Suni Lee Disease Explained: What Really Happened with the Olympic Star

It started with a pair of swollen ankles.

Honestly, if you're an elite gymnast like Suni Lee, you probably expect a little puffiness after a day of pounding the floor and sticking landings. But by the next morning, her entire body had transformed. It wasn't just "training fatigue."

Within two weeks, she had gained 40 pounds of water weight. Her eyes were swollen shut. Her hands were so bloated she couldn't even grip the uneven bars.

When we talk about the Suni Lee disease, we aren't talking about a single, simple diagnosis you can find on a pharmacy shelf. We’re talking about a terrifying medical mystery that nearly ended the career of an Olympic gold medalist before she even hit her 21st birthday.

The Diagnosis That No One Saw Coming

For months, the public was kept in the dark. We knew Suni had ended her college career at Auburn early, citing a "non-gymnastics health issue." Behind the scenes, she was basically rotting in bed, unable to look at herself in the mirror because she didn't recognize the person staring back.

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Initially, doctors brushed it off. They told her it was just allergies.

It wasn't.

Eventually, Team USA physician Dr. Marcia Faustin pushed for a urine test and a biopsy. The results were life-altering: Suni was diagnosed with two rare kidney diseases. While she has chosen to keep the specific names of these conditions private—mostly because the medical team is still learning how they interact with her body—the symptoms align closely with things like Nephrotic Syndrome or IgA Nephropathy.

Essentially, her kidneys stopped filtering waste correctly and started dumping protein into her urine while holding onto massive amounts of fluid.

Why Suni Lee's Disease Was a "Career Ender"

In gymnastics, your body is a precision instrument. If your weight fluctuates by five pounds, your "air sense" is gone. Suni was carrying 40 pounds of extra fluid.

Imagine trying to do a double-twisting double-back flip when you can’t even squeeze your fingers into a fist.

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"I kept peeling off the bar," she told reporters. She literally couldn't hold on. Her doctors were blunt: they didn't think she'd ever do gymnastics again. They were worried about her long-term quality of life, not her medal count.

The Gritty Reality of the Comeback

• Medication Rollercoaster: Her doctors were constantly "monkeying" with her meds. Some days she’d wake up feeling okay; other days, she had hot flashes, cold spells, and crushing headaches.
• Modified Training: There were days she’d go to the gym just to bounce on a trampoline because her eyes were too swollen to see the beam.
• Sodium Lockdown: She had to completely overhaul her diet, cutting out almost all salt to manage the fluid retention.

It wasn't a linear path. It was messy. She had moments where she wanted to quit because the "old Suni"—the one who won gold in Tokyo—felt like a ghost.

Breaking the Stigma: The American Kidney Fund

Suni didn't just hide away once she got better. She’s now a major advocate for the American Kidney Fund’s "Know Your Kidneys" campaign.

The goal? To stop people from ignoring the signs.

Kidney disease is often called a "silent killer" because you don't feel "sick" until things are already going south. Suni’s experience of being told she had "allergies" is actually super common. She’s using her platform to tell people: advocate for yourself. If you know something is wrong with your body, don't let a doctor tell you it's just stress or a seasonal sniffle.

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How Is She Doing Now? (The 2026 Update)

As of early 2026, the news is remarkably good. Suni has shared that her kidney disease is in remission.

Now, "remission" doesn't mean "cured." It means the symptoms are under control and her kidney function has stabilized. She still has to be incredibly careful. She credits her current health to a massive reduction in stress—no more weekly NCAA competitions—and a move to New York City where she’s focusing on life beyond the gym.

She’s still the same girl who brought her doctor, Dr. Faustin, as her date to the ESPYs. That tells you everything you need to know about how close she came to the edge.

Practical Steps If You Suspect Kidney Issues

If you’re seeing Suni’s story and realizing your own "puffiness" isn't normal, here is what you actually need to do. Don't just Google symptoms and panic.

1. Request a Urinalysis: This is a simple pee test. It checks for protein. If there’s protein in your urine (proteinuria), it’s a massive red flag that your kidneys aren't filtering right.
2. Check Your Blood Pressure: High BP is both a cause and a symptom of kidney damage.
3. Monitor Edema: If you press your thumb into a swollen ankle and it leaves a "pit" or an indentation that stays there, that’s not normal.
4. Find a Specialist: If your primary doctor is dismissive, find a Nephrologist.

Suni Lee proved that a chronic diagnosis isn't a finish line. It's just a different kind of starting block. She went from 40 pounds of fluid and a "career-ending" prognosis to winning three more medals in Paris.

The "Stronger Suni" she talks about isn't just a PR slogan. It's the reality of someone who had to fight her own biology to stand on a podium.

Next Steps for Your Health:
If you or a loved one are experiencing unexplained swelling or chronic fatigue, visit the American Kidney Fund to find a screening center near you. Early detection is the only reason Suni Lee was able to compete in 2024.