Jennifer Esposito has opened up about a yearslong health battle that left her severely ill, struggling with depression and suicidal thoughts before doctors eventually diagnosed her with celiac disease. The actress, best known for her role as Chief of Police Jackie Curatola on Blue Bloods, discussed the experience during an appearance on Maria Menounos’ Heal Squad podcast.

Esposito said her health problems began during her early career as an actress in New York City. As doctors struggled to determine the cause of her symptoms, she was referred to mental health professionals and prescribed multiple medications. She recalled becoming “deeply depressed” and experiencing suicidal thoughts as her physical condition continued to deteriorate.

At one point, Esposito said doctors considered electroconvulsive therapy because she was not responding to treatment. She also described herself as particularly sensitive to medication, making the period especially difficult for her and her family.

Her physical symptoms eventually became impossible to ignore. While filming the ABC comedy Samantha Who?, which aired from 2007 to 2009, Esposito recalled losing her hair and nails. During one scene, she said, a tooth actually fell out of her mouth.

“I was mortified but also had been so ill that I just… I went hysterical,” she recalled, saying she felt that someone had to help her.

After receiving multiple incorrect explanations for her condition, Esposito said one therapist suggested that stress was responsible for her symptoms. She rejected that explanation and continued searching for answers, trying various approaches including holistic treatments and dietary changes.

The actress eventually reached a breaking point. During one drive, she said she questioned whether she had become convinced that she was ill because doctors could not find an underlying cause.

Shortly afterward, an alarming incident on the road became a turning point. Esposito recalled that a large piece of wood fell from a truck ahead of her and crashed through her windshield. After pulling over, she said she viewed the incident as a reason to keep looking for an explanation rather than giving up.

Two days later, she received the diagnosis she had been seeking. A doctor informed her that she had celiac disease and told her that her condition was so severe that her liver was failing.

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder in which the immune system reacts to gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley and rye. The reaction can damage the small intestine and cause a range of symptoms, including fatigue, digestive problems, weight loss and anemia.

Esposito immediately eliminated gluten from her diet, but recovery was not immediate. She recalled continuing to experience severe physical symptoms and said she was taking four Klonopin pills a day while still experiencing intense trembling.

Her mental health struggles also led to a psychiatric hospitalization after she told a doctor she feared she might harm herself. Esposito said she had reached a point where she felt unable to continue living with her unexplained illness.

Over time, however, her condition improved. Esposito told Menounos that finally identifying celiac disease was life-changing, describing the diagnosis as something that ultimately “saved her life.”

Source: https://www.tvinsider.com/