Bethenny Frankel Reveals Stage 2 Chronic Kidney Disease Diagnosis
Bethenny Frankel is opening up about her health.
In a new TikTok video posted on Thursday (January 22), the 55-year-old former Real Housewives of New York City star revealed that she has been diagnosed with Stage 2 chronic kidney disease.
Bethenny said that she had “proactive about blood tests, bone density, all the things,” and repeated tests showed that “my kidney function was coming up low.”
Keep reading to find out more…She was referred to a kidney specialist, but shared, “I didn’t want to go … I didn’t feel like going today.”
Bethenny decided to go to the appointment, and it’s a good thing she did because that’s how she learned about her diagnosis.
“He said to me, ‘You have stage 2 chronic kidney disease,’” the Skinnygirl founder shared, explaining that it could be autoimmune, or could have been caused by “this traumatic experience I had years ago when I almost died from an allergy attack. It could have done damage to the kidney.”
@bethennyfrankel Medical cautionary tale #drinkwater #kidneydisease #health #bloodwork ♬ original sound – Bethenny Frankel
In Stage 2 of chronic kidney disease, there is “mild loss of kidney function,” according to the Mayo Clinic. Lowering blood pressure, along with regular monitoring, can keep the disease from progressing.
Bethenny said that the disease has likely caused infections she has battled in the past.
“I do get UTIs, not as much anymore,” she said, noting that the first line of treatment is to stay hydrated, which she admitted she struggles with.
“I don’t drink a lot of water … I’m holding a bottle, but I’m not usually drinking it,” she said. When she told her doctor that she drinks kombucha, “He said, ‘Water is your medicine. You have to drink a giant —’ I think he said 1.5 [gallons] — ‘and you can put your hydration packets in it.’”
The doctor also told Bethenny to cut out ibuprofen, Aleve or Advil, turmeric, and a few other things she couldn’t recall — including ice cream, which she was eating on camera.
“I remembered after,” she added.
Bethenny said that she decided to to publicly share her diagnosis because “I want you to take precautions in your own life, be mindful.”
If you didn’t see, Bethenny was forced to leave her vacation in St. Barts early after she contracted a bacterial infection on her face.