Married At First Sight UK: JJ Slater diagnosed with a ‘life-changing’ disease, everything we know

JJ Slater found fame on Married At First Sight UK this year. After tying the knot with Bianca Petronzi, JJ cheated on her with another bride on the show - Ella Morgan. JJ and Ella then re-joined the experiment to see if they could work things out. Unfortunately, the two decided they were better off as friends.

However, away from all the relationship drama, JJ has been enduring some personal drama of his own.

JJ Slater diagnosed with type 1 diabetes

According to the Mirror, after the Essex lad was rushed to hospital days before Christmas as he lost 1.5 stone in three weeks he was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. His blood sugar levels were found to be dangerously high and he will now have to inject himself with insulin four times every day and regulate his food intake.

Opening up about his health ordeal, JJ discussed how it will change his life. His condition was discovered after blood tests and he was put at risk of diabetic ketoacidosis - which can be life-threatening. JJ shared:

The first signs were that I always felt thirsty and needed to go to the toilet in the middle of the night. I was waking up 4-5 times needing the toilet.

Then I started to lose weight quite quickly. I lost about a stone and a half in three weeks, but I was still eating the same and going to the gym every day.

JJ explained he felt like his body was ‘deteriorating’ and he noticed he was feeling lightheaded frequently. He went for blood tests and was alarmed the next morning when he woke up to multiple missed calls from medics and a message telling him to go to the hospital immediately. JJ said:

The average person's blood sugar is 4-7 and mine was 34, so mine was super high and there are a lot of complications that come with that.

Your blood can become acidic, which is called DKA (diabetic ketoacidosis)... they were afraid that my glucose was so high that the process had already started.

Luckily, it hasn't, so being diagnosed before that happened was crucial.

How is JJ’s life going to change after type 1 diabetes diagnosis?

After the intense medical episode, JJ is coming to terms with his new life. From taking insulin injections 4 times a day to regulating his food, life will be different yet the same for the MAFSUK groom. The 31-year-old said:

Type 1 is an autoimmune disease whereas type 2 is brought on by lifestyle and you can help it with diet but type 1 - it is what it is.

For the rest of my life, I will have this and it's getting my head around that. I've lived my whole life until the age of 31 and now this has happened.

Read More

⋙ MAFS UK: Bianca's first choice to be matched with wasn't JJ, here's who she wanted instead

⋙ Married At First Sight UK's Shona Manderson’s health struggles: Everything you need to know

⋙ Married At First Sight UK: Tasha Jay rushed to A&E as her night out got out of hands

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Mirror: Married At First Sight star diagnosed with life-changing disease as his body 'deteriorates