MTV The Challenge: Vendettas cast
On January 20, one of the stars of The Challenge opened up on social media with a personal health struggle they’d been going through. Marie Roda, who appeared on five Challenge seasons and made it to the final on Final Reckoning, shared that she’d been diagnosed with hyperparathyroidism this past summer.
In an Instagram video, the Real World: St. Thomas alum spoke about what had been going on with her health, which included going to rehab, and said doctors told her she was “about two weeks out from dying” if she hadn’t taken action.
Hyperparathyroidism is a condition caused by an excess of parathyroid hormone in the bloodstream which can cause high levels of calcium in the blood. If not properly treated, it can lead to osteoporosis, kidney stones, abnormal heartbeats, muscle or kidney failure, according to Parathyroid.com. Here is Marie’s full video:
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Marie Said She First Went to Rehab Because She Thought Her Symptoms Were Caused by Adderall Withdrawal
Marie began by explaining to her supporters that she had been taking Adderall throughout her adult life because she often has difficulty focusing. However, she said things changed in June of 2020 and she began feeling unwell. “I started feeling really, really sick, I was lethargic,” Marie said. “I was weak, my bones were breaking really easily. I couldn’t really think straight.”
She said she assumed the issues were caused by her going through withdrawal because she was no longer taking Adderall. That’s when she decided to check into rehab, the Challenge star said. In speaking about going to rehab, Marie said, “There’s a real stigma behind rehab, and there shouldn’t be because it honestly saved my life.”
Within 30 hours of getting there, the 32-year-old Real World alum said she was sent to the hospital. “Long story short, I ended up getting diagnosed with hyperparathyroidism,” she shared. She said the condition was so bad that she needed emergency surgery and showed the camera a scar she now has on her neck. Later in the video, she revealed, “If I didn’t check myself into rehab, the doctors told me that I was about two weeks out from dying.”
Marie Urged Her Followers to Trust Their Instincts With Their Health & Listen to Their Bodies
She said her goal in sharing her story is that it might help even one person. Her whole life she’d been told she was crazy or moody, Marie explained, saying, “[it’s] funny, because that’s actually the symptoms of hyperparathyroidism.” She went on to speak about the feelings of depression:
For as long as I can remember, any time that I was making a wish, whether it was like 11:11, or my birthday, all I ever wished was to be happy. I can’t really describe it. That feeling of depression, turns out I was literally depressed, but it’s a normal thing. People let’s not make it like it’s not a normal thing.
She concluded her video by saying, “it sounds super cliche, but it gets better.” She told her followers to message her if they needed to talk and urged them to listen to what their body is telling them.
In July 2020, Marie tweeted about her time on MTV, Cheatsheet reported, saying she would no longer be back on the shows “after years of suffering from character assassination, PTSD and severe depression.” However, fans of the former Challenge star can still hear her thoughts about The Challenge as she frequently tweets about the show and appears on the Reality NSFW podcast that breaks down each episode of Double Agents.
Challenge stars were quick to support Marie, with many of them commenting on her video. Cara Maria Sorbello said, “Love u,” while Jemmye Carroll wrote, “So proud to call you my best friend.” Kam Williams commented, “Thanks for sharing” with heart emojis and Kailah Casillas said, “you’re still nuts, Marie. but im happy you’re alive to share the craziness with the world. Love u.”
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