Carrie Ann Inaba is opening up after experiencing a frightening medical emergency while on a flight. The “Dancing With the Stars” judge shared details of the incident in an Instagram video posted April 16, revealing that she suddenly became unwell while traveling.
‘I Am Much Better,’ Inaba Shares in Health Update
ABCDays later, Inaba offered reassurance about her condition, sharing that she is recovering.
“I am much better from that,” she said in an interview with Parade. “That was, like, sort of GI, whatever, food poisoning, and sudden. But my recovery, because I have Sjogren’s, is a little slow. So I’m resting.”
She noted that while the incident may not have been directly related to her autoimmune condition, it still affects how her body heals.
“And while I think what happened on the plane was unrelated to my Sjogren’s, the Sjogren’s is still a part of me as I’m healing from it. And I’m very aware that my body needed to rest after that to recuperate. And I am doing that.”
What Inaba Shared After Frightening Mid-Flight Medical Emergency
Just days earlier, fans grew concerned after Carrie Ann Inaba shared details of a sudden health scare during a flight.
“I was on my way to NY for something I am very passionate about. But had a small ‘medical emergency’ on the plane,” she wrote.
“I very suddenly felt quite ill. And while it seemed like food poisoning, I also suddenly broke out into a cold sweat, got dizzy, and my arms went numb.”
She said the situation became more unsettling as the plane hit turbulence.
“While I was locked in the restroom, we were also experiencing turbulence and the flight attendants had been asked to sit in their seats as well,” she continued. “I didn’t want to have anyone else put themselves at risk… but when my arms went numb, it was time to ask for help.”
Living With Sjogren’s Disease and Managing Symptoms
Inaba has long spoken with openness about living with autoimmune conditions, including Sjogren’s disease, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and fibromyalgia, offering a thoughtful look into the realities of her health journey.
As part of her efforts to raise awareness, she has also explained how complex Sjogren’s can be.
“Sjogren’s disease is a systemic autoimmune disease,” she said. “And there is a widespread array of symptoms, and everybody experiences it slightly differently.”
She shared that her early symptoms included dry eyes, along with back pain and persistent fatigue, before she received a diagnosis in 2013.
“I ended up at a rheumatologist, and a rheumatologist is the right doctor to go to when you’re dealing with these kinds of symptoms that are, like, unexplainable and mysterious symptoms,” she told Parade.
Getty“And he put it all together. He sent me to a Sjogren’s specialist ophthalmologist who gave me the Schirmer’s test, which is a specialized test to determine the moisture in your eyes and how quickly you’re producing water and getting moisture in your eyes. And after that, I was diagnosed.”
By sharing her experience, Inaba continues to raise awareness of conditions that are often unseen, while encouraging others to listen to their bodies and seek support when needed.
