Jess Impiazzi Opens Up About Her 'Life-Changing' Lupus Battle
Reality television star Jess Impiazzi has bravely documented her ongoing struggle with Lupus, sharing candid photographs of skin rashes and hair loss in a heartfelt social media post on Monday. The 37-year-old pregnant celebrity, who received her diagnosis for the chronic autoimmune condition in 2023, confessed she had 'never felt so lost' and was constantly fearful about her future.
The Physical and Emotional Toll of Lupus
Lupus is a long-term autoimmune disease where the body's immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue, causing inflammation and potential damage to vital organs including the skin, joints, kidneys, and heart. The Ex On The Beach star began her Instagram revelation by explaining how her diagnosis has profoundly impacted her mental wellbeing.
Jess confessed that her identity felt like it was shifting dramatically. Despite years of working out and pushing through challenges, she reached a point where she felt she 'couldn't do it anymore.' Alongside a bare-faced selfie, Jess detailed how rashes appeared across her face and body, her joints swelled with arthritis, and invisible symptoms steadily chipped away at her confidence.
From Confidence to Self-Consciousness
Sharing a photograph of herself dancing on stage in a skimpy bodysuit, Jess contrasted her previous life with her current reality: 'I'd gone from being confident in front of the camera, making movies and TV series, to suddenly feeling too poorly and too self-conscious to take myself to the supermarket.'
The physical manifestations were severe - she lost nearly half her hair, and the daily anxiety left her feeling so disoriented she no longer recognized herself. In another post showing her strapped into a harness mid-air, Jess explained her treatment regimen included steroids and various medications that provided only occasional relief.
'But the truth was I was in pain, I was scared and didn't know how to carry on like this,' she added with raw honesty.
A New Approach to Living with Lupus
Posing with her partner, Formula E driver Sam Bird, 34, Jess outlined her revised approach to managing her condition. This new lifestyle involves cooking fresh food to support gut health while prioritizing both sleep and physical fitness. She concluded her emotional post with reflection on her fears about the future.
'I was always fearful of how the future would pan out with my body being unpredictable and worried if I'd ever get my own family that I wanted,' she wrote. 'But it turns out taking good care of myself, being in a good environment and my medication (a+ little bit of fertility science), I didn't have to worry too much.'
Jess acknowledged that pregnancy presents additional challenges with lupus, which she plans to discuss later, but expressed pride in her body's ability to adapt to adversity.
Pregnancy After an Emotional IVF Journey
Jess is expecting her first child in May with partner Sam Bird, whom she has been dating since summer 2024 following her separation from footballer ex-boyfriend Jermaine Pennant. Their pregnancy follows a lengthy and emotional IVF journey that presented particular difficulties while managing a chronic illness.
The actress, who initially feared early menopause might prevent her from having children, opened up about the IVF process in an interview with the Daily Mail. Recalling the experience, she described it as challenging and frightening, particularly because she experienced flare-ups during different medication phases.
'I was really scared of all this stuff going in my body because I was already on a medication called azathioprine, which I'm still on and hydroxychloroquine and then the steroids,' Jess explained. 'It does frighten you because my body's just been through so much by this point.'
Despite these challenges, Jess expressed relief that the treatment worked and gratitude for reaching her current stage of pregnancy while continuing her necessary medications.
