You won’t believe the shocking health diagnosis that left this TV series star fearing for her life at just 29
- Replies 0
It’s easy to look at the stars of our favourite TV shows and imagine their lives are all glitz, glamour, and red carpets.
But as Modern Family’s Julie Bowen recently revealed, even the brightest stars can face life-changing health scares—sometimes when they least expect it.
Julie Bowen, best known for her hilarious and heartfelt role as Claire Dunphy on Modern Family, has opened up about a terrifying chapter in her life that began when she was just 29.
In a candid chat on the Inside of You podcast with Michael Rosenbaum, Julie shared the story of her shocking diagnosis: sick sinus syndrome, a heart rhythm disorder that affects the body’s natural pacemaker.
For those unfamiliar, sick sinus syndrome can cause the heart to beat too slowly, too quickly, or with long pauses in between.
In Julie’s case, her specific condition is called hypervagotonia, which means her vagus nerve was overactive—slowing her heart rate to dangerously low levels. While a typical resting heart rate for women is between 60 and 100 beats per minute, Julie’s would sometimes dip into the 30s!
The diagnosis came about in a rather unexpected way. Julie was on holiday with her sister, Annie Luetkemeyer, who had just finished medical school and, as new doctors often do, carried her stethoscope everywhere.
Annie decided to have a listen to Julie’s heart and immediately knew something wasn’t right. 'That is not what they’ve been telling you, and it’s not runner’s heart or whatever. That means you need to go to a cardiologist,' Annie insisted.
Like many of us, Julie initially brushed off her sister’s concerns. 'I’m fine,' she said, but Annie wouldn’t let it go.
Thankfully, her persistence paid off. Just a month later, after filming the pilot for the TV series Ed, Julie went to see a specialist and was told she needed a pacemaker—immediately.
'I was like, ‘Oh my God. My life is over. This is so weird. I’m gonna die,’' Julie recalled. It’s a feeling many of us can relate to when faced with a sudden health crisis, especially at a young age.
The thought of needing a pacemaker at 29 was overwhelming, but the alternative was even scarier. Doctors warned her that without it, she could pass out at any time—even while driving.
Since getting her pacemaker, Julie has had the batteries replaced three times, but she admits she often forgets it’s even there.
'I forget about it all the time,' she said. And despite her health scare, she hasn’t let it slow her down one bit. Julie continues to light up our screens, and she’s even reprising her role as Virginia Venit in the upcoming sequel to the classic comedy Happy Gilmore.
Speaking of Happy Gilmore, Julie shared a funny story about how she found out she’d be returning for the sequel.
Her own children broke the news to her—sort of! 'My now 18-year-old said, ‘Mum, I hear they’re doing a sequel and he’s with Sydney Sweeney as a cart girl.’' Julie joked that she was both hurt and impressed by the rumour, but was thrilled when she got the official call to return.
Source: People / Youtube.
The new film promises a star-studded cast, including Bad Bunny, Margaret Qualley, Benny Safdie, Travis Kelce, Kym Whitley, and even Eminem.
Julie admitted to being a bit starstruck herself, especially around Bad Bunny. 'I can’t actually look you in the eye, I’m going to have to walk away,' she laughed.
Have you or someone you know ever had a health scare that changed your outlook on life? Or maybe you’ve had a persistent family member who helped you catch something early? We’d love to hear your stories and thoughts in the comments below!
But as Modern Family’s Julie Bowen recently revealed, even the brightest stars can face life-changing health scares—sometimes when they least expect it.
Julie Bowen, best known for her hilarious and heartfelt role as Claire Dunphy on Modern Family, has opened up about a terrifying chapter in her life that began when she was just 29.
In a candid chat on the Inside of You podcast with Michael Rosenbaum, Julie shared the story of her shocking diagnosis: sick sinus syndrome, a heart rhythm disorder that affects the body’s natural pacemaker.
For those unfamiliar, sick sinus syndrome can cause the heart to beat too slowly, too quickly, or with long pauses in between.
In Julie’s case, her specific condition is called hypervagotonia, which means her vagus nerve was overactive—slowing her heart rate to dangerously low levels. While a typical resting heart rate for women is between 60 and 100 beats per minute, Julie’s would sometimes dip into the 30s!
Modern Family star Julie Bowen revealed she was diagnosed with sick sinus syndrome at age 29 and required a pacemaker to regulate her heart rate. Image source: People / Youtube.
The diagnosis came about in a rather unexpected way. Julie was on holiday with her sister, Annie Luetkemeyer, who had just finished medical school and, as new doctors often do, carried her stethoscope everywhere.
Annie decided to have a listen to Julie’s heart and immediately knew something wasn’t right. 'That is not what they’ve been telling you, and it’s not runner’s heart or whatever. That means you need to go to a cardiologist,' Annie insisted.
Like many of us, Julie initially brushed off her sister’s concerns. 'I’m fine,' she said, but Annie wouldn’t let it go.
Thankfully, her persistence paid off. Just a month later, after filming the pilot for the TV series Ed, Julie went to see a specialist and was told she needed a pacemaker—immediately.
'I was like, ‘Oh my God. My life is over. This is so weird. I’m gonna die,’' Julie recalled. It’s a feeling many of us can relate to when faced with a sudden health crisis, especially at a young age.
The thought of needing a pacemaker at 29 was overwhelming, but the alternative was even scarier. Doctors warned her that without it, she could pass out at any time—even while driving.
Since getting her pacemaker, Julie has had the batteries replaced three times, but she admits she often forgets it’s even there.
'I forget about it all the time,' she said. And despite her health scare, she hasn’t let it slow her down one bit. Julie continues to light up our screens, and she’s even reprising her role as Virginia Venit in the upcoming sequel to the classic comedy Happy Gilmore.
Speaking of Happy Gilmore, Julie shared a funny story about how she found out she’d be returning for the sequel.
Her own children broke the news to her—sort of! 'My now 18-year-old said, ‘Mum, I hear they’re doing a sequel and he’s with Sydney Sweeney as a cart girl.’' Julie joked that she was both hurt and impressed by the rumour, but was thrilled when she got the official call to return.
Source: People / Youtube.
The new film promises a star-studded cast, including Bad Bunny, Margaret Qualley, Benny Safdie, Travis Kelce, Kym Whitley, and even Eminem.
Julie admitted to being a bit starstruck herself, especially around Bad Bunny. 'I can’t actually look you in the eye, I’m going to have to walk away,' she laughed.
Have you or someone you know ever had a health scare that changed your outlook on life? Or maybe you’ve had a persistent family member who helped you catch something early? We’d love to hear your stories and thoughts in the comments below!
