'SNL' presenter Kenan Thompson opens up about severe health condition

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Saturday Night Live star Kenan Thompson has opened up about a health condition that has been affecting his live TV performances.

Thompson shed light on a health issue called gastroesophageal reflux disease, better yet known as GERD, and how he has been trying to navigate life with it.

Struggling Behind the Scenes

According to E! News, Thompson detailed that for over two years he has had to deal with severe acid refluxes, which include hoarseness and sleepless nights due to the regurgitation.

“I noticed that I would get hoarse a lot easier when I’m doing the show. Losing my voice quicker, but also uncomfortable sleepless nights because I’m burping up acid, just kind of hiccuping all night,” he said as he touched on the symptoms that negatively affected his voice and overall well-being to the point where he even struggled to perform on live TV.

Kenan Thompson journey to finding the Right Treatment

After trying to change his diet he resorted to giving in to many over-the-counter medications that didn’t really help much. Thompson finally decided to get professional help. He was then diagnosed with GERD and had to start treatment with Voquezna, which is an FDA-approved medication. The prescribed medicine is what gave him fast relief.

Turning Awareness Into Action

Now that he feels much better, the longtime comedian is in a partnership with Phathom Pharmaceuticals to lead the “GERD Is No Joke” campaign. Thompson hopes to encourage others to take their symptoms seriously and seek proper care through this campaign.