Lili Reinhart says she’s still «searching for answers» about her «mysterious» chronic illness
Lili Reinhart is opening up about her health journey, revealing that for the past year, she’s been grappling with an undiagnosed illness.
In a candid social media post alongside a new interview with *Self Magazine*, the 28-year-old *Riverdale* actress encouraged her followers to prioritize their health while sharing her personal experience.
In her Instagram caption on January 23, Reinhart explained, “It’s important to show an honest glimpse at what last year was like for me while dealing with my health issues,” and expressed gratitude to *Self Magazine* for helping her tell her story.
She shared a series of photos, including one showing her in a German hospital at 5 a.m. for a possible bladder infection.
She described the difficulties of being diagnosed with interstitial cystitis while also dealing with an unexplained autoimmune disease, making 2024 the toughest year of her life.
One of the photos included a text message she had sent, describing how she’d spent days losing chunks of her hair. «I just run my hands through it until it stops coming out,» she shared in the message.
Reinhart also spoke about her grandmother’s experience with doctors, which fueled her commitment to advocate for her own health.
She recalled how her grandmother was ignored by doctors for months despite showing clear symptoms of cancer, and by the time she received the necessary tests, the cancer had already spread.
This experience deeply impacted Reinhart’s approach to her own health challenges.
Reinhart emphasized the importance of self-advocacy, sharing, «The most important lesson I’ve learned from this experience is the need to stand up for your own health.
Don’t let doctors dismiss your pain or make you feel like nothing is wrong. I hope that those struggling to find answers can feel even a little seen through my experience.”
She also posted more images from her journey, including photos of additional doctor visits and a shot of her sitting on an airplane, where she wrote, “No greater discomfort than flying with a bladder flare.”
One of the next images focused on chronic illness, with the National Institute of Mental Health defining chronic disease as a condition lasting at least a year and requiring ongoing medical attention or limiting daily activities.
On her Instagram Stories, Reinhart shared empowering quotes from her *Self Magazine* interview, such as, “Don’t let a doctor tell you that nothing’s wrong when you know that there is.”
Another quote encouraged people to “Listen to your body, and don’t take no for an answer.”