Kelly Ripa Admits She Often Ignores Health Problems Until They Become Serious

Kelly Ripa has made a surprisingly candid confession about the way she handles her health — admitting that she has a habit of putting off medical concerns until she feels there is no longer a choice.

During the Monday, August 31 episode of Live With Kelly and Mark, Ripa and her husband and co-host, Mark Consuelos, discussed recent health statistics and the tendency many people have to dismiss symptoms that could potentially signal a more serious problem.

The conversation quickly became personal when Consuelos brought up common symptoms that people may choose to ignore.

Ripa Admits She Waits “Until It’s Too Late”

Consuelos began by noting that many Americans overlook symptoms that could be significant.

Ripa immediately wanted to know exactly which symptoms they were talking about.

Consuelos cited issues including rashes, sleep problems and digestive troubles, explaining that people often convince themselves that the symptoms are nothing serious.

He also said men may be more likely to ignore minor health problems because they believe they can simply push through them. Women, meanwhile, may hesitate to seek help because they worry about overreacting.

Consuelos joked that he sometimes takes a different approach by calling a doctor in advance, meaning he does not fit that particular pattern.

Ripa then acknowledged that her own approach is almost the opposite.

“I conversely ignore everything until it’s too late,” she said.

She pointed to a problem she has mentioned repeatedly on the show as an example: her bad knee.

“You’ve been hearing about my bad knee for years, on this show. Ask me what I’ve done about it,” Ripa said.

The answer was blunt.

“Nothing,” she admitted.

Why Ripa Avoids Getting Checked

Ripa explained that part of the reason she avoids seeking medical attention is the fear that going to a doctor with one problem could lead to the discovery of another.

“I felt like when you go in with the problem, they find a problem,” she said.

For Ripa, that mindset has meant treating her knee issue as something she can simply tolerate and hope will eventually improve.

“So, this is like a little irritation, and I’ll get over it someday,” she added.

Her comments offered a revealing look at a habit many people may recognize in themselves: waiting for a health concern to disappear rather than finding out exactly what is causing it.

Ripa Has Recently Dealt With Another Health Issue

The confession comes shortly after Ripa underwent a painful gum graft procedure that temporarily kept her away from Live With Kelly and Mark. She had previously acknowledged that she had delayed the dental procedure for years before eventually having to address it.

Ripa has also spoken about the procedure on her podcast Let’s Talk Off Camera, explaining that years of aggressive tooth brushing contributed to gum recession and ultimately led to the surgery.

Her latest comments about her knee suggest that, despite that experience, she still recognizes that postponing medical concerns remains a habit she has yet to break.