An anxious Bethenny Frankel was disappointed to reveal that she has suffered a setback in her battle with kidney disease.
Frankel, 55, learned her health woes were now taking ‘a step in the wrong direction’ following an appointment with her kidney doctor.
After initially being diagnosed with stage two chronic kidney disease, Frankel learned she actually has stage 3a chronic kidney disease.
Not only that, but Frankel’s doctor discovered a liver nodule during her appointment.
While the RHONY alum was advised to not be ‘totally alarmed’ and that ‘it can fluctuate’, she couldn’t help but feel ‘sick to my stomach’ sharing the news with followers.
‘Just left the kidney doctor, he said that I actually have stage three A chronic kidney disease, which is right in the middle, not quite at medication point except that he said water is your medicine but he really, really emphasized that turmeric and moringa, he’s seen a lot of issues with in people who have kidney issues,’ she told followers from her car.
Bethenny Frankel was disappointed to reveal a setback in her battle with kidney disease
‘He found a liver nodule on me and my sonogram so it’s important to get these tests and stay with this stuff because you could find other things.
‘He really emphasized with big wellness, that all the different supplements, whether it’s for your health or some health benefit, or a call out, that people are just running to do everything and that you have to make sure that your doctor knows about it because some things can affect different parts of your body on different people differently.
‘It’s not really a one size fits all model, he says moringa and turmeric, yes, it’s not good for the kidney in a one-size-fits-all model but all of the other supplements that everyone is being pushed and sold affect people differently.
‘So, he said that my kidneys have had some damage, because presumably, my big anaphylactic allergy episode years ago, but it’s not quite for medication, I’m not going to be quite alarmed yet, and we’ll keep drinking water because that is the most important thing, so that gives me anxiety because I’m always dehydrated, and I’m just saying it to you because I want you to mind your supplements, mind your water, and mind your getting tested regularly for things like this.
‘He also said that it can fluctuate so right now this is a step in the wrong direction, but not to totally be alarmed, to come back and get tested in a couple of months. He’s a Johns Hopkins doctor. I have a little bit anxiety and I’m sick to my stomach but I’m just remaining calm.’
Frankel announced her diagnosis with kidney disease last month.
‘So, I have a medical announcement,’ she began while sitting outside, but explained she did not want anyone to ‘worry.’
‘Months ago I decided I was going to be very proactive about blood tests, bone density, all the things I had heard people talking about. And I started to take a series of blood tests.’
Frankel said that each time she had a blood test done, her kidney function results would have a ‘low’ result.
Frankel’s doctor discovered she had a liver nodule during her appointment and upgraded her diagnosis from stage two to stage 3a chronic kidney disease
Frankel, 55, announced last month that she has been diagnosed with stage two chronic kidney disease; seen in May 2025 in Miami Beach
‘Then today, I was told I had a doctor’s appointment with a kidney specialist and I didn’t even want to go,’ the TV personality shared.
The reality star expressed that she made herself go to the appointment, with her team also encouraging her to go.
Frankel then stated that the doctor told her she has ‘stage two chronic kidney disease.’
‘And he said it could be a function of this traumatic experience I had years ago when I almost died from an allergy attack. It could have done damage to the kidney,’ she said.
Another cause could be an autoimmune disorder while adding ‘it’s connected to urinary, which I do get UTIs – not as much anymore.’
The media personality admitted that she doesn’t drink a lot of water, with the doctor telling her that ‘water is your medicine.’
‘So, I have a medical announcement,’ she began in her video announcing her diagnosis
Frankel added that she has to stay away from ‘ibuprofen or Aleve or Advil’ but can still have Tylenol.
‘He said you can’t have turmeric and one other thing,’ she said while indulging in a scoop of ice cream which the doctor informed the star she could have. POTS is ‘a condition that causes a number of symptoms when you transition from lying down to standing up, such as a fast heart rate, dizziness and fatigue,’ per Cleveland Clinic.
Frankel said she was open with her doctor about her other health conditions, including ‘severe dehydration.’
‘So, I’m trying to tell him everything so we can sort of try to be ahead of it and maybe get my levels back up. Maybe this is something I will have to deal with forever.’
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) occurs when ‘kidneys slowly get damaged and can’t do important jobs like removing waste and keeping blood pressure normal,’ per the National Kidney Foundation.
