Dynamo shares photo to illustrate impact of Crohn's disease on his body
Magician says medication regime has led him to 'put on quite a lot of body weight' and develop a rash
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Your support makes all the difference.Dynamo has revealed medication for Crohn’s disease has caused him to put on weight and develop a rash.
The magician, whose real name is Steven Frayne, shared a photo of his swollen face on social media.
The 35-year-old, who starred in his TV show Dynamo: Magician Impossible from July 2011 to September 2014, captioned the post “#NoFilter”.
He was diagnosed with Crohn’s, for which there exists no known cure, at the age of 15.
Crohn’s disease is a long-term condition which causes the inflammation of a part of the digestive tract. The inflammation can occur anywhere from the mouth to the back passage but is most common in the gut.
The most widespread symptoms are recurring diarrhoea, pain after eating and extreme tiredness. Steroid medication is one of the treatments offered but its potential side effects are swelling of the face and weight gain.
Dynamo shared a video on his social media accounts saying he became "really sick” in 2017.
He explained his medication regime since then has prompted him to "put on quite a lot of body weight" and a rash has developed.
He also said he is not able to shuffle cards because his hands are in "so much pain" due to developing arthritis.
Dynamo also posted a selfie on Monday evening showing the change in his appearance, which included the rash on his head.
Fans have rushed to show their support for Dynamo in the wake of the posts.
One said: “Sending gentle hugs. I hope the meds are at least helping you get into remission!”
Hundreds of people who have Crohn's sent messages of support to the magician after recognising the star's weight gain as a common side effect of the medication.
One sufferer said: "This disease absolutely sucks. Please take time out and look after yourself.”
At least 115,000 Britons currently live with the condition.
Many applauded the star for raising awareness of the illness and used the image to share their own experiences of Crohn's disease and the corticosteroid drugs which are often used to treat it. They noted weight gain, water retention and steroid rash as frequent side effects.
The magician was born in Bradford to an English mother and a father of Pakistani Pathan ancestry. The performer was bullied as a child and one of the very first magic tricks he learned was one his grandfather taught him to make it appear as if he was very heavy so other children were unable to pick him up.
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