News | Entertainment
29 Jan 2026 9:32
NZCity News
NZCity CalculatorReturn to NZCity

  • Start Page
  • Personalise
  • Sport
  • Weather
  • Finance
  • Shopping
  • Jobs
  • Horoscopes
  • Lotto Results
  • Photo Gallery
  • Site Gallery
  • TVNow
  • Dating
  • SearchNZ
  • NZSearch
  • Crime.co.nz
  • RugbyLeague
  • Make Home
  • About NZCity
  • Contact NZCity
  • Your Privacy
  • Advertising
  • Login
  • Join for Free

  •   Home > News > Entertainment

    Bethenny Frankel has been diagnosed with stage two chronic kidney disease

    The Real Housewives of New York alum - who was struck down with skin inflammation while on holiday in Saint Barthelemy over New Year's - shared that her kidneys have mild damage and are not working as well as normal in a candid video shared to social media on Thursday (22.01.26).


    Bethenny, 55, said: "So I have a medical announcement, not because I want you to worry, because I want you to take precautions in your own life, be mindful.

    "Months ago, I decided that 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. And each time, my kidney function was coming up low."

    The reality TV star admitted she "didn't want to go" to her "doctor's appointment with a kidney specialist" on Thursday, but her team encouraged her to attend.

    Bethenny then got told she has "stage two chronic kidney disease".

    She added: "And he said it could be a function of this traumatic experience I had years ago, and I almost died from an allergy attack. It could have done damage to the kidney.

    "'It could be autoimmune. It's connected to urinary, which I do get UTI, not as much anymore."

    The founder-and-CEO of lifestyle brand, Skinnygirl, admitted that she does not drink a lot of water - but has to now drink "a litre and a half a day" because it's her "medicine".

    The doctor also told Bethenny that she can "put her hydration packets" in the water, but added that she "can't have ibuprofen or Aleve or Advil", but she can have Tylenol.

    Bethenny added that she "can't have turmeric and one other thing" as she tucked into a scoop of ice cream, which the doctor said she can have.

    The media personality then told her fans she has low blood pressure and has problems with POTS (Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome).

    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", according to Cleveland Clinic.

    Bethenny said: "Then you're going to keep getting it tested. I've a very low blood pressure. My blood pressure today was, I think, 8/60. That's always been the case.

    "I have had issues with POTS after the vaccine. Some of us discussed that. I have 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 have to deal with forever."

    The mom-of-one - daughter Bryn, 15, whom she has with her 55-year-old ex-husband, TV personality Jason Hoppy - then urged her supporters to "go get all your blood work done".

    Bethenny added: "All of it, be thorough ,and then do the follow-ups for anything that seems like an outlier, and frankly, get your blood work 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 this case, it was a pattern, and I don't know exactly what it means. Many of you will, which is also why I'm sharing with you, because you guys are part-time doctors, and I love you guys, and I don't know. Bye."

    © 2026 Bang Showbiz, NZCity

     Other Entertainment News
     29 Jan: Grimes and Elon Musk disagree over screen time for their children
     29 Jan: Simon Cowell went "too far" with his crushing put-downs on The X Factor - admitting he was a "d***" and is "sorry"
     29 Jan: Queen Camilla's charity is to study the benefits of book clubs
     29 Jan: Jason Segel's mom briefly stormed out of the Forgetting Sarah Marshall premiere after seeing him give a full-frontal display on-screen
     29 Jan: Craig Robinson says an ex-girlfriend thought he was secretly married like Michelle Obama's brother of the same name
     29 Jan: Chris Pratt nearly made Christo his stage name
     28 Jan: Elle Fanning broke down in tears upon finding out she had received her first Oscar nomination
     Top Stories

    RUGBY RUGBY
    All Blacks are returning to Super Rugby franchises while the hunt for a new national coach remains the talking point More...


    BUSINESS BUSINESS
    Economists are expecting the Official Cash Rate to rise sooner rather than later - flattening forecasts for the property market More...



     Today's News

    Basketball:
    Adelaide and Brisbane have given new meaning to the 'Ignite Cup' in basketball's ANBL 9:27

    Entertainment:
    Grimes and Elon Musk disagree over screen time for their children 9:01

    Politics:
    Non-urgent events are dominating the number of 111 calls for ambulances, as paramedics struggle to keep up with demand 8:37

    Entertainment:
    Simon Cowell went "too far" with his crushing put-downs on The X Factor - admitting he was a "d***" and is "sorry" 8:31

    Business:
    Economists are expecting the Official Cash Rate to rise sooner rather than later - flattening forecasts for the property market 8:27

    Environment:
    NZTA has reopened one highway after the recent severe weather, but many others still remain closed 8:17

    Entertainment:
    Queen Camilla's charity is to study the benefits of book clubs 8:01

    International:
    The US wanted to ban TikTok over national security concerns. Does a deal with China fix that? 7:57

    Law and Order:
    Police are investigating an assault in Hamilton after a man's been found critically injured overnight 7:47

    Cricket:
    A boost to New Zealand's T20 World Cup cricket confidence with a 50-run win over India in the fourth match of the five-game series at Visakhapatnam  7:37


     News Search






    Power Search


    © 2026 New Zealand City Ltd