FASHIONABLE STEP MUM BREAKS SILENCE ON INCURABLE HEALTH CONDITION 

Renowned content creator, Catherine Kariuki popularly known as Fashionable Step Mum, has opened up about her private health struggle with fibromyalgia, a chronic neurological disorder that causes widespread pain, fatigue, and cognitive difficulties.

In a video shared with her followers, she revealed, “I’ve been suffering from an autoimmune condition called fibromyalgia. It’s a chronic neurological disorder that causes widespread pain, fatigue and sleep disturbance.”

After years of unexplained symptoms including joint pain, chronic insomnia, and memory and concentration issues she and her husband traveled to multiple countries India, Thailand and South Africa seeking answers. “It took a lot of tests, because diagnosis is not easy. It’s a disease that also requires a multidisciplinary approach where it’s a team of doctors who are able to help you manage it. And it’s not a cheap disease, because you have a lot of flare ups. Even as the doctor was finding out and diagnosing, he told me that, you know, it’s going to be an expensive affair, because the medicines are not cheap,” she explained.

Despite her glamorous public image, she battles chronic pain, sleep deprivation and mental health challenges, “I can’t tell you guys how I would love to sleep without being induced, even if I sleep for three hours without medicine, that will be a wonderful miracle, but we keep the faith and keep hoping.

Then we also have digestive issues, constipation and shakes, sometimes I’m not even able to write cheques. It requires a lot of mental push, mental motivation. I personally stay away from painkillers, so I just manage my pain. It’s difficult, and sometimes I don’t even want people around me to see it because they’ll start panicking.”