Angelica Panganiban has just revealed what has been challenging her since January of this year.
In a vlog, the actress opened up about her battle with "bone death," aka avascular necrosis.
Angelica says it all started when she got pregnant with Amila Sabine, around six months into the pregnancy. She felt pain and couldn't pinpoint if it was in her hips, her back, or her butt. Family, friends, and even her OB-GYN said it was probably part of the pregnancy and would go away after she gives birth.
After giving birth, Angelica soon felt the pain and thought to herself that it may just be a pinched nerve, doing yoga workouts to stretch the area.
In March 2023, she and her family went to Palawan with celeb friends Ketchup Eusebio and Glaiza de Castro, only to not be able to walk or swim.
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An ultrasound revealed liquid in her groin area. Although she was advised to take medication, she opted to do therapy for two months instead as the meds would prevent her from breastfeeding.
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Although the therapy worked, the pain soon came back and she couldn't walk again.
"Sobra along in pain. Iyak ako ng iyak," Angelica recalls.
A doctor in Manila injected PRP (platelet-rich plasma) into her hips in the hopes of restoring the bone. When Angelica felt better, she went back to working out, which only made her condition worse.
An MRI revealed she has avascular necrosis, aka bone death.
"Namatay na yung mga bones ko sa aking balakang kaya pala hirap na 'kong maglakad. Talagang yung mobility ko hindi nasosolusyonan kahit anong gawin kong strengthening."
According to Mayoclinic, avascular necrosis is "the death of bone tissue due to a lack of blood supply. Also called osteonecrosis, it can lead to tiny breaks in the bone and cause the bone to collapse. The process usually takes months to years." Anyone can get avascular necrosis, and it's most common among those between the ages of 30 and 50.
When she was advised to do surgery, Angelica sought the advice of another doctor with a more conservative approach, and she went back to plasma injections. But this time, the doctor had to drill a hole directly in her "dead bone." She wondered how she got avascular necrosis, which is caused by steroid abuse, something she couldn't relate to.
"Masakit ba yung procedure? Hindi ko inakalang masakit siya. Tulo ng tulo yung luha ko, para bang kahit papa'no nakaramdam ako ng awa sa sarili ko na, 'Bakit ako nagkakaganito? Bakit sa 'kin nangyari 'to?' "
"Kung mapapansin niyo naman, never naman lumaki katawan ko. Never nga 'kong nagka-muscle sa buong katawan ko. So hindi siya part ng lifestyle ko. Hindi naman ako athlete, hindi naman ako bodybuilder."
"So ano yung cause niya? Tinatawag lang na malas talaga at nangyari siya sa 'kin."
Despite the challenges she's going through, Angelica is trying hard to stay strong for her loved ones.
"I'm staying positive. Sabi nila mas malakas daw maka-heal ang mind."
"Minsan I just can't believe na at the age of 37 nagkaro'n ako ng bone death. There was something dead inside me."
"Let's all be strong at i-inspire natin ang isa't-isa."
Watch Angelica's vlog here:
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