Bella Hadid Tears Up, Details Chronic Illness From Lyme Disease

Bella Hadid is getting candid about her health.

The supermodel, 29, was open and honest in a series of Instagram Stories on Thursday, June 25, describing a recent flareup of her Lyme disease. (Hadid was first diagnosed with Lyme disease in 2012 when she was 16.)

Hadid reshared a friend’s photo of a gift the model had sent her containing Hadid’s new perfume, Orebella. “Even when I’m down…. Seeing my best friends get little gifts from me from afar, at least to be there in spirit with them when I don’t feel well,” she wrote over the image. “And then on top of it, seeing how much hard work my beautiful team puts in for me and my dreams…. It makes me emotional…. Thank you to my tribe for keeping me afloat.”

Hadid followed up with another Instagram Story, a close-up photo with a tear rolling down her face, and detailed the chronic symptoms she experiences as a result of her illness.

“Haven’t been able to shake off this flareup… Slept 11 hours. Again…. Nap every day. Took every protocol from any and every doctor I’ve seen. Still nothing helping,” she shared.

“Now I’ve diagnosed myself with 12 other things, so that’s good,” she continued.

Hadid went on, “And today is not the day to tell me to journal. And yes, I drank water. And no, I didn’t go on a walk because I was out of breath walking to the kitchen. I don’t think there’s a singular brain cell in there working and my last two are beefing with each other so I’m sorry if I ever told you on a bad day to journal. I take it back and I’m sorry.”

In brighter news, she wrote, “I took a shower without fainting tho… so again, if you know you know….that felt like a really big accomplishment for me today, so maybe someone can send me a cookie or something.”

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Related: Celebrities Who Have Battled Lyme Disease: Danielle Jonas and More

Many celebrities have spoken out about their Lyme disease diagnoses over the years, and because the disease is easy to misdiagnose, many had to fight to be believed. According to the Mayo Clinic, Lyme disease is transmitted by ticks and caused by four species of bacteria in the United States, Europe and Asia. In fact, […]

In a followup Instagram Story, Hadid apologized if she “worried anyone” with her previous post.

“I know it sounds jarring, but in full truth it’s my reality, so it’s something I’m able to cope with to a capacity now. I’m sorry if I startled anyone,” she explained. “This truly is an everyday ebb and flo [sic] for me for the past 15 years. I just had an overwhelming amount of emotion over not being able to do the things my mind is capable of setting, but my body is not capable of doing.”

Hadid concluded, “Every day is a new day and tomorrow I’m hoping for, God willing, a better one. I love you guys so much … thank you for all of your support. I wasn’t expecting it, but I’m truly grateful.”