Strictly star Adam Thomas reveals he is in 'unbearable pain' and can 'barely walk' as he shares an update on his debilitating health battle

Adam Thomas has revealed he is now in 'unbearable pain' due to his ongoing battle with arthritis as he shared a new update with his Instagram followers on Wednesday.

The former Strictly star, 36, who has been candid about his experience, admitted he can now 'barely walk' due to the debilitating nature of the condition.

Adam previously revealed that he has been in pain every day for two years and was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis last year.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a long-term condition that causes pain, swelling and stiffness in joints and currently has no cure.

Sharing how he is doing now, the Waterloo Road actor posted a black and white image of himself wrapped in a coat alongside a lengthy caption.

He wrote: 'The pain is pretty unbearable at the moment, it's as if my whole body is seizing up! The pain was bad before, but it's a lot worse now… how why'.

Addressing his treatment, he said: 'Now I wish I never came off the methotrexate because I would take that pain to this every day of the week!!

'I've just started my new medication today which takes 12 weeks to take effect and even then it might not work so am not too sure what I can do to ease the pain until then? I've had my steroid injections and it literally lasted a week.'

Adam went on to reveal he was seeking further treatment for his intense pain, as he declared: 'I can't carry on like this'.

Revealing his daily struggles, he continued : 'I couldn't even get dressed this morning on my own, couldn't drive to work, I mean I can barely walk and my wrists and fingers feel like they're broken that's no exaggeration!

'I wouldn't have got out of bed today if it wasn't for work. It got better through out the day with a s**t load of painkillers!

'But wow… these last few days have been scary had a little cry to myself today it can just really get on top of you!!

'Am not saying this for a sob story or for sympathy just trying to bring awareness to this disease and what so many others are going through the good the bad the ugly … I'm lucky I have a great support system and not many do so to anyone who is going through the same thing and is alone! I see you you I feel you!!

'It's going to get better don't give up x if you know anyone who's suffering just give them a call and check in.'

Earlier this month, Adam first revealed he's 'finding it hard to walk' as he updated fans on his health amid his battle with arthritis.

He first revealed his diagnosis in August last year as he geared up for the BBC's Strictly, which meant he could barely walk ahead of his dancing debut last September.

Adam has since kept fans updated on his condition, and has shared a lengthy update on how he's doing, revealing the side effects of methotrexate injections were 'just too much' for him so he's trying a new kind of medication.  

In addition to rheumatoid arthritis, methotrexate is also often given to sufferers of psoriasis, Crohn's disease and cancer.

The main side-effect of taking such a drug is an increased inclination to catch and suffer worse from infections such as Covid-19 and the flu.   

He penned: 'So for those of you that know,I've been on my methotrexate injections for quite some time and the side effects were just too much for me,I've had enough so I've decided to come off them… 

'I've been off them now for 5 weeks or so and not been on anything and the pain has definitely increased, finding it hard to walk again, especially in the morning and my wrists and fingers are just as bad if not worse! 

'I've been taking a lot of pain killers to get me through and they have helped ease the pain where am able to train but the next day my body is just in bits.'

He told his followers that he was back in hospital today to try something else, adding: 'I know a lot of you have recommended the biologics but in order for me to get on to these, I have to have tried at least two different medications first. 

'So I have tried the methotrexate tablets and injections and now I'm going on to sulfasalazine tablets. It's a long process but I just have to stay positive!'

Sulfasalazine is another drug used to treat inflammatory diseases and can lead to nausea.

Adam continued: 'The thing is I've never been pain free!! Over two years I've been in pain EVERYDAY and as you can imagine it definitely takes its toll. 

'The only time I can think of,that I've not been pain free,is when I was doing Strictly… 4-5 weeks in the pain was unbearable to the point i couldn't physically carry on anymore I was putting on a brave face,but really I was suffering! .

'Even though I was in pain and physically I was suffering, in my mind I wanted to keep going and the team at strictly mentioned steroid injections to help ease the pain a little and it worked massively!!! 

'I was still s*** at dancing but the pain had eased off. And so I'll be honest I just need some breathing space again to feel normal again and so that's what I've had again today! So fingers crossed! I know it's no cure but it just gives me a little time until the other meds kick in!'

He finished the post with words of motivation, writing: 'I genuinely do not talk to anyone about any of this, and the reason I share this is because I know a lot of you are suffering, but I want you to know that we have to stay strong! 

'No one will understand what we are going through it's tough some good days some bad,but we can’t let it beat us.I refuse to give in!!'

He previously updated fans in February when he shared pictures from a hospital visit, commenting that he did not want to 'suffer in silence any more'. 

It unfortunately didn't make pleasant reading as the star revealed that the last year or so has been 'the toughest period of my life to date'.

Adam was joined in hospital by his wife of over six-years Caroline Daly.

When he was first diagnosed in August 2023, he described how the diagnosis came after an additional eight months of pain.

'It's has had a huge knock on effect for me personally, but not only that for my family too!!,' he wrote in another Instagram post.

'And I just want to say thank you to @carolinethomas23 and the kids for going on this journey with me, as I know it's been challenging and frustrating at times but hopefully we're on the right path now!

'I don't know too much about the condition yet as am still learning but, what I have done is learnt a lot about myself and the fact I'd be lost with out this lot!'