Modern Family star details shock health battle as she reveals she got pacemaker aged 29
The actress, 55, who portrayed Claire Dunphy on the ABC sitcom from 2009 to 2020, opened up about her health woes during an appearance on the Inside of You podcast with Michael Rosenbaum.
During the episode, which aired on July 1, Julie spoke candidly about struggling with the heart rhythm disorder sick sinus syndrome, which was caused by increased activity in her vagus nerve, a condition called hypervagotonia.
She explained that it was her sister, Annie Luetkemeyer, who initially diagnosed her with the condition.
Julie recalled Annie had just graduated from medical school when she stopped to listen to her heart.
'She was at that time in her life when she, I guess, she always carried around a stethoscope. And we were on vacation, and she was like, "I wanna listen to this."
'She was like, "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."'
According to Julie, her sister 'wouldn't let it go. I was like, "I'm fine." She would not let it go.'
One month later, after filming the pilot of Ed, which premiered in 2000, Julie went and got a pacemaker fitted.
'I was like, "Oh my God. My life is over. This is so weird. I'm gonna die." I don't know what I thought it was, because I was 29.'
'You're lucky you didn't die before that,' Michael, 52, commented.
'They said I wouldn't probably die of it, but I'd start passing out,' Julie replied. 'There was a vague feeling... whenever I was relaxed, really relaxed, I'd be watching TV or movie.
'It felt like I'd been holding my breath for a while, that feeling of light-headedness.'
The normal resting heart rate for women, according to the Cleveland Clinic, is between 60 to 100 beats per minute.
Before having her pacemaker fitted, Julie's resting heart rate was in the 30s.
Julie added that despite having the batteries replaced three times, she often forgets that she has a pacemaker at all.
This isn't the first time Julie has spoken candidly about her health.
In 2023, the actress spoke candidly about getting plastic surgery as soon as her hit TV show Modern Family came to an end in 2020.
'I finally got the stomach fixed,' Julie revealed while holding her belly during an appearance on The View.
'Finally, after all these years. They ripped it open, the twins just ripped it,' she said referencing her 16-year-old sons Gus and John.
'And I said, "As soon as Modern Family is done... I'll get it fixed." But it was 11 years! So 11 years later, we wrapped on Friday and Monday they went in and they do you like a sneaker,' Julie said.
Julie earlier noted that she was age 39 and pregnant with twins when she filmed the pilot episode of Modern Family.
The actress also has 18-year-old son Oliver with her ex-husband Scott Phillips.
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