cause of a small stroke, medically known as a transient ischemic attack.

According to CNN, physicians used a catheter put into Michaels' groin vein to route a device up into his heart. It will remain permanently to control irregular blood flow between the two chambers of the heart. Without treatment, Michaels was at risk of developing blood clots and suffering a second stroke.

The American Stroke Association estimates that around 795,000 people in the United States experience a stroke every year. Unlike a stroke, there is no permanent harm to the brain in a small stroke, which has a persistent stoppage of blood flow to the brain.

10. Jillian Michaels: Polycystic ovary syndrome

Jillian Michaels, a well-known fitness expert, also has polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). Polycystic ovarian syndrome, which happens when a woman's female sex hormones are out of balance, can cause abnormalities in the menstrual cycle, the skin, tiny cysts in the ovaries, and difficulty conceiving.

After being slammed for saying in an interview that she would rather adopt than put her body through the physical rigors of pregnancy, Michaels, a former trainer on "The Biggest Loser," claimed that she had PCOS and Endometriosis. The New York Times stated in 2011 that she was unlikely to become pregnant because of her medical issues. According to Prevention magazine, Michaels' problems are controlled with a diet high in organic foods and regular exercise.

11. Nick Jonas: Type 1 Diabetes

Diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at the age of 13 in 2005, Nick Jonas has now gone on to become an international pop star. To aid those living with type 1 diabetes, he co-founded Beyond Type 1, a non-profit organization, in 2015.

Jonas noted in 2018 that he felt "quite isolated" after he was diagnosed with the condition. I became involved with Beyond Type 1 because I hoped that we could help others who felt isolated when they were first diagnosed with diabetes.

12. Lady Gaga: Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia, a persistent pain condition that Lady Gaga was diagnosed within 2017, postponed many of her European tour dates.

In an interview with Vogue published in the magazine's October 2018 issue, she said people must be more sympathetic. Chronic pain is not a prank. In other words, every day is a new experience of not knowing what to expect.

13. Sarah Hyland: Kidney Dysplasia

Kidney dysplasia occurs in the womb when one or both of the baby's renal organs do not develop properly. Sarah Hyland has been vocal about her years-long battle with this issue. She had a kidney transplant in 2012, and she later stated that the procedure caused her to lose her hair.

The "Modern Family" star has also acknowledged how the disease has affected her weight after internet reviewers criticized her for being too thin.

Even though "no one's head should be bigger than their body, but considering I've largely been on bed rest for the past few months, I've lost a lot of muscle mass," she remarked on Twitter in 2017. As a result of my circumstances, I am no longer in charge of how my body looks. "

14. Lil Wayne: Epilepsy

Since he was a child, Lil Wayne has had epilepsy. Seizures have landed the rapper in the hospital several times in the last few years, the most recent being in 2017. An emergency landing was made on his private plane after he had multiple seizures in the air in 2016. Seizures were blamed on the artist's erratic lifestyle, according to him.

"Stress, lack of sleep, and an overzealous work ethic are to blame for the seizures." As MTV reports, he said in 2013: "That's typical of me, though."

15. Julianne Hough: Endometriosis

For a long time, Julianne Hough didn't speak up about her own experience with Endometriosis. The actress, who has battled the ailment for ten years, said she initially kept the diagnosis a secret because it was too intimate to divulge to anybody else.