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See the original image at newsblogs.chicagotribune.com —

Bernie Mac has it: what is sarcoidosis?

newsblogs.chicagotribune.com — Because of comedian Bernie Mac, new attention is focusing on sarcoidosis, a little known medical condition that affects tens of thousands of Americans. Mac, currently hospitalized in Chicago with severe pneumonia, has the condition but has been in remission since 2005.

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  • salamndstron, on 08/05/2008, -11/+25
    • Cancerkitty, on 08/06/2008, -3/+8Mac's a hell of a funny guy.
    • dhVyse, on 08/06/2008, -3/+5Get out my office! Get out my faaaaace!
    • newwildlife, on 08/06/2008, -4/+6Really? Did you say you like his acting?
      I HOPE that was sarcasm...
      • tykwondingo, on 08/06/2008, -1/+2Bernie Mac is a HORRIBLE "actor" and "comedian".

        THERE, I said it.
    • tykwondingo, on 08/06/2008, -0/+1"a little known medical condition" - House says "Sarcoidosis" 20x per episode, I counted.
      • ShakeWell, on 08/07/2008, -1/+2nah, House never says it, but his team throws it around every time they can't figure it out, that and lupus.
      • tykwondingo, on 08/08/2008, -0/+1He says it when he debunks the fact that it's clearly not sarcoidosis/lupus.
  • AmyVernon, on 08/05/2008, -3/+19never heard of this before; sounds like it can be pretty scary if you don't know what you have...
    • akpwnz, on 08/06/2008, -0/+9I just heard it on the radio myself. Looks like someone beat me to the digg punch.
    • shutaro, on 08/06/2008, -0/+19I heard about it on an episode of House... But all I know about it is that it's not Lupus.
      • KnightWhoSaysNi, on 08/06/2008, -0/+4It's one of House's favorite diagnoses. Last season he mentioned it every other episode.
        (And I still don't know what the ***** it is).
      • shutaro, on 08/06/2008, -0/+1I hope he gets a new set of favorite diagnoses next season... It'd be a nice change of pace to hear him bust out with a diagnosis of Typhoid or Rickets.
    • nthash, on 08/08/2008, -0/+0My mom had it when I was a kid. She could barely walk for around a year and then everything mysteriously cleared up.
      • nthash, on 08/08/2008, -0/+0It a all started after she sprayed some really strong pesticides on houseplants to kill some mites that were eating them and we have always been suspicious that this was the "environmental trigger" that caused the issue.
  • michaelwong38, on 08/06/2008, -3/+12it really makes you appreciate life more when you hear about stuff like this
  • Dhanjit, on 08/06/2008, -6/+11is it sad??
  • granolajoe, on 08/06/2008, -1/+14This sounds frightening:

    "Sarcoidosis is an immune system disorder that can make it hard to breathe, inflame lymph nodes in the neck and the chest, and cause bumps and ulcers to break out on people’s skin.

    Most cases are mild, but those that are severe can cause serious scarring in the lungs, a complication that occurs in 20 to 25 percent of patients."
    • aaaantoine, on 08/06/2008, -1/+1"Sarcoidosis is an immune system disorder that can make it hard to breathe..." -- Check.
      "...inflame lymph nodes in the neck..." -- Check.
      "...and the chest, and cause bumps and ulcers to break out on people’s skin." -- Haven't noticed.

