Bebe Rexha reveals she had a cyst that burst amid PCOS battle: ‘I was in so much pain’
Bebe Rexha has revealed she was in urgent care two weeks ago after a cyst burst due to her battle with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), an incurable hormonal condition.
“I was in so much pain,” the “I’m a Mess” singer, 34, shared in a new TikTok video Wednesday.
“My doctor … she thought it was appendicitis. It was so bad. It was actually a cyst that had burst.”
Rexha explained that she was given Tylenol and Advil to appease her systems but they “didn’t work.”
“You guys, I was sick to my stomach. The pain was so bad,” the “I Got You” singer added before recommending that anyone experiencing similar issues use a heating pad since that worked for her.
In the candid video, in which Rexha appeared comfortably dressed with no makeup and her hair in a bun, she listed some of the other symptoms she has had to battle due to her PCOS.
The “I’m Good” singer shared that at times she has experienced breakouts but considers herself “very lucky” because it hasn’t been extreme.
Keke Palmer, who also battles PCOS, shared in December 2020 that her acne struggles have gotten so bad that people in her industry have offered to pay for her to get it fixed.
“I did all that, I ate all the ‘right’ things, my blood tests were fine,” the “Password” host, 30, explained at the time. “But it took ME taking a personal look into my family that has a history of diabetes and obesity, to understand what was ACTUALLY happening with me.”
Although Rexha was partially spared from that health issue, she also shared in her video she gets “super bloated” and has irregular periods, noting that in February she had her menstrual cycle for 20 days.
“Some months I won’t get my period — super, super irregular,” the “Baby I’m Jealous” singer said. “The only thing that’s really gotten me back on like kind of track is Metformin.”
According to Mayo Clinic, Metformin helps lower blood sugar for people with insulin resistance, which is another symptom of PCOS.
Rexha — who in the past shared she has gained 30 pounds due to the syndrome — further elaborated on her weight struggles in her latest video.
“I gained a lot of weight in, like, four years. Like a lot,” she told her followers.
The “Me, Myself & I” singer shared that she had been weighing her food daily, eating only 1,400 calories a day and working out one to two times per day to try and burn 500 to 700 calories — but nothing worked.
“My doctor once told me that a woman with PCOS can eat a bowl of blueberries and it would be equivalent to, like, a normal person eating a whole pie of pizza,” she added.
Rexha then concluded, “I’m not a doctor but I can give you the knowledge that I know because I know PCOS is really hard and it just sucks.”
Fans in the comments section praised the Grammy nominee for opening up about her struggles.
“PCOS warriors unite! Your story resonates, and the struggle is real. Keep sharing, it’s empowering!” one woman commented.
Another wrote, “Thank you for bringing awareness to this. Pcos is very frustrating! You’re a queen ❤️”
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office on Women’s Health, PCOS, which causes hormonal imbalance and metabolism problems, affects 1 in 10 women of childbearing age.
Aside from Rexha and Palmer, other stars who have spoken out about their struggles with the condition are “Pretty Little Liars” alum Sasha Pieterse, Lea Michele and Victoria Monét.
