By Miguel Mike Medina
Photo Credit: Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images for The New Yorker
Comedian-actor Kenan Thompson revealed his health diagnosis that he’s been battling for years. Thompson suffered from acid reflux.
Thompson began to experience health problems after eating acidic foods. His health situation was affecting him professionally while working at Saturday Night Live, and he struggled to sleep at night.
According to People Magazine, Thompson said that he was having painful heartburn, and he needed to check himself with a doctor to figure out what was going on.
“I noticed I would get hoarse much easier while doing the show. Losing my voice quicker, but also uncomfortable sleepless nights because I’m burping up acid, just hiccuping all night,” Thompson explained. “And that can add more stress to an already stressful environment doing a live show like that. So, I was like, whatever, I’ll get over all of those factors. But it just started to pile up.”
Thompson’s doctor told him that he was diagnosed with Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
What is GERD? It’s an uncomfortable feeling because yours genuinely suffers from acid reflux as well.
GERD is when the “stomach acid repeatedly flows back up into the tube connecting the mouth and stomach, called the esophagus,” according to the Mayo Clinic. “This backwash is known as acid reflux.”
Acid reflux can limit your appetite or the amount of food you consume. Folks who suffer from acid reflux will likely eat small meals very slowly. It’s an annoying and uncomfortable process.
Thompson’s doctor recommended him to Voquezna. It’s working on Thompson because he feels healthier and better than ever. Voquezna is a potassium-competitive acid blocker to treat chronic conditions.
After what he went through, Thompson decided to make a difference and bring awareness about GERD. Thompson is now partnering with Phathom Pharmaceuticals for the GERD IS NO JOKE campaign.
He’s telling the truth. GERD IS NO JOKE. It’s a battle I’ve been going through since June 2021, but I will be better than ever and soon heal from it.
Miguel Mike Medina is the publisher of The MMM Journal. He can be reached at medinamiguelmike@gmail.com and themmmjournal@gmail.com
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