      Two out of three... Probably either a mild case, or just hypochondria.
  • stagmire, on 08/06/2008, -1/+13My brother-in-law has this. He's only 24 and his lungs are all ***** up so that he gets winded just walking up a flight of stairs.
  • diggit08, on 08/06/2008, -2/+13On "The Bernie Mac Show" doesn't his son also have this illness?
  • sandersdamnit, on 08/06/2008, -1/+64Ask House, it's either that or Lupus
    • sysop073, on 08/06/2008, -0/+10I agree with Dr. Chase. Oh, I'm sorry! I meant the other Dr. Chase
    • rockandrollmark, on 08/06/2008, -0/+8"Oh my god. What? Is it meningitis? Scoliosis? Lupus? Is it lupus?"
    • phish3r, on 08/06/2008, -0/+12This is an on going joke about that show between my wife and me. If an episode goes by where they don't predict sarcoidosis, I'm disappointed.
    • Archangel621, on 08/06/2008, -0/+21It's never Lupus.
    • polalion, on 08/06/2008, -0/+2The first time I even heard the word was on House.
    • tykwondingo, on 08/06/2008, -0/+1I knew someone would have the house reference before me... I'll throw in the stones with a lil "can't always get what you want" and to top it all off, BERNIE MAC SUCKS. I don't wish death on him but come on, the guy's a terrible "actor" and an even worse "comedian". Boohoo

      Let the bury begin >:]
      • sandersdamnit, on 08/07/2008, -1/+0"And most of all I hate that balck-ass Wesley Snipes." come on that ***** is classic
      • tykwondingo, on 08/08/2008, -0/+1No, it's not.

        Ever hear of Richard Pryor? THAT is classic.
  • cusoman, on 08/06/2008, -15/+7I've never understood why every time a condition or disease is spoken about in an article they feel the need to say how many Americans it affects. It's like there's some underground competition with diseases to be the one that affects the most people.

    Sarcoidosis: I affect tens of thousands of Americans, bet you can't beat that!
    Narcolepsy: Pfft, I affect hundreds of thousands, you've got nothing on me!

    STDs: Oh hai guyz, seen any college students around? I iz bored, LOL!
    • meruru, on 08/06/2008, -0/+4It's a matter of funding/research. A disease that affects 100,000 people is more likely to get researched then a disease that affects 10 people.
      • cusoman, on 08/06/2008, -0/+3Tongue-in-cheek, my friend, tongue in cheek...
    • TremorX, on 08/06/2008, -0/+5You wouldn't be making light if you had centipedes in your vagina. (It's more likely than you think!)
    • Sumtin2Say, on 08/06/2008, -1/+0What meruru says is true but its also just a frame of reference. They are just trying to give you an idea of how common it is. Would it be less annoying if they gave you a ratio?

      I wish being annoyed at articles for mentioning numbers was the worst of my suffering. Instead I have Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis, a rare liver disease that affects 1 out of 20,000 people. Not to mention Ulcerative Colitis which isn't so rare. I take more meds than my grandparents combined. I've never met another person (outside of the internet) that has PSC. Our celebrity references: Walter Payton died of PSC. An American snoboarder name Chris Klug has had a liver transplant and is still alive.

      Edit: Nevermind my rant, I see you've said tongue-in-cheek
      • Tallon29, on 08/06/2008, -0/+1Pretend he said tongue-in-liver and continue ranting.
    • shutaro, on 08/06/2008, -0/+2Dugg because STDs speak in lolcat.
  • lucy22, on 08/06/2008, -2/+14I have to admit I am curious about what it is. I see them talk about it on Dr. House epsisodes all the time.
  • zookee, on 08/06/2008, -2/+14http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarcoidosis
  • panickedthumb, on 08/06/2008, -3/+32Wow, the first thing I think about when I hear sarcoidosis is House M.D. I love that show.
  • Flinty, on 08/06/2008, -2/+6http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFzC4r3faG0
  • SoopaflySAM, on 08/06/2008, -4/+3"I aint scared of you *****!"

    "Somommabitch!"
  • web2pointYo, on 08/06/2008, -2/+2Bernie to sarcoidosis or any other punk ass immune system disorders :

    I AINT SCARED A YOU MUTHER FU*KERS!
  • spamcrusher, on 08/06/2008, -1/+5Sarcoidosis is a rare disease, but sad when a younger person has it because it's a lung disease that isn't caused by bad habits like many obstructive lung diseases. These restrictive ones are rarer and usually caused by occupational conditions like asbestoses. I'm a Respiratory Therapist so it's my job to help people with all lung conditions but I've only come across this one a few times. I hate to preach but having a lung disease is no fun at all. Imagine being short of breath and you feel like you just sprinted 100 yards but all you did was stand up to walk to the bathroom. Most lung diseases are preventable just by taking care of your lungs. If I had a dollar for each time a patient told me they wish they never smoked I could retire and I'm in my mid 20s.
  • steelsmack, on 08/06/2008, -6/+0$20 says this only made it to the front page due to the word "Mac" being in the title.

