Halsey says 'body is rebelling' against her as she reveals poor health

Getty Images Halsey at the 2022 Grammy AwardsGetty Images

Halsey has said she is dealing with a number of health issues, in a revealing update on Instagram.

Wearing a heart monitor, the singer posted on her Instagram Story saying she'd recently been "hospitalised for anaphylaxis a few times".

"My health has changed a lot since I got pregnant and gave birth. I started getting really sick, I've been kind of sick most of my adult life."

But the 27-year-old is still "excited and confident" for her next tour.

Halsey has previously spoken about her struggles with endometriosis in the past - which is a condition that affects one in 10 women of any age in the UK - where cells like the ones in the lining of the womb uterus are found elsewhere in the body - including the bowel, ovaries or bladder.

'Looking for the root cause'

After seeing multiple doctors, the three-time Grammy nominee says she was diagnosed with different conditions.

"I'm still looking for the root cause of some of these things," Halsey said.

"It could potentially be another type of auto-immune disease, and I've known about auto-immune issues for most of my life, especially having endometriosis."

Line

Halsey has spoken openly about her health during her career, Here are the conditions she has been diagnosed with.

  • Ehlers-Danlos syndromes (EDS) is a group of rare inherited conditions that affect connective tissue that provide support in skin, tendons, ligaments, blood vessels, internal organs and bones.
  • Sjogren's syndrome is a condition that affects parts of the body that produce fluids, like tears and spit (saliva).
  • Mast cell activation syndrome, a condition in which there can be repeated episodes of the symptoms of anaphylaxis - allergic symptoms such as hives, swelling, low blood pressure, difficulty breathing and severe diarrhoea.
  • Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), which is an abnormal increase in heart rate that occurs after sitting up or standing. Some typical symptoms include dizziness and fainting.

Source: NHS

Line

Halsey - who welcomed her first child Ender in July last year - said her symptoms had been "exacerbated" by the pregnancy.

Halsey/Instagram Story Screenshot Screenshot of Halsey on her Instagram StoryHalsey/Instagram Story Screenshot
Halsey shared her health struggles on her Instagram Story

Like Halsey, Elisha Spivey also has EDS and has other conditions to contend with, including seizures, lupus, asthma and chronic fatigue.

"I suffer on a daily basis with dislocations, and fatigue. It affects my mental health and body," the 22-year-old from Bradford tells Radio 1 Newsbeat.

She's recently had surgery on her hand because "my fingers were constantly dislocated and won't go back to normal".

Elisha sometimes wakes up paralysed.

"My mum's got to bathe me, dress me. Because I just physically can't do it myself."

Elisha ElishaElisha
Elisha says she has "good days and bad days".

"I try to do as much as I can - like wash my hair - because I want the independence. But it's so hard."

She agrees with Halsey when she says she's been "sick most of my adult life".

"I never know how I'm going to be until I wake up. And I can't plan anything until the day because I just never know how I'm going to be."

Performing again

Similar to Halsey, Elisha used to perform, having loved dancing from the age of two.

"But I had to stop because my bones are so weak. I'd love to do it again and I've seen there's wheelchair dancing so would love to do that."

Halsey says she intends to continue to tour this summer, with dates including appearances Reading and Leeds festivals, but says she is "on a treatment plan" as she rehearses.

The singer admits not being able to tour like she used to "when I was younger and worked insane hours and days in a row".

"I've learnt a lot about doing my job under the conditions I'm experiencing."

She said her performances will also reflect what her body has been going through.

"A lot of the tour will be delving into this weird body horror about everything I've been experiencing, feeling my body is rebelling against me."

"I have a lot of angst, and I have a lot of energy. I have a lot of confusion that I want to get out on that stage.

"Hopefully I've built a show that really reflects that and can be a cathartic place for you to release some tension if you are feeling or have ever felt similarly."

Presentational grey line
Newsbeat

Follow Newsbeat on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here.