KUWTK season premiere: Emotional Kim Kardashian is comforted by sister Kylie Jenner as she tests positive for lupus antibodies after suffering from joint pain
Kim Kardashian broke down in tears as her doctor revealed she's tested positive for lupus antibodies during Sunday's premiere of Keeping Up With The Kardashians.
Comforted by sister Kylie Jenner, the reality star, 38, admitted she'd been experiencing swollen joints, headaches and general fatigue ahead of the arrival of her fourth child Psalm, who was born via surrogate in May.
The TV personality - who also tested positive for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) - was reassured by Dr. Daniel Wallace as he said the results don't confirm the presence of the diseases.
Emotional: Kim Kardashian broke down in tears as her doctor revealed she's tested positive for lupus antibodies during Sunday's premiere of Keeping Up With The Kardashians
As the show opened, the make-up mogul told her mother Kris Jenner that she'd been feeling tired and had to take a urine test to rule out pregnancy.
But as she played a game with her son Saint, three, later on, her hands went numb. Detailing her symptoms, she told sister Kourtney's ex Scott Disick, 36: 'I feel like I'm literally falling apart. I feel this, like, in my bones.
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Kim - who shares North, six, Saint, Chicago, 19 months, and Psalm, three months, with husband Kanye West - Googled her symptoms and decided to visit Beverly Hills rheumatologist, Dr. Daniel.
With doting sister Khloé, 35, by her side, the brunette explained her hands were itchy and swollen.
Symptoms: Comforted by sister Kylie Jenner, the reality star, 38, admitted she'd been experiencing swollen joints, headaches and general fatigue
Review: The TV personality - who also tested positive for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) - was reassured by Dr. Daniel Wallace as he said the results don't confirm the disease's presence
'I'm freaking out, I have a baby on the way': The TV star revealed she felt anxious ahead of the arrival of her fourth child Psalm, who was born via surrogate in May
The health specialist explained RA was the 'worst-case scenario', but he ordered the star to undergo some bloodwork.
Kim later caught up with Foodgod star Jonathan Cheban, 45, for lunch at new restaurant Burgerim.
While the socialite showed his BFF his phone charging case, Kim admitted she couldn't lift the device.
'I woke up and my hands were stiff,' she told him. 'I couldn't use my hands. I couldn't pick up my toothbrush. I couldn't do my bra. It was really bad.'
Worries: As the show opened, the make-up mogul told her mother Kris Jenner that she'd been feeling tired and had to take a urine test to rule out pregnancy
Support: Kim Googled her symptoms and decided to visit Beverly Hills rheumatologist, Dr. Daniel, with doting sister Khloe, 35
Here to help: The health specialist explained RA was the 'worst-case scenario', but he ordered the star to undergo some bloodwork
The businesswoman said in a confessional: 'I'm freaking out, I have a baby on the way and law school. You have to think about how much this is going to affect your life.'
Later into the episode, Kim - who was joined by Kylie, 22 - received a call from her doctor, who shared the shocking results.
Daniel explained: 'As far as your results. Your antibodies tested positive for lupus and Rheumatoid Arthritis.'
'You'd have, in addition to swollen joints, you'd have fevers, rashes, mouth sores, be really tired.'
Pals: Kim later caught up with Foodgod star Jonathan Cheban, 45, for lunch at new restaurant Burgerim
Troubles: While the socialite showed his BFF his phone charging case, Kim admitted she couldn't lift the device, and was even fed food from Jonathan
Revealing her results don't neccessarily mean she's a sufferer from the diseases, he added: 'But sometimes you can get false positives in these screenings.'
Self-made billionaire Kylie was overwhelmed with emotion at the news as she told her older sister: 'The scariest part is that we just don't know.'
Lupus is an illness in which the immune system produces too many antibodies which causes reactions leading to inflammation of parts of the body, skin, or organs.
Despite lupus being triggered by genetic or possibly environmental factors, the GSK survey also found that 41 percent of people feel less than 'comfortable' shaking hands with someone with lupus, indicating they believe it is infectious.
Candid: 'I'm freaking out, I have a baby on the way and law school', the businesswoman told her concerned sister
'The scariest part is we just don't know': Later into the episode, Kim - who was joined by Kylie, 22 - received a call from her doctor, who shared the shocking results
According to Arthritis Foundation, rheumatoid arthritis is 'an autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune system – which normally protects its health by attacking foreign substances like bacteria and viruses – mistakenly attacks the joints.
'This creates inflammation that causes the tissue that lines the inside of joints (the synovium) to thicken, resulting in swelling and pain in and around the joints. The synovium makes a fluid that lubricates joints and helps them move smoothly.
'If inflammation goes unchecked, it can damage cartilage, the elastic tissue that covers the ends of bones in a joint, as well as the bones themselves. Over time, there is loss of cartilage, and the joint spacing between bones can become smaller.
'Joints can become loose, unstable, painful and lose their mobility. Joint deformity also can occur. Joint damage cannot be reversed, and because it can occur early, doctors recommend early diagnosis and aggressive treatment to control RA.'
Keeping Up with the Kardashians airs Sundays at 9 pm EST.
