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Selena Gomez Opens Up About Having Lupus
Being a celebrity will usually cause everything about your life to be in the public eye. There’s one thing Selena Gomez has been able to keep private, but is finally ready to talk about. She has Lupus.
Information about Lupus provided by The Lupus Foundation of America explains:
Lupus is a chronic, autoimmune disease that can damage any part of the body (skin, joints, and/or organs inside the body).
In lupus, something goes wrong with your immune system, which is the part of the body that fights off viruses, bacteria, and germs (“foreign invaders,” like the flu). Normally our immune system produces proteins called antibodies that protect the body from these invaders. Autoimmune means your immune system cannot tell the difference between these foreign invaders and your body’s healthy tissues (“auto” means “self”) and creates autoantibodies that attack and destroy healthy tissue. These autoantibodies cause inflammation, pain, and damage in various parts of the body.
Lupus is also a disease of flares (the symptoms worsen and you feel ill) and remissions (the symptoms improve and you feel better).
These are some additional facts about lupus that you should know:
- Lupus is not contagious, not even through sexual contact. You cannot “catch” lupus from someone or “give” lupus to someone.
- Lupus is not like or related to cancer. Cancer is a condition of malignant, abnormal tissues that grow rapidly and spread into surrounding tissues. Lupus is an autoimmune disease, as described above. However, some treatments for lupus may include immunosuppressant drugs that are also used in chemotherapy.
- Lupus is not like or related to HIV (Human Immune Deficiency Virus) or AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome). In HIV or AIDS the immune system is underactive; in lupus, the immune system is overactive.
- Lupus can range from mild to life-threatening and should always be treated by a doctor. With good medical care, most people with lupus can lead a full life.
A couple of years ago, there were rumors swirling that Gomez has entered rehab. The sad truth was that she was in fact undergoing treatment for Lupus. She stated that she wasn’t ready to talk about it until she knew more and became educated on the subject. Gomez told Billboard; “I was diagnosed with lupus, and I’ve been through chemotherapy. That’s what my break was really about. I could’ve had a stroke. I wanted so badly to say, ‘You guys have no idea. I’m in chemotherapy. You’re assholes.’ I locked myself away until I was confident and comfortable again.”
Gomez was recently on The Ellen Show and spoke about her condition. Thankfully for the “Revival” singer, she is currently in a good place and hasn’t had any recent flare ups. Every case is different and it’s not always as easy to manage the pain and effects of the disease. We are so glad Gomez is in a state of “remission” and are thankfully she is raising awareness about this disease that affects so many!
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