Adam Thomas has shared an emotional plea to ‘take my pain away’ as he opened up about his ongoing battle with rheumatoid arthritis in an emotional post.

The former Strictly star, 36, who was diagnosed with the condition in 2023, gave fans a raw and honest update while undergoing LED treatment.

Admitting the disease has taken a serious toll on both his body and mind, Adam revealed the struggles of staying active and maintaining a consistent exercise routine.

Sharing a black and white snap while laying down on the mᴀssage bed, he wrote: ‘This disease really does f**k with your head, especially when your trying to shift Some weight and get Into a routine of exercise!

‘Constant battle constant set backs! Just take my pain away please!! I’ve suffered enough now!

‘Am really trying to hold myself together but it’s not easy!

Adam Thomas shared an emotional plea to ‘take my pain away’ as he opened up about his ongoing battle with rheumatoid arthritis in an emotional Instagram on Monday

‘Just one of those days … keep fighting people… on the days where we can’t train … we have to take care of ourselves x self care and recovery.’

Rheumatoid arthritis is a long-term condition that causes pain, swelling and stiffness in joints and currently has no cure. 

It comes after the Waterloo star revealed he is now in ‘unbearable pain’ due to his ongoing battle with arthritis as he shared an update in October. 

The soap star admitted he can now ‘barely walk’ due to the debilitating nature of the condition.

Adam previously revealed that he has been in pain every day for two years.

Sharing how he is doing at the time, the actor posted a black and white image of himself wrapped in a coat alongside a lengthy caption.

He wrote: ‘The pain is pretty unbearable at the moment, it’s as if my whole body is seizing up! The pain was bad before, but it’s a lot worse now… how why’.

Addressing his treatment, he said: ‘Now I wish I never came off the methotrexate because I would take that pain to this every day of the week!!

The former Strictly star, 36, who was diagnosed with the condition in 2023, gave fans a raw and honest update while undergoing LED treatment

‘I’ve just started my new medication today which takes 12 weeks to take effect and even then it might not work so am not too sure what I can do to ease the pain until then? I’ve had my steroid injections and it literally lasted a week.’

Adam went on to reveal he was seeking further treatment for his intense pain, as he declared: ‘I can’t carry on like this’.

Revealing his daily struggles, he continued : ‘I couldn’t even get dressed this morning on my own, couldn’t drive to work, I mean I can barely walk and my wrists and fingers feel like they’re broken that’s no exaggeration!

‘I wouldn’t have got out of bed today if it wasn’t for work. It got better through out the day with a s**t load of painkillers!

‘But wow… these last few days have been scary had a little cry to myself today it can just really get on top of you!!

‘Am not saying this for a sob story or for sympathy just trying to bring awareness to this disease and what so many others are going through the good the bad the ugly … I’m lucky I have a great support system and not many do so to anyone who is going through the same thing and is alone! I see you you I feel you!!

‘It’s going to get better don’t give up x if you know anyone who’s suffering just give them a call and check in.’

Last year, Adam first revealed he’s ‘finding it hard to walk’ as he updated fans on his health amid his battle with arthritis.

It comes after Adam revealed he’s ‘finding it hard to walk’ as he updated fans on his health amid his battle with arthritis

He first revealed his diagnosis in August 2023 as he geared up for the BBC’s Strictly, which meant he could barely walk ahead of his dancing debut in the September.

Adam has since kept fans updated on his condition, revealing the side effects of methotrexate injections were ‘just too much’ for him so he’s trying a new kind of medication.

In addition to rheumatoid arthritis, methotrexate is also often given to sufferers of psoriasis, Crohn’s disease and cancer.

The main side-effect of taking such a drug is an increased inclination to catch and suffer worse from infections such as Covid-19 and the flu.

He penned: ‘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.’

He first revealed his diagnosis in August 2023 as he geared up for the BBC’s Strictly, which meant he could barely walk ahead of his dancing debut last September (pictured in February 2024)

He told his followers that he was back in hospital today to try something else, adding: ‘I know a lot of you have recommended the biologics but in order for me to get on to these, I have to have tried at least two different medications first.

‘So I have tried the methotrexate tablets and injections and now I’m going on to sulfasalazine tablets. It’s a long process but I just have to stay positive!’

Sulfasalazine is another drug used to treat inflammatory diseases and can lead to nausea.

Read More Strictly star Adam Thomas reveals he is in ‘unbearable pain’ and can ‘barely walk’

Adam continued: ‘The thing is I’ve never been pain free!! Over two years I’ve been in pain EVERYDAY and as you can imagine it definitely takes its toll.

‘The only time I can think of,that I’ve not been pain free,is 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 mᴀssively!!!

‘I was still s*** 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!’

He finished the post with words of motivation, writing: ‘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!!’

WHAT IS RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS? THE AGONISING LONG-TERM ILLNESS THAT IS INCURABLE

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) affects around 400,000 people in the UK

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) affects around 400,000 people in the UK and nearly 1.3 million adults in the US.

Women are up to three times more likely to develop the condition than men. Those with family history of rheumatoid arthritis are also more vulnerable.

It is a long-term illness in which the immune system causes the body to attack itself, causing painful, swollen and stiff joints.  

RA, the second most common form of arthritis that often begins between the ages of 40 and 50, tends to strike the hands, wrists and knees.

Scientists are currently unsure as to the exact cause of RA, but smoking, eating lots of red meat and coffee drinkers are at higher risk. 

A cure has yet to be found, but treatments are available and proven to help slow down the progressive condition. 

RA is a complex autoimmune condition that is diagnosed and treated by a Consultant Rheumatologist in secondary care and the patient is followed up on a regular basis by a consultant-led multi-disciplinary team in hospital.