Brian Austin Green opens up about health challenges: 'I couldn't walk'
"90210" star Brian Austin Green is opening up about the health challenges that sidelined him for years in the hopes that sharing his personal story can help others.
The actor said he knew something was really wrong several years ago but his doctors didn't know why he was experiencing symptoms.
"I couldn't walk. I shuffled like I was 90. I couldn't speak. I couldn't read. I couldn't write," Green recalled.
"I wanted to lock myself up in the house and not be seen," he added.
The 50-year-old was eventually diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, an inflammatory bowel disease in the large intestine, and vertigo about 10 years ago.
Green said for years, he experienced "stroke-like symptoms" due to both conditions and was slurring words, experiencing crippling brain fog and having trouble with his memory.
Green said he fought back but it wasn't easy.
"I started doing speech therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy," he said. "At first, it was just about kind of gaining my breath control back, remembering where to breathe from, remembering what part of my throat and vocal cords was the comfortable place for me to speak from."
According to Green, he consulted multiple medical experts after his initial diagnosis and one told him his diet could be a culprit, with dairy and gluten being two factors for his "internal inflammation."
Green encourages others facing health issues to get second opinions from doctors.
"Go see multiple people. Get opinions from a few different places," he said. "You have to know that there will absolutely be a light at the end of this tunnel."
Dr. Madhu Vennikandam told "GMA" that speaking up for yourself can play a major role in how you're treated.
"I think it's very important for patients to advocate for themselves," Vennikandam, who was not involved in treating Green, said. "I always love when patients ask a lot of questions and self-advocacy starts with that."
Medical experts told ABC News that any "stroke-like symptoms," such as difficulty speaking, trouble walking or confusion, require prompt medical attention.
Green said there is still some mystery surrounding his health condition but that he is feeling much better now.
