Lady Gaga has been open about her struggle with chronic pain, though she hasn’t always been clear about the exact causes of her pain. But today, she finally revealed her diagnosis: fibromyalgia.
Gaga posted a tweet confirming that fibromyalgia, a chronic condition that causes widespread pain, fatigue and brain fog, is the source of her chronic pain. Her struggle with the condition will be shown in her new Netflix documentary “Gaga: Five Foot Two,” which begins streaming on September 22.
Previously, Gaga has said she tested “borderline positive” for lupus and that she dealt with chronic pain after breaking her hip.
At a press conference before the film’s premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival last week, Gaga explained that it was “hard, but liberating” to document her chronic pain, and said she believes pain is a “microphone.”
“My pain does me no good unless I transform it into something that is. So I hope people watching it who do struggle with chronic pain know that they’re not alone. It’s freeing for me… and I want people that struggle with it to hear me,” Gaga said.
She also acknowledged the “self-deprecation and shame” involved with pain, and that people may not believe she is really struggling.
“I want people that watch it — that think there’s no way I live [with chronic pain] because they see me dance and sing and don’t think that could possibly be — to know I struggle with things like them,” Gaga said. I work through it and it can be done. We have to stick together. I don’t have to hide it because I’m afraid it’s weak. It’s a part of me.”
