Melissa Murphy

“I pretended to be an alcoholic to hide my illness.”

When Kathleen Turner discovered she had rheumatoid arthritis, she let people believe she was an alcoholic rather than admit the truth behind her symptoms.

Words: Melissa Murphy
Kathleen Turner, 51, was one of Hollywood’s most successful actresses by the 90s. But during the filming of the Serial Mom in 1994, she began to develop symptoms of an illness that would change her life. “My feet were incredibly painful and swollen and I couldn’t get my shoes on,” she recalls. “I went to a podiatrist in who told me to get bigger shoes. Then it spread; I couldn’t move my elbow and it became locked.”

By this time, Kathleen was starting to worry and saw her doctor, who diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis. She was put on drugs that had unpleasant side effects and she had several operations.

Rheumatoid arthritis affects just under one per cent of the population. Like Kathleen, many find it hard to get a diagnosis. “It isn’t a straightforward disease,” explains Ailsa Bosworth, Chairman of the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society. “Symptoms are often vague abd varied. GPs may mistake the symptoms for another disease.”

The illness impacts on every area of life and shorten life expectancy. Pain, fatigue and loss of movement are the main symptoms, and 42 per cent of sufferers are registered disabled within three years. Sufferers may also find it difficult to carry out daily duties such as looking after children, driving and cooking.

Kathleen says that her lowest time came when her young daughter had to help her squeeze out her moisturiser. “You never want to look helpless in front of your child,” she says Kathleen.

Fear of looking helpless is a common worry, which was why Kathleen hid the truth from Hollywood. “People said I looked bloated because I was an alcoholic, but it was the medication. In LA, it’s more acceptable to drink than be ill, so I never corrected anyone.”

Kathleen says the illness has affected her marriage. “Having arthritis put a strain on my relationship because of the constant pain. When you’re crippled, you don’t feel sexy.”

It also prevented her from having the second baby she longed for. “My medication was too strong,” she explains. “The doctors said that if I were to carry a child, I might never walk again. By the time I came off it in my mid-forties I tried again, but it was just too late.”

Kathleen, who recently returned to the London stage in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, believes the condition has kept her grounded. “This illness taught me how to prioritise. I realised what’s important: my work, my husband, my family.”

Rheumatoid Arthritis

What is it?
The body’s immune system starts attacks the joints and soft tissue around the bones.
What are the symptoms?
Pain and stiffness in fingers and toes; fatigue and flu-like symptoms.
 
How is it treated?
With DMARDs (disease modifying anti-rhematic drugs) and biologic drugs. Painkillers and anti-inflammatories can help. Surgery may be needed if joints become deformed.

For more info
Contact the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society (0845 4583969; www.rheumatoid.org.uk) Or try Arthritis Care (0808 800 4050; www.arthritiscare.org.uk).