Lance Bass Shares Health Update After Misdiagnosis-’Nothing Was Working’
Lance Bass has shared a health update after revealing that he had spent years under the impression he was living with Type 2 diabetes following a misdiagnosis.
The *NSYNC star stated in March that he had developed Type 2 diabetes during the COVID-19 lockdown, before going on to announce the "plot twist" in a July Instagram post that he was actually living with a different type of diabetes.
"I recently discovered that I was misdiagnosed," Bass said in the post, after struggling to manage his glucose levels despite adjusting his diet, medication, and workouts. "I actually have Type 1.5, or latent autoimmune diabetes of adults [LADA]."
According to the Mayo Clinic, LADA bears similarities to Type 1 diabetes, which occurs when the pancreas stops producing insulin due to an autoimmune process that damages cells in the pancreas. Insulin shots may be required for treatment.
Unlike a typical Type 1 diabetes diagnosis, those with LADA usually start to slowly develop symptoms as adults over the age of 30. Additionally, people diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes "who are lean and physically active, or who have lost weight without effort, could have LADA."
According to the American Diabetes Association, LADA symptoms are similar to other forms of diabetes, in that patients can experience excessive thirst, extreme fatigue, blurred vision, and numbness, tingling, or pain in hands and feet.
Speaking about his overall experience with diabetes, Bass told Newsweek of the initial diagnosis: "It kind of rocks your world, like, wait, what's happening? Because I just thought I was healthy. And then being misdiagnosed for a few years and treating it for Type 2, nothing was working. [I] just felt, wow, what? What is wrong with me?"
'I Try to See the Silver Lining in It'
Still, Bass has adopted a positive outlook, particularly as he can finally target the issue. "Now that we know exactly what we're dealing with, I've really been able to control it and...use the insulin the way it should be used," he said.
Bass added: "I try to see the silver lining in it. It sucks overall, but the silver lining is I'm as healthy as I've ever been. And I really take care of myself, and especially having these kids, I want to be around as long as possible. I do want to try to see a grandkid or two."
Bass and his husband Michael Turchin announced the arrival of their twins, Violet Betty and Alexander James, in October 2021, following their birth via surrogate.
With a full and bustling household, the star has had to proactively adjust his own diet to ensure his health continues on the right track.
"You do get a sweet tooth a lot, but you've just got to really curve that white sugar," he explained. "I just do not eat dessert anymore. Or if I do want to take a bite, I'll just make sure I take the right amount of insulin before because you don't want to make your life miserable. I'm never going to go my whole life [saying], 'I will never have a bite of cake again.' That's just not what my life is going to be."
Bass continued: "It's all about choosing the right things at the right time. I've [increased my] uptake of vegetables, I don't eat the bread at the table anymore—the things that you're supposed to be doing anyway, but you're just kind of forced to do."
Work in Progress
While Bass did initially embrace a fitness regime to boost his health, he admits that his busy lifestyle has gotten in the way of his efforts.
"I was so good at it," he said of exercising. "But the summer was so insane. We actually spent half our time in Palm Springs now. So I was getting the house ready, and then the kids are off from school, so I didn't really have much of a time. But I have to really get back into it, especially the cardio. That's my downfall. Like, I can work out I go lift for a little bit, but my downfall is I get so bored going on a run or getting on a treadmill and doing cardio."
For now, his cardio is taking care of his growing children who are featured in his new Halloween-themed picture book Trick or Treat on Scary Street .
The daily routine of getting them out of the door each is morning is "just so tiring," he said, adding: "Now that you wake up every morning with kids, and you kind of get them ready for the day at school, by the time they're out the door, you're just so tired you just want to lie down again."
Making Moves
In years past, Bass had the advantage of his work contributing to his fitness levels—particularly when he competed on Season 7 of Dancing with the Stars in 2008. Paired with Lacey Schwimmer, he made it to the grand finale and finished third.
"I love that show, and it really did change my life in such a positive way," Bass enthused. "God, that was so long ago. I can't believe how long ago [it was], but it really changed a lot inside me, especially as an entertainer. I didn't have much confidence at all as a performer before the show. I'm so forever grateful."
Looking back on his ballroom competition at the time, he said: "I was on Instagram and I saw a picture of Kim Kardashian and Zendaya, and [the caption read], 'Do you remember when Kim Kardashian and Zendaya were on Dancing with the Stars ?' And I'm like, wait, Kim was on my season, but I totally forgot Zendaya was on the show!"
While Bass has desires on continuing to act, he told Newsweek that the prospect of reuniting with his *NSYNC bandmates onstage is "looking good—it really is."
"I hope that gives the fans hope out there, because I have hope for sure," Bass said. "We've been discussing a lot of things. We all individually have so many things that we have to deliver in our own lives before any of this happens."
He continued: "Justin [Timberlake] has just extended his tour. JC [Chasez] is working on this incredible musical that he's bringing out. So nothing's gonna happen anytime soon. But we're definitely discussing what the future might hold for us, and we're excited to see what that could be."
"Every guy is willing, for sure," Bass said of his bandmates, who also include Joey Fatone and Chris Kirkpatrick. "Everyone wants to do something. I just don't know what that it could be. Could it be music? Could it be doing a show? I mean, who knows. We're very creative, so everyone's just throwing out very big ideas and just seeing what sticks."
Related Articles
This story was originally published October 5, 2024, 3:00 AM.
