Sana Maqbul puts up a brave front when describing her auto-immune diagnosis at the time when “my career was just taking off”. Being diagnosed with Hepatitis in 2020, the actor, who does not consume alcohol, admits that it was a long road to identifying the disease that had been causing her pain. “Alarming things kept happening, and I had a few consultations. My previous doctor put me on steroids for a month, but didn’t tell me what the issue was. I was apprehensive to be put on steroids because I feared gaining weight, but it was essential,” says Maqbul, who says she found the appropriate guidance when she sought another opinion. 

“My doctor Akash Shukla understood my profession and the importance of [how I looked]. That was a relief. Also, he understood how curious I am, and took an effort to explain what was happening to me. He prepared me for the [side-effects] I would encounter, including hair-fall, which I still encounter, swelling, dryness of the skin, and drowsiness. Being prepared helped me. Because the process was mentally, emotionally, and physically draining, I turned to yoga. It helped me mentally deal with the situation.”