After a Painful Diagnosis, Adam Thomas Shares an Update Fans Didn’t Expect
The Emmerdale and Waterloo Road star has been keeping his fans updated with details of his debilitating health condition, with one nurse praising his 'inspirational' video on his 'big day'
Adam Thomas has opened up about his condition(Image: adamthomas21/Instagram)
Emmerdale star Adam Thomas has opened up about his debilitating health condition, which leaves him force to inject himself every two weeks to keep his pain under control. The Waterloo Road actor, 37, was diagnosed with autoimmune condition psoriatic arthritis in 2023, which leads to joint pain, swelling and stiffness.
Adam, whose brother Ryan Thomas is also soap royalty, having played Coronation Street’s Jason Grimshaw for 16 years, regularly updates his followers about his health. Sharing a video showing him injecting himself with medication, Adam told his 1.2million Instagram followers: “Today is a very big day people, because today I’m going to try and attempt to do my injections on my own for the very first time.”
Adam has to inject himself every two weeks to keep on top of his pain(Image: adamthomas21/Instagram)
The Emmerdale star has kept fans updated on his health journey(Image: adamthomas21/Instagram)
He explained how he lives with the condition, explaining to fans: “It is an autoimmune disease. Basically means my immune system is attacking my own body. It causes a s**t-load of pain.”
He says the symptoms can change, with him experiencing pain in his fingers and knees on some days, but others, he can be in pain all over his body. As well as the pain, he deals with swelling and exhaustion, which can not be fixed with sleep. Adam says he spends some days “smiling through the pain, pretending everything is okay when it’s not”, adding: “One day you’re completely fine, and then the next day you’re in that much pain you can barely even get out of bed.”
Some days he will need help doing simple day-to-day tasks and his mental health has been affected, but ultimately, it’s made him stronger. He ended his video administering his own medication, wrapping up: “It wasn’t so bad after all.” Fans and friends rushed to the comments to share messages of support. Carol Vorderman could relate to his plight, writing: “I’m on this every fortnight Adam …. You have to press hard with the pen!!! Love ya.”
A follower in healthcare added: “Paediatric Rheumatology nurse here. This video is inspirational for our young patients. Thank you for putting this together. This will be so helpful for young people starting their Adalimumab journey.” Another fan affected by the condition wrote: “Needed this today after a rough 5 days stuck on my sofa with my invisible illness. Well done on doing your own injection, it’s a bigger thing than people realise.”
Adam’s wife Caroline has been a huge help to him while he has come to term with his diagnosis. In an update shared at the beginning of February, he thanked her for her support, alongside two photos showing her injecting his thigh.
Adam’s wife Caroline has supported him through his condition(Image: adamthomas21/Instagram)
The couple have been together for 18 years(Image: @adamthomas21/instagram)
He wrote: “Shoutout to my wife Caroline, genuinely the best mother, the best wife, NURSE and somehow still my best friend after 18 years together! This past month she’s been everything…always supporting me, always there, holding it down in ways big and small. From meal preps to keeping me on top of my medication (yes, I still can’t inject myself), deep chats sitting in the bath together, trying to solve life like we actually know what we’re doing.
“We’ve laughed, we’ve cried, we’ve argued (obviously), but I wouldn’t change a single bit of it. I adore that after all these years, you’re still the person I want to talk to first, laugh with the most, and be completely myself around.”
He concluded: “I told you this morning, and I’ll say it again, I love growing with you! And massive congratulations on winning Family Member of the Month, well deserved. Haha Keep up the good work. I love you @carolinethomas23.”
The couple met in 2007, when Adam was 19, and married at Delamere Manor in Cheshire in 2017. They share a son, Teddy, and a daughter, Elsie-Rose.