    My thoughts and prayers go out to you Bernie...
  • TimeForAnal, on 08/06/2008, -4/+2Sarcoidosis? In MY lungs? It's more likely than you think.
  • GunOfSod, on 08/06/2008, -1/+1bet has Coeliacs disease as an underlying condition.
  • geauxtig3rs, on 08/06/2008, -1/+2My mother has been in remission from sarcoidosis for about 5 years, however granulomas (the little mini benign tumors/ulcers that are associated with the condition) pop up every once in awhile, requiring a minor trip to the doctor to have them fished out. It was really scary when she was in the stages of diagnosis, because she couldn't even catch her breath sitting down in a chair, let alone while doing any physical activity. It took about 3 years for the doctors to figure out what it was.

    I feel for the man and his family, it's one hell of a thing to go through, and the prednsone treatments suck. My mother gained over 50 lbs on those pills. Took her forever to lose the weight.
  • MrFurious2k, on 08/06/2008, -1/+6House, MD would probably miss this one based on the fact that they usually rule out Sarcoidosis or Lupus within the first ten minutes of the show.
    • shutaro, on 08/06/2008, -0/+2He'd only miss it because there's probably some other bizarre symptom that rules out Sarcoidosis, which will be explained at the end of the show.
  • JeanNarH, on 08/06/2008, -5/+1Yea I got that crap too, diagnosed like 6 years ago, never followed up (hell, there's no cure, and lots o side effects for whatever they can prescribe for it)
    So far it's been good, im pretty sure I'm allright.

    Sarc got no consequences in a vast majority of cases, so stop praying for whoever's sick. If "god" didnt wanted them to be sick, they wouldnt have been heh?

    JNH
  • beattycoon, on 08/06/2008, -0/+2I also have sarcoidosis. Sometimes I find myself trying to figure what situation I was in that caused me to develop this disease. I have been okay, had some crazy clusters of bumps on my face that have since disappeared. I have a few lung issues, nothing major. I have heard a few horror stories though, so I hope it doesn't get as serious
  • danielsamuels, on 08/06/2008, -2/+5A Mac with a virus? Never!
  • returnofthemac, on 08/06/2008, -1/+0there seems to be a problem with the commenters on that article- there's a fear of the letter "s" at the end of words. No plural.

    seriously though i hope the dude feels better.
  • runnernerd, on 08/06/2008, -0/+2non-necrotizing granulomas
  • swizzlestick, on 08/06/2008, -1/+2It's just a matter of time until both Fannie Mae and Bernie Mac are nationalized.
  • Yusami, on 08/06/2008, -0/+2My mom has this. It's horrible. She's been dealing with the symptoms for over two years now. The only effective treatment is taking steroids which, long term, is lethal.
    I hope he has an easier time than my family has dealing with this.
  • trav12221, on 08/09/2008, -0/+2RIP Bernie :(
  • runtoboy, on 08/10/2008, -0/+0Lorne Greene from Bonanza died from pneumonia after heart surgey, I guess his fame contributed to the infection; duckbill masks in a negative pressure room are a must. Got to make lemonade from lemmons on these things and its looking up.
  • Domainut, on 08/19/2008, -0/+0Much more on the story of Bernie Mac's death can be found at http://specialreport.com/did-bernie-mac-die/ and http://specialreport.com/bernie-mac-funeral-pictur ...
  • jimb12345, on 11/26/2008, -0/+0Watch on the top comedians online for free at

    http://www.coolcomedians.info
  •  

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