Tatum O’Neal Opens Up About Battle With Rheumatoid Arthritis

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Tatum O’Neal is opening up about her battle with rheumatoid arthritis, telling fans, “I’ve been in some rheumatoid arthritis bull crap but I’m finally feeling a little bit better.”
The 56-year-old bravely shared a photo to Instagram detailing the scars she has endured since being diagnosed with the painful disease at the age of fifty.
“Living with rheumatoid arthritis. A fall scratch scar on my right hip. And the back surgery scar from eight years ago,” O’Neal captioned the photograph. “My last back surgery scar is on the front from February .And all those red marks are from heating pads ~I probably should turn those down a little bit and, believe it or not this is me actually getting better.”
Just days prior O’Neal shared a picture of herself telling fans she was “on the mend.”
“Hi, I’ve been in some rheumatoid arthritis bull crap but finally feeling a little bit better,” O’Neal shared of her journey. “I hate texting because my hands suck Right now.. So If I don’t text you back I promise it’s nothing personal. On the mend.”
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease commonly referred to as RA. The disease, which appears to affect women more than men, causes the immune system to mistakenly attack the joints, causing swelling, joint pain and inflammation. Other side effects include extreme fatigue, weight loss and weakness.