Jennie Garth is opening up to her fans about her early onset osteoarthritis diagnosis.
The Beverly Hills 90210 actress recently revealed to Insider that she was initially diagnosed when she was 47-years-old. Now, at 50, Garth says she isn’t letting the condition “limit” her from living an active lifestyle.
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Garth is best known for her role on the ’90s teen drama ‘Beverly Hills, 90210’.
The show ran for 10 years on FOX and featured a number of up-and-coming actors in the cast including Tori Spelling, Luke Perry, Jason Priestley, and Brian Austin Green. Garth was one of the few cast members who stayed on for the show’s entire 10-year run.
Garth also reprised her role as Kelly Taylor in 2008 for the modern reboot of the show, ‘90210’.
The CW’s version of the show lasted five seasons before ending in 2013. Original cast member Shannon Doherty also reprised her role in the reboot as a guest star.
However, lately Garth has decided to open up about her personal health in the hopes of spreading awareness.
Despite living with symptoms and a diagnosis for years, Garth has only recently discussed her medical condition publicly. She explained that she wants other people to look for the signs that they might need to discuss with their doctor.
The 50-year-old “Beverly Hills 90210” alum recently revealed to her fans that she was diagnosed with early-onset osteoarthritis when she was 47-years-old.
Speaking to Insider , the actress opened up about what it has been like living with the condition and how she refuses to let it “limit” her active lifestyle.
In an interview with Insider last week, Jennie Garth opened up about her health struggle with early-onset osteoarthritis.
She revealed that she was initially diagnosed when she was 47, after experiencing pain and stiffness in her hands and knees.
According to Mayo Clinic, osteoarthritis is something that can occur “when the protective cartilage that cushions the ends of the bones wears down over time.”
Symptoms can include pain, stiffness, tenderness, lack of flexibility, swelling, grating sensation, and bone spurs.
“I was like, I’m too young for arthritis,” she said. “When you hear the word arthritis, you associate it with the elderly and people who are immobile, who can’t live an active life.”
But Garth has no plans of letting it slow her down.
Garth isn’t the only “Beverly Hills 90210” actress who has been transparent with fans about their health.
Shannen Doherty was initially diagnosed with stage IV breast cancer in 2015. Since then, she has been nothing but open and honest with her fans about her journey.
In 2017, Doherty’s cancer went into remission after undergoing hormone therapy, chemotherapy, and a single mastectomy.
Unfortunately, in February 2019 the cancer returned as stage IV breast cancer and spread to other parts of her body.
“For breast cancer awareness month, I’d like to share more of my own personal journey from my first diagnosis to my second. Is it all pretty? NO but it’s truthful and my hope in sharing is that we all become more educated, more familiar with what cancer looks like,” she penned to her Instagram followers in October 2021 alongside a set of photos of herself in bed.
“I hope I encourage people to get mammograms, to get regular checkups, to cut thru the fear and face whatever might be in front of you. In 2015 I got diagnosed with breast cancer,” she added.
She explained that the treatment was causing her to have nose bleeds and fatigue.
“I had a mastectomy and did chemo and radiation. I had many nose bleeds from the chemo. Not sure if any of you experienced this. I also was beyond tired,” Doherty penned.
For now, Doherty is focusing on living her best life despite her diagnosis.
Garth seems to have adopted a similar attitude when it comes to her diagnosis of early-onset osteoarthritis, focusing on what she can control and continuing to live life to the fullest.
“It was just a new, interesting development in my maturing,” she said. “You don’t think of yourself as slowing down or anything stopping you from all the things you do every day.”
“When you know what you’re dealing with physically, there’s always a workaround,” she continued. “I definitely don’t let anything limit me.”
