Selena Gomez has received praise for detailing how her body alters when she takes lupus medication. .
The 30-year-old singer has previously been transparent about her diagnosis; however, she has recently been the target of offensive remarks about her appearance. .
Selena admitted to her fans during a TikTok live that she "holds a lot of water weight" while taking medication.
She said, "I would much rather take care of myself and be healthy.".
"My medications are significant, and I think they're what make me feel better. ".
An autoimmune disease called lupus causes the body's immune system to become overactive and attack healthy tissue.
Medication can be used to treat symptoms. Selena revealed in 2017 that her kidney transplant was related to her lupus.
Lupus sufferers Chris Clarke, 30, and Kate Appleby, both 30, have spoken to BBC Newsbeat about what it means to them that Selena is so open about her experience.
Chris declares, "Having someone like Selena stand up and shout above the rooftops has my full support, and probably that of the entire lupus community.
Kate, who claims to have experienced body-shaming herself and has almost 40,000 Instagram followers, calls Selena's bravery "incredible.".
I gradually gain weight as I go from being extremely thin.
You go from being more obviously ill to having your illness be much more hidden, she observes.
And since I have a bit of a public profile, people tend to judge me pretty quickly. I've received a lot of feedback criticizing not only how my appearance changes but also how I handle my illness. ".
According to the NHS, lupus affects more women than men.
Chris claims that taking medicine has affected his appetite.
Although I don't drink beer, I do have a small beer belly. I've been taking one of the drugs, a steroid," he claims.
"Everyone believes that using steroids will help them gain muscle. However, it isn't that steroid.
"It makes you hungry, you want to eat more, and it's much harder to try to control your appetite. ".
The NHS states that lupus is a complicated and poorly understood disease that affects numerous body systems.
Its symptoms can be minor or potentially fatal.
There are some types that only affect the skin, but the term is typically used to refer to lupus erythematosus (SLE), a more severe form of the illness.
That has an impact on the skin, joints, and internal organs, among other body parts.
Before they experience a sudden flare-up, many people may have the condition for a long time without realizing it.
Extreme fatigue, rashes (especially on the face, wrists, and hands), as well as joint pain and swelling, are among the symptoms.
Even minor cases can be upsetting and significantly reduce quality of life.
However, the symptoms can be mistaken for those of more widespread conditions, making a diagnosis difficult.
Chris claims Selena's efforts to raise awareness are significant because, before being diagnosed, he had never even heard of the illness.
Kate continues, "What Selena is doing ultimately saves lives.".
When I was first diagnosed with mental health problems, if someone like Selena had been around, her being outspoken and open about it would have personally made a huge difference for me. ".
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