On Monday, Carrie Ann Inaba, 53, announced that she is taking a leave of absence from The Talk so she can work on improving her health.
Inaba, who is best known for her work on ABC TV’s Dancing with the Stars, has multiple autoimmune disorders that have affected her health over the last few years. She said her disorders are “invisible illnesses” that are difficult to manage, both physically and mentally.
She wrote on her online wellness platform, The Carrie Ann Conversations, “Going through life with an autoimmune condition, or several, like I do, can be a difficult process.”
Inaba has been suffering from Sjögren’s syndrome, lupus, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, and antiphospholipid syndrome, “which can lead to blood clots.”
“Coping with autoimmune conditions can sometimes feel quite lonely,” the actress continued. “When I first got diagnosed, some encouraged me to keep my struggles to myself, but I’ve found that it’s always been better to be honest about my needs and realities than to stay silent.”
“I believe strongly in sharing my journey, my solutions, and the things that have helped me with anyone who could use it — this is how communities are formed,” she added.
Sjögren’s syndrome is an autoimmune disease that causes your immune system to go haywire and attack healthy cells instead of invading bacteria or viruses, according to WebMD.
It is a common, but incurable autoimmune disorder that causes dry, burning eyes and dry mouth, to the point where it can be hard to swallow or speak, according to the Mayo Clinic. It can also lead to joint pain, swelling and stiffness, and dryness in other parts of the body.
“As a Sjogren’s Sister, I’m always battling dryness and do whatever I can to keep myself feeling comfortable,” Inaba said.
Lupus is a long-term autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune system becomes hyperactive and attacks normal, healthy tissue, according to Medical News Today. Symptoms include inflammation, swelling, and damage to the joints, skin, kidneys, blood, heart, and lungs.
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disorder that can affect more than just your joints, according to Mayo Clinic. In some people, the condition can damage a wide variety of body systems, including the skin, eyes, lungs, heart, and blood vessels.
Antiphospholipid syndrome is yet another autoimmune disorder characterized by blood clots, rash, chronic headaches, dementia, and seizures, according to GARD (Genetic and Rare Diseases) Information Center.
Last May, Inaba said that the pandemic has added another layer of concern for her health, which in turn caused what is likely a flare-up.
She said, “I feel that my body is constantly exhausted and I’m always just on the verge of a flare and if not in a flare, I’ve had pain all throughout this whole time.”
“For years, I tried to fight the fatigue, I tried to push through the pain, and I tried to ignore the discomfort,” Inaba added, “but eventually it becomes too much to ignore.” The article was published on PEOPLE.
