Joe Manganiello Details Seven-Year Battle with Undiagnosed Autoimmune Disease

Joe Manganiello has revealed that he spent seven years battling a mysterious autoimmune illness that he says nearly killed him. The actor, known for his roles in "True Blood" and "Magic Mike," details the ordeal in his new memoir, "Bloodlines," which was released on Oct. 13.

Health Crisis and Surgery

Manganiello, 49, describes a period of severe physical decline that began shortly after his 2015 marriage to actress Sofía Vergara. Symptoms included excruciating abdominal pain, fevers, blistering rashes, and rectal bleeding. Over the course of seven years, he lost 60 lbs. and underwent numerous medical procedures.

In 2016, Manganiello underwent emergency surgery that resulted in the removal of part of his intestines. "In the days following the amputation of my large intestine, my weight began to plummet," Manganiello wrote in an Instagram caption shared with Entertainment Weekly. "I would ultimately lose a total of 60 lbs during the two weeks following the surgery. If you zoom in, you can see the top of my first ostomy bag creeping over the sheets."

The actor never received a conclusive diagnosis. "[Autoimmune] conditions are a dumping ground for things [doctors] don't understand," Manganiello told People. "They start running you through this gauntlet of drugs." He was prescribed medications for nerve pain, Crohn’s disease, and colitis, none of which worked. To manage the pain, he relied on hydrocodone, fentanyl patches, and marijuana, which he says challenged his 13 years of sobriety.

Impact on Marriage

The illness contributed to the end of Manganiello’s seven-year marriage to Vergara. He writes that the relationship became "devoid of any emotionality whatsoever." While Vergara previously stated in a Spanish newspaper that the divorce was due to their differing desires regarding children, Manganiello claims he gave up the idea of having a child because of his health. He states he did not want to leave Vergara with a child "who wasn't biologically hers" if he were to die.

Manganiello also describes seeking alternative treatments, including a visit to a medicine man in Cuba and a shaman in Santa Monica who attributed his condition to generational trauma related to his Armenian ancestry.

Recovery and New Chapter

Manganiello says his symptoms unexpectedly stopped three years ago. He has since undergone follow-up surgery to reconnect his digestive tract and remove the ostomy bag. "There are remnants from the surgeries and procedures that I have to live with, but I don't complain about them because life is manageable," he told Entertainment Weekly. "I weathered that storm and came out of the other end, and I say it in the book, but life began again for me."

Dr. Dawn Beaulieu, a gastroenterologist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center who has not treated Manganiello, noted that "Autoimmune diseases can go into remission." She added, "From a medical standpoint, all we know is that he’s better. This was his journey."

Manganiello is now engaged to Caitlin O’Connor, 37, whom he met after filing for divorce in 2023. He says he is off medication and symptom-free. "I can’t believe I’m alive," Manganiello said. "I feel like I was reborn."

Why it matters

Manganiello’s account highlights the challenges patients face when dealing with undiagnosed autoimmune conditions, including the lack of clear medical answers and the physical and emotional toll of long-term illness. His story also illustrates the complex intersection of health crises and personal relationships, as well as the potential for recovery even after severe medical setbacks.

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Sources

• people.com: Joe Manganiello Reveals 7-Year Battle with Near-Fatal Autoimmune Disease (Exclusive)
• ew.com: Joe Manganiello photos show dramatic weight loss after health crisis

This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.