Reality Star Reveals Stage 2 Kidney Disease Diagnosis, Urges Proactive Health Checks
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Bethenny Frankel, known for her candor, is sharing a personal health battle to encourage others to prioritize routine medical testing.
- Bethenny Frankel, 55, has been diagnosed with stage 2 chronic kidney disease.
- The diagnosis came after proactive blood tests revealed consistently low kidney function.
- Frankel is emphasizing the importance of regular health screenings and following up on any unusual results.
- She suspects the condition may be linked to a severe allergic reaction she experienced years ago.
Bethenny Frankel is opening up about a recent health scare, revealing she’s been diagnosed with stage 2 chronic kidney disease. The former “The Real Housewives of New York” star shared the news on TikTok on Jan. 22, explaining she’s speaking out not for sympathy, but as a warning to others to prioritize their health.
“I have a medical announcement. Not because I want you to worry, but because I want you to take precautions in your own life, be mindful,” Frankel said in the video. She explained that she’s always been diligent about health screenings, but the diagnosis still came as a surprise.
Proactive Testing Revealed the Issue
According to the SkinnyGirl founder, she’d been consistently monitoring her health with routine blood tests and bone density scans. However, repeated lab results began to show concerning trends. “My kidney function was coming up low,” she shared. This prompted a referral to a kidney specialist, a visit she initially hesitated to make. “I didn’t want to go… I didn’t feel like going today,” she confessed.
Despite her reluctance, she followed through with the appointment, where she received the diagnosis. “He said to me, ‘You have stage 2 chronic kidney disease,’” Frankel revealed. Doctors believe the condition could be autoimmune-related or a consequence of a near-fatal allergic reaction she suffered in the past. “It 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.’” Stage 2 kidney disease is characterized by a mild loss of kidney function and is often manageable with careful monitoring and blood pressure control.
Lifestyle Adjustments and Recurring Health Issues
Frankel noted that the kidney issues may already be impacting her health, potentially contributing to recurring urinary tract infections (UTIs). “I do get UTIs, not as much anymore,” she said. Her doctor’s advice was straightforward: drastically increase her water intake. “I don’t drink a lot of water… I’m holding a bottle, but I’m not usually drinking it.” When she mentioned her preference for kombucha, the doctor’s response was blunt: “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.” She also received a list of foods to avoid, including ibuprofen, Aleve, Advil, turmeric, and even ice cream, which she was enjoying during the video. “I remembered after,” she joked.
This diagnosis adds to a recent string of health challenges for Frankel. In 2023, she was diagnosed with long COVID and Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS). Earlier this month, she also battled a bacterial infection while vacationing in St. Barth’s.
Frankel emphasized that she’s sharing her experience because the condition may be long-term. “Maybe this is something I’ll have to deal with forever, but I just wanted to tell you because I think it’s important to go get all your bloodwork done.” She urged her followers to be proactive about their health. “Be thorough,” she said, encouraging regular testing and follow-up appointments. “Then do the follow-ups for anything that seems like an outlier. And frankly, get your bloodwork done maybe six months and then six months later, because different stuff could come up and sometimes it’s an aberration and sometimes it means something.”
In typical Frankel fashion, she ended with a mix of honesty and humor, admitting she’s still trying to fully understand the diagnosis and jokingly hoping to find answers from “part-time doctors” on TikTok. “I don’t know exactly what it means. Many of you will, which is also why I’m sharing with you.”
