Dancer-Actor Cha Hyun-seung Recounts Pre-Leukemia Symptoms: Extreme Fatigue, Bruising, and Blood in Urine

Dancer and actor Cha Hyun-seung has candidly shared the symptoms he experienced before being diagnosed with leukemia.

In a recent Q&A video uploaded to his personal YouTube channel titled 'Ask Me Anything,' Cha Hyun-seung provided an update on his condition.

"I just came back from chemotherapy yesterday, so I feel extremely nauseous, can't eat much, and have a severe headache," he revealed at the start of the video. He then proceeded to answer questions, detailing the early warning signs his body exhibited prior to his leukemia diagnosis.

"At first, I just slept constantly. The fatigue never went away, and I felt like I could sleep anytime," Cha Hyun-seung explained. "Then, I started noticing purple bruises appearing on my legs, even though I hadn't bumped into anything. I had a lot of bruising." He also noted a drastic decline in his physical stamina, stating, "I used to run 10km easily, but suddenly, walking even a few steps became difficult, and I couldn't climb stairs because I'd get so breathless."

After visiting a local clinic for a health check-up, he experienced severe hematuria (blood in urine). "It wasn't just a little blood mixed in; it was literally like pure blood coming out," he recalled.

Following further tests, he received a call from the clinic informing him that his platelet, white blood cell, and red blood cell counts were critically low, indicating a serious issue. He was advised to get tested at a larger hospital. However, due to a medical strike, even emergency rooms refused to admit him. "I wandered around with just a referral paper, and they told me to wait. They said there might be an opening in 5 to 6 months," he shared. "When I failed to get admitted in the Seoul area and started looking into hospitals in Gyeonggi Province, I was truly terrified."

Describing his despair, Cha Hyun-seung eventually found a cancellation spot at Korea University Anam Hospital. "I went straight there, got tested, and was admitted," he said. He is currently undergoing treatment, which involves receiving chemotherapy, blood transfusions when his counts drop, and painkillers and fever reducers, before being discharged and re-admitted as needed.

Netizens are sending Cha Hyun-seung messages of support following his courageous revelation. Comments such as "Thank you for sharing honestly even in this difficult time" and "We hope for your speedy recovery and look forward to seeing you active and healthy again" are flooding in.