Bethenny Frankel is sharing a medical announcement with his fans and followers.
“Months ago, I decided I was going to be very proactive about blood tests, bone density, all the things I heard people talking about,” Frankel, 55, shared via Instagram on Thursday, January 22. “I started having a series of blood tests. Each time, my kidney function went down.”
After making an appointment with a kidney specialist, the first Real Housewives of New York City star received a diagnosis.
“He said, ‘You have stage 2 chronic kidney disease,'” Frankel revealed. “He said it might be a function of this traumatic experience I had years ago when I almost died from an allergy attack. It could have damaged the kidney. It could be autoimmune.”
It’s hard to believe now, but when we first met Bethenny Frankel on The Apprentice: Martha Stewart in 2005 and got to know her better on The Real Housewives of New York City in 2008, she had very little money. In fact, it’s hard to remember a time before Frankel, period, so rooted in the (…)
In December 2018, Frankel he was hospitalized after a severe allergic reaction to fish. The SkinnyGirl founder then revealed to her followers that she almost died after eating a cup of soup.
In her latest social media post, the “Just B With Bethenny” podcast host admitted that she doesn’t drink enough water, which may have also contributed to her diagnosis.
“I always have a hydration pack,” Frankel said. “He said, ‘Water is your medicine. You have to drink a liter and a half a day.'”
According to the Mayo Clinicstage 2 chronic kidney disease can cause “mild loss of kidney function”.
Chronic kidney disease occurs when the kidneys are damaged for more than a few months. The kidneys clean the blood by removing waste and excess fluid, which leaves the body in the form of urine. They help control blood pressure and balance salt and minerals.
Frankel said he didn’t want to share his story to worry fans. Instead, he wanted his community to “take precautions” in their own lives and “be alert.”
“I may have to deal with this forever,” Frankel said. “But I wanted to tell you because I think it’s important to get all of your blood work done. Follow up on anything that looks like an outlier. I don’t know what that means, but a lot of you will be another reason I’m sharing because you’re part-time doctors and I love you.”
Shortly after sharing her news online, Frankel began receiving advice and support from her community.
“Don’t hesitate to ask your doctor if you can record audio apps to help you remember things,” the Food Network star said Sunny Anderson he wrote in the comments section. “In many states you don’t need to ask to record.❤️❤️❤️❤️.”
influencer Lora McLaughlin Peterson she added: “Thanks for sharing! This is so important. I’m glad you’re into this! I lost a sister to kidney disease years ago because we didn’t know what we know today. I really appreciate you being so honest about this! Information is power ❤️.”
Frankel also thanked her team for pushing her to attend this week’s doctor’s appointment after confessing, “I didn’t feel like going today.”
“Medical cautionary tale,” she captioned her video post on Instagram. “#drinkingwater #kidneydisease”.