Kim Kardashian West has revealed that she has been diagnosed with lupus, a serious autoimmune disease. She broke in tears when her doctor confirmed the diagnosis on a call.
Last week, she saw her doctor for complaints of nausea, exhaustion, and swollen hands. The 38-year-old reality star did some blood work that tested positive for potentially life-threatening lupus and rheumatoid arthritis antibodies.
However, her doctor explained that a false positive test could still be a possibility so she needs a follow-up exam. She has been advised to wait for a few more days to get the most accurate results.
Expressing her concern on twitter, Kim wrote, “Thinking about the pain in my hands and what it could be is really scary and can get you in a scary head space. I was so anxious to just figure out what was wrong #KUWTK.”
On Sunday’s Keeping Up with the Kardashians show, she said, “You know, you really do get in your head and think about the worst possible things that can happen.”
Kim continued, “So for the next few days, it’s going to be really hell… wondering what I have, what’s going on and how to fix this.”
According to the Lupus Foundation of America, more than 1.5 million people suffer from lupus, while 90 percent of them are women.
Lupus is one of the autoimmune diseases characterized by the inflammation of the organs and tissues. In this condition, the body’s antibodies attack the body’s own cells. Lupus can affect your “heart, kidneys, bones and joints, skin, eyes and more,” said Dr. Kristen Kendrick from the ABC News Medical Unit.
Kim has also been found to have rheumatoid arthritis antibodies. Rheumatoid arthritis is also an autoimmune disease characterized by the symptoms of pain and stiffness in joints, along with fever and fatigue. Dr. Kendrick said, “There are a lot of rheumatoid antibodies and some are really sensitive, which can lead to false-positives.”
