Everything We Know About Christina Haack's Health Issues

Christina Haack has no qualms about discussing her health issues. The "Flip or Flop" star has made headlines before for her number of health conditions, including her battle with not one but two autoimmune diseases. Now, Haack is speaking out once again, revealing her latest medical condition in an Instagram post.

"I've suffered on and off since 2016 with extreme stomach pain," she wrote. "It has been written off as stress and doctors have tried to put me on all the pills / meds but luckily I realized masking it wasn't the answer."

The 38-year-old reality star shared that she just had a full gastrointestinal workup, including an endoscopy, which is a medical procedure that looks inside the digestive tract. She explains that, if she eats anything other than a "clean" diet, she gets a "horrible burning sensation." However, she did have some good news to share: "I finally found the right doctor who didn't just tell me to take Acid Controllers," she wrote.

So what exactly is going on with the HGTV star's health?

Doctors will check Christina Haack for SIBO, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, which is a condition that occurs when there is an excess amount of bacteria growing in the small intestine. The condition can often be treated with lifestyle changes as well as adding in supplements and possibly using an antibiotic (per WebMD).

The "Christina on the Coast" star shared in her Instagram post that she is "just praying everything comes back ok and some rounds of antibiotics will kill off whatever bacteria it is that's damaging my GI tract." Haack also explained how her stomach pain was in remission for a time but was triggered again last year writing, "With autoimmune, anxiety can cause major flare ups and my biggest thing I've notice [sic] being affected is my digestion / gut health." 

Healthline reports that stress can be incredibly hard on the body, and Haack has had some big life changes in the past few years, including a divorce, a new show, and a new baby — all amidst a pandemic. Christina may look like she has it all together, but looks can be deceiving. 

In January of 2020, Christina Haack, then Christina Anstead, posted a video to Instagram discussing how she manages her autoimmune conditions while caring for her four-month-old son, Hudson (via House Beautiful). She shared with her followers in the comment section that she lives with two autoimmune diseases: Hashimoto's and PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome). 

Although the video has been taken down, Popculture reports some of the key moments of the segment included Christina revealing that some foods negatively impact her skin. She also answered one follower in the comment section regarding her struggle with Hashimoto's disease, stating, "After babies, those of us with autoimmune issues — our bodies go into shock — so important to stay on top of it," (via Popculture).  

Hashimoto's disease is an autoimmune condition that causes the immune system to attack the thyroid (via Mayo Clinic). Hashimoto's is the most common form of hypothyroidism, or underactive thyroid, with symptoms including fatigue, weight gain, constipation, hair loss, depression, and feeling cold all the time. The Cleveland Clinic reports that not everyone with Hashimoto's will develop hypothyroidism, but the condition can be managed with medicine.

In an interview with Parade, Christina Haack noted that in the months after the birth of her son Braydon in 2016, she was in the midst of divorcing from her "Flip or Flop" co-star, Tarek El Moussa, and her health took a turn for the worse. Haack was living with unexplained symptoms, including stomach pain, brain fog, and fatigue, which she later learned were amplified by (and possibly caused by) two conditions: PCOS and Hashimoto's Disease. 

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a disorder causing hormone disruption in women of reproductive age and can be found in up to 40% of women who have Hashimoto's thyroiditis (via PCOS Nutrition), as Haack does. The Mayo Clinic reports that those with PCOS may have abnormal menstrual periods, excess androgen hormone levels, and polycystic ovaries. Infertility is also associated with PCOS and may have affected Christina Haack at the time she underwent three rounds of In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF) with ex-husband Tarek.

The HGTV star continues to work on her health and wants to help others feel good, too. In the book "The Wellness Remodel," which she co-authored with celebrity nutritionist Cara Clark, Haack details her health journey and shares the tools that have worked for her.