Toni Braxton Says It Took '10 Years' To Receive Lupus Diagnosis: ‘I Felt Like A Hypochondriac’
Toni Braxton has detailed her journey with lupus, claiming the disease which went undiagnosed was beginning to make her feel like a "hypochondriac."
During an interview with 'She MD' podcast, the songstress described her battle with the process of pinpointing her issue, saying, "No one could find out what was wrong with me."
"Lupus can be very challenging and difficult to diagnose because everything has to line up. It's almost like an eclipse...and no one could find out what was wrong with me," Braxton said.
According to the National Institutes of Health, lupus is "a chronic (long-lasting) autoimmune disease that can affect many parts of the body. Lupus occurs when the immune system, which normally helps protect the body from infection and disease, attacks its own tissues."
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Braxton, 56, was diagnosed with lupus in 2008 following a jarring incident where she collapsed on stage while performing on two occasions. She explained that she was misdiagnosed several times before coming to the real conclusion.
"It took me 10 years to get a diagnosis. I felt like a hypochondriac," the "Let it Flow" singer said.
"I'm just telling people, 'I don't feel well,' and no one's listening...and lupus doesn't have a look to it — not to say that other things do. But, we always try to fake that we're feeling great or don't want to worry anyone.
"As mothers and women, we tend to do that anyway," the mother of two added. The 'Braxton Family Values' star claimed that her current doctor, Dr. Daniel Jeffrey Wallace, helped her to manage her lupus over the years.
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The songstress revealed that she first thought her ailments were tied to her breast implants, as she experienced shortness of breath and extreme fatigue.
The R&B star had those implants removed, however, that didn't stop her symptoms. Per her account, she continued to feel sick and fatigued up until the moment she passed out on stage again, some years after the first incident.
Braxton detailed how she had to terminate a pregnancy due to the disease, as well as the struggles of being a singer while dealing with an illness, claiming the industry "isn't fond of sick celebrities."
"I couldn't get insured. You would not get work, because the second I was told I had it, I didn't get work at first," she recalled. Other symptoms of lupus include skin rashes, hair loss, confusion and memory problems, and joint pain, per Better Health Channel.
Per the website, methods to manage these symptoms include stress management, a balanced diet, exercise, and staying active.
