Kéllé Bryan shares her experience of Lupus in TV interview

Loose Women Kelle Bryan opened up about her life with lupus on today’s show, to help raise awareness for World Lupus Day 2021.

Kelle noted that the “really difficult journey” she has been on with the condition is not unique to her as “there are so many people struggling with lupus”.

Speaking of her own diagnosis, she said: “One morning I woke up and couldn’t bend my right index finger. My right hand then became a claw shape and it wouldn’t sort of open. That went down the rest of my body. I got ulcers in my mouth, I started to lose my hair. I wasn’t able to eat. Eventually, after a very long period of time I was diagnosed.”

Lupus is an autoimmune disease that is, according to the NHS, tricky to diagnose because its signs and symptoms mirror those of other ailments. The Lupus Trust refer to it as ‘the great mimic’ for this reason.

Symptoms include inflammation of different parts of the body including the lungs, heart, liver, joints and kidneys.

Kelle further noted: “I have had to learn to speak, to walk again. I had cerebral lupus which meant a swelling of my brain. I had a seizure, I lost about three days of my life that I don’t remember. 

“I’m hypersensitive to infection and Kayori [Kelle’s daughter] came home one day with a cold and gave it to me, and 48 hours later I was in intensive care and I had pneumonia. It’s those sides of the disease that people don’t know about and there’s no awareness about it.”

The singer and actress urged people to speak to their GP if they feel tired and have sore joints.

Kelle added that she has an ‘amazing consultant’ and that 8-monthly infusions keep the condition under control for her.