Joe Manganiello, 49, Reveals He Secretly Underwent 'Very Serious' Surgeries That 'Mutilated' His Body During 'Deadly Mystery Illness' Battle
Joe Manganiello opened up about suffering from chronic illness.
June 25 2026, Published 4:00 p.m. ET
Joe Manganiello opened up about life with chronic pain in an excerpt from his upcoming tell-all memoir, which included details about the surgeries he underwent in a desperate attempt remedy it.
On June 24, Manganiello took to Instagram and expanded on his health journey as he confessed to "battling a deadly mystery illness," RadarOnline.com can confirm.
Joe Manganiello Suffers From Mystery Illness
Manganiello's body became mutilated after treatment.
Manganiello was specific about his treatment, but vague about the diagnosis.
"For the better part of the past decade – most people don't know this – but I suffered in silence, battling a deadly mystery illness, and other than a very small circle of family and friends, I hid it from the rest of the world, and until recently hadn't really shared what I'd gone through," he said in the video.
As he was dealing with the illness, Manganiello sought to "buy myself time." As a result, he turned to "very serious operations and procedures" that "mutilated parts of my body." He even struggled to stand or walk at times.
"I spent months and months heavily medicated while dealing with excruciating boughs of chronic pain," the True Blood star added.
Star Lifts Lid Into 'Pagan' Remedies
Manganiello admitted he went to extreme lengths.
In an excerpt from his book shared with People, Manganiello discussed his experiences with "chronic pain, a life-saving organ amputation, existential crisis, and a prolonged fight for survival that left doctors with few answers and no clear explanation."
Manganiello said he began researching his genealogy to better understand the potential causes. In addition to an amputation, Manganiello tried "shamans, pagan rituals, ancient myths, long-lost family records and the rebirth of his own spirituality."
Writing Gave Manganiello Fresh Perspective
Manganiello admitted it was a difficult point in his life.
In a statement, he said, "It was the most brutally difficult time of my life, one I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy, but also my greatest adventure. I hope that what I went through on this journey can give readers hope that answers and healing may lie for them on the other side of whatever they are fighting through."
"The process of writing this book gave me the gift of perspective that helped me to see that my suffering was a cocoon from which I would emerge forever changed," he concluded.
His book, Bloodlines, is set to hit shelves on October 13.
Fans Rally Behind Manganiello
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Fans threw their support behind Manganiello after his candor and emotional vulnerability.
One person in the comments wrote, "Love you Joe. As someone who has suffered with chronic autoimmune issues and debilitating chronic pain for the last 35 years, I feel for what you’ve gone through. I hope you’re on the road to recover and healing. Can’t wait to read your book and hopefully get some insight on how to help myself with some alternative treatments."
Another fan said, "Thank you for sharing Joe. As a woman who suffered for 7 years and told it was in my head and all the medical gas lighting. I hope you got answers. I hope you get some peace on this earth til Valhalla calls."
