“Flip or Flop” star Tarek El Moussa is once again sharing details about his past health issues.
In an Instagram post Tuesday, the HGTV personality shared a photo from “one of the absolute lowest points of my life,” depicting his dramatic weight loss resulting from his use of pain medications.
El Moussa, who in the past has battled both thyroid and testicular cancer, said that the photo captured him during “the first time in my life when I wanted to quit!”
“NOT embarrassed to share!!! This was one of the absolute lowest points of my life!! After beating cancer twice I had a horrific back injury,” El Moussa wrote. “Over the course of 10 months I lost 50 pounds from all the pain meds which prevented me from wanting to eat and I was nauseous all the time.”
El Moussa continued, ” I remember those days…in this photo I’m pale white….eyes are black…. and I was 169 pounds!! My clothing didn’t fit and it looks like I’m wearing drapes! This photo is a reminder that anything is possible with hope. While I went through this it was the first time in my life I wanted to quit! Thank god I didn’t…or I wouldn’t be standing tall today!!”
The reality TV star wrapped up his post with an inspirational message, telling fans, “Reminder everyone, anything is possible! You just have to believe!”
El Moussa, who co-stars on “Flip or Flop” with his estranged wife Christina El Moussa, was diagnosed with cancer after a registered nurse emailed the show’s production company in 2013 to suggest that El Moussa have a nodule on his thyroid checked out by a doctor.
In addition to the thyroid cancer, El Moussa was diagnosed with testicular cancer.
In January, the reality TV star informed fans that he was still cancer-free.
On Monday, El Moussa detailed how a shoulder injury had left him unable to work out for two months, writing, “It’s amazing how two short months can take away all that hard work!!!”
Despite the injury, the reality TV star added that he was determined to mend his shoulder and get back on track.
“So…there is one thing I know! I’m working on fixing my shoulder and I’m more motivated than ever to get out there and go after it again,” he added. “We will always have setbacks In life but in order to succeed we must never stop fighting and never give up!!
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The divorce of "Flip or Flop" stars Christina and Tarek El Moussa is not the first time an HGTV show has made headlines for things happening off-screen.
"Flip or Flop" couple's messy divorce The marital drama between "Flip or Flop" stars Christina and Tarek El Moussa became headline fodder after a May 2016 incident during which law enforcement responded to a call of a "possibly suicidal male with a gun." An even bigger surprise was when HGTV revealed that the show would continue production "as scheduled" despite the couple's separation.
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Homophobic hosts' show axed before debut In 2014, HGTV pulled the plug on the show "Flip It Forward" in the middle of production when it was uncovered that the hosts, David and Jason Benham were fervently anti-gay. A video surfaced online of David talking about "homosexuality and its agenda that is attacking the nation" and advocating for a ban on same-sex marriage.
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"Flip or Flop" scam classes An AP report from Oct. 2016 found that lessons in how to flip houses offered by Christina and Tarek El Moussa were little more than a money-making scam. According to several attendees, the couple did not show up in person, and the classes quickly devolved into a sales pitch for other of the couple's products.
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"Love It or List It" destroyed a couple's house In April 2016, a Raleigh, North Carolina couple filed a lawsuit over their appearance on the show, claiming that they were the victims of shoddy workmanship that left their home in an unusable state after the renovation. They also claimed that the on-screen personalities had little to do with the actual work, and that they were all assigned "roles" by producers to play for the show.
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Including a bar brawl, a lawsuit and a show canceled before it even made it to air
The divorce of "Flip or Flop" stars Christina and Tarek El Moussa is not the first time an HGTV show has made headlines for things happening off-screen.