Jess Impiazzi coughed up blood and feared she was dying before being diagnosed with Lupus after ruptured breast implant caused serious health decline
- The actress, 34, explained how she experienced debilitating stomach issues, muscle spasms, swelling joints which left her unable to move, extreme fatigue, worsening eyesight and a rash all over her face, chest and arms
- After three trips to A&E and ‘many, many’ tests, Jess was finally told by doctors that she suffers with Lupus and is now on steroids ‘to get it under control’
Jess Impiazzi has been diagnosed with Lupus.
The star, 34, revealed on Sunday that she was coughing up blood and feared she was dying before medical tests determined that she has the chronic autoimmune condition.
Jess shared the news to Instagram, and explained how she experienced debilitating stomach issues, muscle spasms, swelling joints which left her unable to move, extreme fatigue, worsening eyesight and a rash all over her face, chest and arms.
After three trips to A&E in July, and ‘many, many’ tests, the actress – who is dating Jermaine Pennant – was finally told by doctors that she suffers with Lupus and is now on steroids ‘to get it under control’.
Jess – who recently endured a failed round of IVF – has explained how she believes the boob job she had in December, to replace a ruptured breast implant, is what has caused the serious decline in her health.
Taking to Instagram on Sunday, Jess shared photographs of her rash-covered face and told fans what she’d been going through.
She penned: ‘A lot has been going on here since the start of the year!… I don’t know where to begin!
Obviously I was very open with the IVF journey and the process, but during that time and pretty much since early January I had been getting sicker and sicker, this was with inflammation, stomach issues that were debilitating.
‘As the months rolled on I’d have muscle spasms, my joints would swell and I’d be unable to move my entire body, my eyesight got worse, the fatigue was something and is still something I’ve never experienced before.
‘From being in the gym nearly everyday and running 5k’s this has just been horrid. Then I got rashes all over my chest arms and face (I’ve learnt how to cover them well with make up, but without it it’s horrible down my nose and my whole forehead)
‘In July I had three trips to A&E from the pain, I just knew I was getting worse and I was really struggling! Mentally it’s taken a toll, if the IVF and that failing wasn’t hard enough this was topping it off!
‘After many, many tests and lots of blood taken I was diagnosed with a chronic autoimmune disease called Lupus.
‘I am currently on steroids to get this under control and then see what the future holds medication wise but having a diagnosis helps as I can now work with the doctors to get myself living again and do whatever it takes to keep my body in the best working condition!
‘I’ve had amazing friends and family supporting me! (You know who you are!) I’m looking in to something’s as to why it’s happened and what may have caused it although it’s hard for doctors to establish that, however I did have an operation late December last year that I feel may be linked. (I’ll talk about this in detail once I know more)
‘If anyone has autoimmune issues especially lupus please reach out and let me know ways that may have helped you!
‘Anyways… that’s what’s been going on lately and have felt a little bit lost but I’m finding my feet again! I’ll bounce back with tweaks and get the show back on the road! peace and love to everyone.’
Speaking to The Sun, Jess explained how her crippling symptoms started in January, one month after she had her breast implants replaced because one ruptured.
She said: ‘One day I started coughing up blood, which was incredibly scary… I know there is a lot of controversy around breast implant illness but I was healthy before this rupture.
‘I had the new ones put in and my health has been dropping until every bodily function has been attacked by my own system. The one thing that’s changed is my breasts.
‘My consultant said that there is a link between silicone and autoimmune diseases. Why else would my body start attacking itself?’
Jess also told the publication that she now set a date to have her breast implants removed, and said: ‘I’m not prepared for any more of my body to go down. Living like this is not a life. It’s hard.’
The health update comes after Jess shared her heartbreak over her IVF treatment failing.
She penned on Instagram: ‘Social media can trick us easily in to thinking we’ve all got it together! So just wanted to do a real update! The whole IVF failure and other health issues I’m dealing with Atm have made it very difficult to keep out the stress.
‘I’ve done the best I can, I’ve meditated I did practically every spiritual practice I could during that time but I believe I over did it because I was on fight mode, trying to push through the pain of what was going on with my fertility and the emotional, physical and monetary stress that comes with fertility issues and IVF.
‘I’ve taken a step back to rebuild myself and take my foot off the gas for a bit. In doing so I’ve come up in rashes over my body (swipe along) The stress has to come out of us somehow!
‘Sometimes sickness is our Guide! I’ve been reading @gabormatemd #themythofnormal and sometimes our sickness is our body giving us signals to make some changes and it can be our teacher and guide to make those changes!’
Jess ended the lengthy post by saying: ‘Life isn’t going to be easy, that’s a fact, but if we tune into ourselves instead of using all these crazy distractions to tune out.
‘We might just figure it all out a bit better! I’m feeling much more relaxed and focused on looking after myself again! so look after yourself everyone and sending lots of love.’
