Strictly Come Dancing star Adam Thomas has said he is in constant pain and ‘struggling to walk’ after a two-year health battle. The ex-Emmerdale actor was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis last year but says medication has left him with so many side effects that they were “too much”.
He is now hoping a change in his drugs will improve his health and help him get on top of the pain he says he feels “every day”. Posting a photograph on Instagram, The Waterloo Road actor shared harrowing details of his health battle.
Writing on Instagram, he said: “So for those of you that know, I’ve been on my methotrexate injections for quite some time and the side effects were just too much for me, I’ve had enough so I’ve decided to come off them. I’ve been off them now for 5 weeks or so and not been on anything and the pain has definitely increased, finding it hard to walk again, especially in the morning and my wrists and fingers are just as bad if not worse!
“I’ve been taking a lot of pain killers to get me through and they have helped ease the pain where am able to train but the next day my body is just in bits. So back to the hospital today to try something else.”
He said he had been recommended other treatment but had to have tried at least two different medications first. He was switching to a different drug in the hope it will make a difference and told followers: “It’s a long process but I just have to stay positive!
“The thing is I’ve never been pain free!! Over two years I’ve been in pain EVERY DAY and as you can imagine it definitely takes its toll.”
Adam, who starred in the last year of Strictly Come Dancing, told how medication had so far failed to help but spoke of one occasion which made a difference. He said: “When I was doing strictly… 4-5 weeks in the pain was unbearable to the point I couldn’t physically carry on anymore I was putting on a brave face, but really I was suffering! Even though I was in pain and physically I was suffering, in my mind I wanted to keep going and the team at strictly mentioned steroid injections to help ease the pain a little and it worked massively !!!
“I was still s**t at dancing but the pain had eased off. And so I’ll be honest I just need some breathing space again to feel normal again and so that’s what I’ve had again today! So fingers crossed! I know it’s no cure but it just gives me a little time until the other meds kick in!”
Adam said the post was to help others in the same position as himself telling them: “I genuinely do not talk to anyone about any of this, and the reason I share this is because I know a lot of you are suffering, but I want you to know that we have to stay strong!
“No one will understand what we are going through it’s tough some good days some bad, but we can’t let it beat us. I refuse to give in!!”
Dad-f-three Adam appeared in the last series of Strictly Come Dancing when he was partnered with Luba Mushtuk. He left in week seven following a dance-off with Angela Rippon and her professional dance partner Kai Widdrington.
He also appeared in I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! in 2016 when he finished in third place alongside winner Scarlett Moffatt and runner-up Joel Dommett.