Teddi Mellencamp Says She Threw Up 85 Times in 1 Day While Hospitalized for Brain Tumors

Mar. 15, 2025

Teddi Mellencamp on October 10, 2024 in Los Angeles.Photo:Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty

Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty

Teddi Mellencampis opening up about her brain tumor diagnosis and recovering from her recent brain surgery.TheReal Housewives of Beverly Hillsalum, 43, returned to her podcastTwo Ts In a Podon Thursday, March 13, and spoke about getting discharged from the hospital two weeks after her Feb. 12, operation — and the intense side effects of her surgery.Mellencamp explained to listeners and co-hostTamra Judgethat to be discharged, she needed to urinate, but because she was on a sodium drip and taking “disgusting sodium pills,” her body wouldn’t allow it. “I couldn’t pee, guys. I do not know why I could not pee.“Her experience with the sodium pills was so tough, it impacted her stomach, too. “One day, I remember I had just thrown up, like, 85 times from the stupid salt pills,” she recalled.Teddi Mellencamp.Teddi Mellencamp/InstagramAfter she left the ICU, she went to a hotel with a full-time nurse. Although “things were a lot better,” she confessed to Judge that she “got really, really sad.”“ I think it was then — when your memory’s coming back and feeling a little bit better — you’re really acknowledging what’s going on,” Judge said of speaking to Mellencamp on the phone for the first time since she left the hospital. “That was the moment that I was dreading because then you knew what was going on with you.”“Once I understood, then I got really sad,” Mellencamp said.Teddi Mellencamp attends the Capital One presentation of KIIS FM’s iHeartRadio Jingle Ball 2024 at Intuit Dome on December 06, 2024 in Los Angeles, California.Rodin Eckenroth/WireImageMellencamp, who for the past two years has had 17 differentspots of melanomaremoved, first went to the hospital on Monday, Feb. 11, for “unbearable” pain. She explained on her Instagram Stories Tuesday, Feb. 12, that she was “dealing with severe and debilitating headaches” for several weeks. Mellencamp then received a CT scan and MRI, and doctorsfound multiple tumorson her brain, which were believed to have “been growing for at least 6 months.”The next day, she underwent a craniotomy with a tumor resection, where four tumors were removed from her brain. The remaining tumors will be treated with immunotherapy and radiation.Then, on Thursday, March 6, Mellencamp provided another health update to herInstagramprofile, sharing that the doctors foundthree more tumors in her brain and one tumor in each of her lungs.Teddi Mellencamp and Tamra Judge in Las Vegas, on November 4, 2023.Todd Williamson/Bravo via GettyIn Thursday’s podcast episode, Mellencamp revealed that she had“some of [her] darkest, saddest days”since the surgery.Once at the hospital and given her diagnosis, she texted Judge. TheReal Housewives of Orange Countystar tearfully recalled on the podcast what Mellencamp’s message read: “ ‘You all thought I was mental, but actually I’m on my deathbed.’ ”“I remember feeling like this is actually it,” Mellecamp said of sending the message.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Despite Mellencamp’s initial fears and upcoming health battle, she said she’s “feeling really positive” about the treatment process. She is set to start radiation on Monday, March 17, and will also undergo immunotherapy for one day every three weeks.

Teddi Mellencampis opening up about her brain tumor diagnosis and recovering from her recent brain surgery.

TheReal Housewives of Beverly Hillsalum, 43, returned to her podcastTwo Ts In a Podon Thursday, March 13, and spoke about getting discharged from the hospital two weeks after her Feb. 12, operation — and the intense side effects of her surgery.

Mellencamp explained to listeners and co-hostTamra Judgethat to be discharged, she needed to urinate, but because she was on a sodium drip and taking “disgusting sodium pills,” her body wouldn’t allow it. “I couldn’t pee, guys. I do not know why I could not pee.”

Her experience with the sodium pills was so tough, it impacted her stomach, too. “One day, I remember I had just thrown up, like, 85 times from the stupid salt pills,” she recalled.

Teddi Mellencamp.Teddi Mellencamp/Instagram

Teddi Mellencamp/Instagram

After she left the ICU, she went to a hotel with a full-time nurse. Although “things were a lot better,” she confessed to Judge that she “got really, really sad.”

“ I think it was then — when your memory’s coming back and feeling a little bit better — you’re really acknowledging what’s going on,” Judge said of speaking to Mellencamp on the phone for the first time since she left the hospital. “That was the moment that I was dreading because then you knew what was going on with you.”

“Once I understood, then I got really sad,” Mellencamp said.

Teddi Mellencamp attends the Capital One presentation of KIIS FM’s iHeartRadio Jingle Ball 2024 at Intuit Dome on December 06, 2024 in Los Angeles, California.Rodin Eckenroth/WireImage

Rodin Eckenroth/WireImage

Mellencamp, who for the past two years has had 17 differentspots of melanomaremoved, first went to the hospital on Monday, Feb. 11, for “unbearable” pain. She explained on her Instagram Stories Tuesday, Feb. 12, that she was “dealing with severe and debilitating headaches” for several weeks. Mellencamp then received a CT scan and MRI, and doctorsfound multiple tumorson her brain, which were believed to have “been growing for at least 6 months.”

The next day, she underwent a craniotomy with a tumor resection, where four tumors were removed from her brain. The remaining tumors will be treated with immunotherapy and radiation.

Then, on Thursday, March 6, Mellencamp provided another health update to herInstagramprofile, sharing that the doctors foundthree more tumors in her brain and one tumor in each of her lungs.

Teddi Mellencamp and Tamra Judge in Las Vegas, on November 4, 2023.Todd Williamson/Bravo via Getty

Todd Williamson/Bravo via Getty

In Thursday’s podcast episode, Mellencamp revealed that she had“some of [her] darkest, saddest days”since the surgery.

Once at the hospital and given her diagnosis, she texted Judge. TheReal Housewives of Orange Countystar tearfully recalled on the podcast what Mellencamp’s message read: “ ‘You all thought I was mental, but actually I’m on my deathbed.’ ”

“I remember feeling like this is actually it,” Mellecamp said of sending the message.

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Despite Mellencamp’s initial fears and upcoming health battle, she said she’s “feeling really positive” about the treatment process. She is set to start radiation on Monday, March 17, and will also undergo immunotherapy for one day every three weeks.

source: people.com