Dermatologist Dr. Sandra Lee, widely known to audiences as the face of the hit reality television show “Dr. Pimple Popper,” is sounding the alarm after suffering an ischemic stroke, in hopes of bringing awareness to the subtle warning signs she ignored.
The 55-year-old was on set of her Lifetime series “Dr. Pimple Popper: Breaking Out” in November when she experienced the medical emergency, but initially dismissed the symptoms, attributing them to stress, anxiety, or fatigue from her demanding work schedule.
“I don’t know if it was in my mind or what, or if it’s like if you have issues, sometimes you think it’s like anxiety,” Lee told Fox News Digital in an interview published April 22.
“I’ve never had anxiety in my life, but you know the show and taping, it does make me—it’s a highly stressful environment, or highly stressful situation I put myself into.”
According to the National Institutes of Health, an ischemic stroke occurs when the blood supply carrying oxygen to the brain is obstructed, reducing its flow. Symptoms include headaches, blurred vision, and trouble speaking or walking, along with numbness or paralysis often affecting one side of the body.
“If you have symptoms of something that may be a stroke, it is actually really important to be evaluated within the first hour, ideally, or within the first four to five hours,” she noted.
“There are certain treatments that you can get at that time if you do indeed have what we call an ischemic stroke or loss of blood flow to a part of your brain.”
Despite having the sense that something wasn’t right, Lee admits she made the mistake of not immediately seeking medical attention and telling herself “maybe it’ll be better tomorrow.”
Speaking to People magazine last week, Lee said that what began as mild discomfort during filming escalated to more alarming symptoms by the evening. She had difficulty sleeping and walking, shooting pains in her leg, impaired coordination as well as slurred speech.
“My blood pressure and my cholesterol were not under control, and I have a lot of stress in my life, dealing with my patients and the show,” she told the outlet. “I want to think about it as a blessing in disguise. Because it reminds you to take better care of yourself.”
As a result, Lee paused filming to focus on her recovery and underwent two months of physical and occupational therapy to regain basic motor skills and coordination.
She has since returned to work, but warns others to take care of themselves by listening to their bodies and acting quickly at the first sign of any irregular symptoms.
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