Fans thank ‘inspirational’ Dominique Nugent for sharing autoimmune disease diagnosis

The Dublin-based social media star took to Instagram on Wednesday, where she shared an emotional video explaining that she had been experiencing health problems over the past two years.

She revealed that these issues led to her being diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, an inflammatory bowel disease that causes irritation, inflammation, and ulcers in the lining of the large intestine.

Dominique’s Instagram post featured clips from hospital visits, including her bloated stomach, medication, and IV drips.

She said her symptoms are “severe” and had gotten to the point where she “stopped going to the gym, gave up jogging and couldn’t really even go for walks”.

The influencer said that it’s been hard to come to terms with her diagnosis, but she hopes that sharing her experience “can help even one person going through the same thing feel a little less alone”.

Fans and friends flocked to the comments section to praise her for being so honest, with many sharing that they also suffered from chronic illnesses.

Fellow influencer Rosie Connolly said: “So good to see you doing well and good on you for sharing, I can only imagine it’s a huge help and relief for others suffering with the same illness…️ I hope you continue to feel stronger and healthier each day”.

Holly Carpenter wrote: “I’m so sorry to hear about this️. Fair play for sharing your experiences. I know this will help so many people in your position”.

YouTuber Michelle Crossan added: “I’ve had UC for almost 10 years! It’s a hidden illness that nobody can see and that in itself is debilitating. It has changed and affected my life in ways I never thought possible. I’m so glad to hear you’re doing better. Thank you for sharing”.

A fan also wrote: “I’ve been on the same journey since I was 15 and seeing big names speak openly about it really means the world”.

Another person said: “I'm sorry to hear you're going through this! I got diagnosed with UC 15 years ago. I think getting a diagnosis and finding the right meds for you is half the battle. Knowledge is power. That's why building awareness of these diseases is so important. Thank you for sharing your story, it will help so many others”.

In her post, Dominique said: “A couple of months ago I was diagnosed with an autoimmune inflammatory bowel disease called Ulcerative Colitis. I had been suffering with severe symptoms that were affecting my everyday life for over 2 years.

“The symptoms had gotten so bad that I had stopped going to the gym, gave up jogging and couldn’t really even go for walks. Every time I had to leave the house I was on edge and stressed thinking if I’d make it to the next place.

“I could go from looking normal to 7 months pregnant in the space of an hour with painful bloating. Hot water bottles and heat patches became my best friends. I couldn’t remember the last time I actually slept through the night, was dropping weight, my clothes were falling off me and my mind was constantly in overdrive worrying about how my symptoms were getting progressively worse.

“Blood tests, samples, colonoscopy’s (sic), infusions, medications were trialled, tested and failed but being admitted to hospital was a turning point for me.

“My consultant said for 1 in 4 people with ulcerative colitis, surgery is the only option. He gave me some podcasts to listen to and I tried to research my options. I was so sad thinking my body knew how to attack itself better than respond to medication that would help my condition.

“I was put on a biologic drug just after Christmas and taught how to self inject. I know it may sound a bit extreme but it’s honestly given me my life back”.

She continued: “It’s a fairly new diagnosis and I’m definitely not qualified to give advice on it to anyone else. I was so embarrassed to talk about it and I think that’s how I left the symptoms go on for so long without seeing a doctor.

“It has taken me a while to get my head around the fact that it’s a chronic illness and that it’s something I’ll have to manage and probably be on medication for my whole life.

“I think there is a real stigma around bowel diseases but I always find that if sharing our stories and experiences can help even one person going through the same thing feel a little less alone than (sic) it’s worth it”.