Living With a Chronic Disease
- Actress and singer Selena Gomez, 32, who is living with a chronic disease called lupus and previously spoke about her mental health struggles, rang in the New Year with some heartfelt photos of her andher record producer and songwriter fiancé Benny Blanco, 36.
- Gomez was diagnosed with lupus (an autoimmune disease) back in 2014 and underwent a kidney transplant and chemotherapy as part of her treatment. She also has bipolar disorder (which causes extreme mood swings) and has been open about how her struggles with mental health.
- According to the Lupus Foundation of America, “Lupus is a chronic (long-term) disease that can cause inflammation and pain in any part of your body. It’s an autoimmune disease, which means that your immune system, the body system that usually fights infections, attacks healthy tissue instead.”
- Overcoming adversity can seem daunting — but having a plan can make it feel achievable. It’s important to remember when setting goals that breaking them into smaller steps is key.
Lupus, also known as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), is an autoimmune disease in which the “immune system attacks its own tissues,” leading to widespread inflammation and tissue damage in the organs affected, the CDC explains. It can also affect the joints, brain, skin, kidneys, lungs and blood vessels.
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The second photo showed Gomez and Blanco relaxing in loungewear and surrounding by comfy pillows, while the third revealed them to be dressed up in black-and-white clothing.
She even shared a heartwarming video clip of her and Blanco giving each other kisses while out at an event.
Other memories she shared was her eating at a restaurant called Serendipity and an elevator mirror selfie, seemingly flaunting her marquise engagement ring.
The lovely recap post comes just days after Gomez shared a photo of her and her future husband cuddling up on a sofa chair.
She wrote, “Hope everyone had a lovely holiday!” and Blanco commented, “No better gift.”
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It’s glorious to see the “Come and Get It” singer continuing to celebrate the love she shares with Blanco and being present in every moment, especially after undergoing chemotherapy to combat lupus.
“My lupus, my kidney transplant, chemotherapy, having a mental illness, going through very public heartbreaks these were all things that honestly should have taken me down,” Gomez said in an earlier interview with Elle magazine.
She recalled, “Every time I went through something, I was like, ‘What else? What else am I going to have to deal with?’” But she continued to remind herself, “You’re going to help people.”
“That’s really what kept me going,” she explained. “There could have been a time when I wasn’t strong enough, and would have done something to hurt myself.”
The “Wizards of Waverly Place” alum ultimately was diagnosed with bipolar disorder years after her lupus diagnosis, in 2018.
It was that year that the “Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me” was also released, with the storyline described as, “After years in the limelight, Selena Gomez achieves unimaginable stardom. But just as she reaches a new peak, an unexpected turn pulls her into darkness. This uniquely raw and intimate documentary spans her six-year journey into a new light.”
She also sings about her internal struggles in her 2022 song “My Mind & Me.”
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Gomez, who was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, anxiety and depression after experiencing a “psychotic break” following her lupus diagnosis, previously told the Los Angeles Times about how she reached her mental health diagnosis.
“I don’t wish it on anyone, but the psychotic break, as much as it was painful, actually led me to discovering my diagnosis,” she told the news outlet earlier this year.
“I sought help. I believe in medication. It has completely changed my life. That hopefully was part of the message in talking about my story: ‘You should never stop figuring out who you are.’ I just hope that people [who are suffering] know they’re not alone.”
She added, “I think now I’m at the place where I wear it proudly, and I’m not ashamed, and I wanna continue to be honest with my journey, because I feel like I don’t have anything to hide.”
“If somebody sees me like this, I hope they feel less alone now; that’s the whole essence,” Gomez added. “I just want it to be real. There is nothing lonelier than being so confused and hard on yourself. You can be around all the best people and feel nothing. And that’s the loneliest place to be.”
Despite her hardships, she admitted she’s now “loving” herself more than ever.
Learning About Lupus, a Chronic Disease
According to the Lupus Foundation of America, “Lupus is a chronic (long-term) disease that can cause inflammation and pain in any part of your body. It’s an autoimmune disease, which means that your immune system, the body system that usually fights infections, attacks healthy tissue instead.”
This disease often affects your skin, joins, and internal organs such as your heart and kidneys
The most common type if lupus is systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), however there are three other types of this disease. The other types are Cutaneous lupus (which is limited to the skin), Drug-induced lupus (which is caused by prescription drugs), and Neonatal lupus (a rare condition that affects infants of women with lupus).
