Joe Manganiello Shares Hospital Photos and Details Seven-Year Health Crisis in Memoir
Joe Manganiello lost 60 pounds in two weeks and had his large intestine amputated during a private seven-year battle with a mysterious autoimmune condition, according to details shared in his memoir Bloodlines.
The 49-year-old actor posted graphic photos of his hospitalization on Instagram on Thursday, October 15, detailing a medical crisis that attacked his thyroid, digestive system, lungs, eyes, and skin. Manganiello wrote that his weight plummeted after surgery to remove his large intestine, noting that the top of his first ostomy bag was visible in one of the shared images.
The Path of a Mystery Illness and Emergency Surgery
Manganiello first began experiencing symptoms in 2016 after collapsing on a film set in North Carolina. An excerpt from his book published by The Hollywood Reporter described an intestinal rupture.
Doctors performed surgery to remove his large intestine. Manganiello credited his then-wife, Sofía Vergara, with making the “brutal but life-saving decision” to have his intestine removed.
Following the initial crisis, Manganiello underwent additional procedures, including a reconnection surgery to remove the ostomy bag. He also shared images of severe rashes across his face, stating that his skin suffered from a multitude of conditions simultaneously while his immune system struggled during the seven-year period.
Revelations Concerning the Memoir and Former Marriage
Alongside the medical details, Bloodlines addresses tensions within Manganiello’s marriage to Vergara during his illness. The actor claimed in the book that Vergara ridiculed him and refused to hug him while he was severely sick.
The couple was married for seven years before separating in 2023, and they settled their divorce in 2024. In the wake of the memoir’s release, Vergara shared a social media post about narcissistic men originally posted by her son, Manolo.
Manganiello also wrote that he sought alternative treatments. He consulted shamans and explored pagan rituals, recalling in his book that one shaman suggested an ex-partner of Vergara’s had placed a voodoo curse on him in New Orleans.
Manganiello identified the person of interest as Vergara’s ex Nick Loeb. In an exclusive statement to Page Six, Loeb responded: “I pray they find Jesus — not another shaman.”
Responses and Subsequent Developments
Manganiello has since moved on and proposed to Caitlin O’Connor last year. O’Connor celebrated the release of Bloodlines on Instagram ahead of its October 13 publication date, noting that the book made the New York Times “What to Read” list.
While Manganiello’s medical disclosures have drawn attention, the exact autoimmune condition responsible for his seven-year illness remains undiagnosed.
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