Dancing with the Stars judge Carrie Ann Inaba opened up recently about a long battle with a health condition that wasn’t visible to many people, and it’s a story that fans agree needs more telling to bring awareness. Read on to find out more.
Ten Years of Symptoms
Carrie Ann Inaba lived with mysterious symptoms for a decade before getting an official answer. The DWTS judge experienced severe dryness of her eyes, a dry mouth, chronic pain, and fatigue that she kept hidden.
Originally, doctors dismissed her complaints about her eye troubles and corneal damage. Eventually, she visited a rheumatologist, and blood tests and a Schirmer test confirmed she had Sjögren’s disease.
That was back in 2013. If you don’t know, Sjögren’s is a systemic autoimmune disorder that targets moisture-producing glands.
Suffering in Silence
On Monday on Good Morning America’s YouTube, she spoke about how living with the autoimmune condition impacted her life. She had previously talked about it and partnered with Novartis for the SJÖUT for Sjögren’s campaign.
According to Novartis, “I suffered in silence for a long time,” Carrie Ann said, adding, “I don’t want anyone else to feel that way.” At the time, she also said, “I wouldn’t be who I am without Sjögren’s,” adding, “It taught me to trust myself and advocate for myself. Now I want to help others do the same.”
An Autoimmune Condition
Cameron Mathison from General Hospital explained in the video that Carrie Ann Inaba “was on top of the world when she started to notice various symptoms, leaving her in search of answers.”
He continued by explaining that “she was diagnosed with Sjögren’s disease, which is an autoimmune disorder where 50% of those suffering may be undiagnosed.”
During the interview on GMA, Mathison reminded Carrie that he was on Dancing with the Stars, and then they chatted about Season 35. He said that she’s “the longest-serving judge” in American reality TV programs.
Going Crazy?
The duo discussed how she struggled, especially with fatigue, and how she felt like she “was going crazy.” Simply put, she felt that nobody would listen to her.
Currently, she has to plan her life every day, and some things that help her are gentle stretches and meditating. But she takes a lot of care to avoid activities that can hurt her.
The Dancing with the Stars judge said that managing Sjögren’s disease helped her feel for other people and how grateful she is that despite her condtion, she can help bring dance to the world stage.
Viewers React
DWTS fans who watched the GMA interview took to the comments section on YouTube. One of them could empathize with Carrie Ann Inaba.
They wrote: “I started having crazy symptoms-falling, numb hands and feet, dizziness, fatigue, and brain fog,” adding, “Eyes and mouth were soooooo dry.”
Like Inaba, the person also eventually looked at other medical professionals to help. They said, “I found a neurologist who would listen to me. He is the one who diagnosed me. 4 years on I have almost all symptoms under control.”
Then they thanked Carrie Ann Inaba for speaking out about Sjögren’s because it goes way beyond just a “dry eye and mouth.”
They agreed that while those symptoms are unpleasant, “those are the least of the symptoms…”
Another viewer commented on her demanding schedule, possibly wondering about the daily struggle. They wrote, “She needs to retire or get somebody else…”
A third commenter felt a bit of sadness about her health struggles, saying, “It must be so hard to carry on. I had not heard of it until now. Glad there is awareness being raised.”
What are your thoughts on Carrie Ann Inaba’s health journey and her advocacy work? Join the discussion below, and then come back here for more Dancing with the Stars news and updates.