Expert Resources On Coping With A Chronic Disease
- Mental Health: Coping With Feelings of Anger
- Mental Health and Cancer — The Fight, Flight or Freeze Response
- Clinical Trials Can be Life-Saving for Some
- ‘Self Care Is A Way To Treat Yourself’: Dr. Marianna Strongin on the Importance of Self-Care
- Do You Have a Question About Mental Health & Cancer– Strong In Cancer — A New Column From SurvivorNet with Dr. Marianna Strongin
Anyone can get lupus, however, the following people are at a higher risk:
- Women between the ages from 15 and 55
- Specific racial or ethnic groups (African American, Asian American, Hispanic/Latino, Native American, or Pacific Islander)
- If a family member has lupus or another autoimmune disease
Chemotherapy for Lupus
When Gomez was 23 years old, she spoke to Billboard during an interview about how she was undergoing chemo following her lupus diagnosis.
“I was diagnosed with lupus, and I’ve been through chemotherapy. That’s what my break was really about,” Gomez said.
“I wanted so badly to say, ‘You guys have no idea. I’m in chemotherapy. You’re ass,’” she said, referring to when she removed herself from the spotlight. “I locked myself away until I was confident and comfortable again.”
The type of chemotherapy Gomez underwent and the type of lupus medication she currently takes has not been revealed.
But when it comes to chemo, cancer survivors know all too well the side effects it can cause. But patients should know that doctors have ways to manage them.
When it comes to chemo nausea, there are medications like Zofran (generic name ondansetron) patients can take to offset the symptoms. And for fatigue, Dr. Matthew Carlson, a gynecologic oncologist at UT Southwestern Medical Center, says some people may find it helpful to compliment their treatment with something like American ginseng, a root that may help reduce fatigue, according to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
Gomez also previously opened up about how other medication she takes for her lupus makes her retain water weight.
Speaking on a TikTok livestream, as per SELF, Gomez explained, “Yeah, we have days where maybe we feel like shit, but I would much rather be healthy and take care of myself. My medications are important, and I believe they’re what helps me.”
More recently, when Gomez spoke on CBS Sunday Morning, she expressed how she feels “very fortunate” that her lupus is currently in remission, adding, “I’m very grateful for that.”
She continued, “However, I tend to get very tired easily. Sometimes my mind is thinking faster than my body. So, once it catches up, I think understanding that it’s OK to be a little bit more protective of my time alone, even when it’s just silence. I appreciate that.
“I think, whenever I think about Lupus, it’s something that I’ll forever have. It affected every part of me and I am beyond and humbled why the doctors and so many specialists that I was able to see and what I would want the whole world to have, which is a true blessing, and they were helpful.”
“And now I’m in remission and I’m very grateful. But it doesn’t mean it’s not going to come back, it’s just something I live with and I’m OK with that,” Gomez concluded.
SurvivorNetTV Presents: Maintaining a Positive Headspace
Overcoming Adversity
If you’ve been through a difficult health challenge or any type of adversity throughout your live, Psychologist Dr. Samantha Boardman suggests learning to play up your strengths.
“I sometimes will ask patients, tell me about yourself when you were at your best,” she explained. “Using that story, trying to figure out what strengths come to mind. Is it patience? Is it appreciation of beauty? It is perseverance? [Then we can] use those strengths in constructive ways to navigate their cancer journey.”
How to Turn Stress into Strength
Dr. Boardman says another way to approach harnessing the strength you already have is by tapping into your values. This could be family, close friendships, spirituality, or commitment to a healthy lifestyle.
Reminding yourself of what your values are and how you are living accordingly is another way to unleash that inner strength.
Lastly, patients shouldn’t underestimate the value of simply opening up, Dr. Boardman says. This could mean speaking to a close family member or friend, or it could mean seeking support in other ways by finding a therapist that meets your needs or looking into joining a support group.
Having negative feelings throughout your cancer journey is to be expected, however, doctors will tell you that people who find a way to work through the emotions and stay positive tend to have better outcomes.
“A positive attitude is really important,” says Dr. Zuri Murrell, a colorectal surgeon at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. “I’m pretty good at telling what kind of patients are going to still have this attitude and probably going to live the longest, even with bad, bad disease. And those are patients who, they have gratitude in life.”
Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff
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