Julie Bowen, best known as the lovable yet high-strung Claire Dunphy on “Modern Family“, was quietly navigating a serious health battle behind the scenes.
The health diagnosis changed her life in more ways than one.
The Emmy-winning actress recently revealed she received a pacemaker at just 29 after being diagnosed with a rare heart rhythm disorder.
Julie Bowen On Rare Heart Condition and Life With a Pacemaker
Speaking on the Inside of You podcast with Michael Rosenbaum, Bowen, now 55, opened up about living with sick sinus syndrome in her 20s.
As per the Mayo Clinic, “Sick sinus syndrome is a type of heart rhythm disorder. It affects the heart’s natural pacemaker (sinus node), which controls the heartbeat. Sick sinus syndrome causes slow heartbeats, pauses (long periods between heartbeats), or irregular heartbeats (arrhythmias).”
Julie also revealed she was diagnosed with hypervagotonia, which causes overactivity of the vagus nerve and can further slow the heart rate. âI had episodes where my heart rate would go really low â down into the 30s,â she said.
How Julie Bowenâs Sister Helped Detect the Heart Condition Doctors Missed
Bowen initially chalked up her low heart rate to being a longtime runner. But it was her sister, then in medical school, who noticed something was wrong.
âShe took a listen with her stethoscope and said, âYou need to go see someone,ââ Bowen shared.
Still, it took her a month to follow through. âI thought I was fine⦠then suddenly I was like, âOh my god, my life is over. This is so weird, Iâm going to die.ââ
Julie Bowen Got a Pacemaker After a Scary Warning
Julie said that things escalated quickly after filming the pilot of “Ed”. Bowen recalled, âI shot the pilot of Ed and immediately had to go get a pacemaker afterwards.â
Though doctors said the condition wasnât immediately life-threatening, she began experiencing blackouts. The real scare? Being told she could pass out while driving. ââYouâre going to kill somebody,â they said. And I was like, âOh, well then give me the goddamn pacemaker.ââ
With the device in place, her heart rate now canât drop below 45 â still below average, but much safer.
Julie Bowen Says Her Pacemaker Feels Like A Part Of Her
Today, Bowen says she often forgets she even has the pacemaker. âItâs been so long now, it just feels like a part of me,â she added.
Her story is a powerful reminder that health issues donât always look like emergencies â and listening to your body (and your sister) can be lifesaving.
On the professional front, Julie is preparing to reprise her role in the highly anticipated Netflix sequel, “Happy Gilmore 2“.
Did you know Julie Bowen once thought she’d be replaced by none other than Sydney Sweeney?
Speaking to the Hollywood Reporter in May after Netflix debuted the Happy Gilmore 2 trailer at its Tudum event, Bowen laughed, âI thought, âWell I wonât be in it.ââ Turns out, she was wrong â and happily so.
The fan-favorite actress is officially back in the game, proving once again that she’s still got it, both on screen and off.
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