Lauren Boebert's Tragic Health Diagnosis, Explained

Lauren Boebert is pretty proud of her killer legs, so she was quick to notice unusual swelling in her left leg in April 2024. However, she was unaware she suffered from a rare vascular disease. After feeling unwell, she was taken to the hospital, where doctors diagnosed her with May–Thurner syndrome, a rare condition that can disrupt proper blood flow to the left leg. After a brief hospital stay, Boebert, a controversial congresswoman from Colorado, returned to the campaign trail to vie for a new congressional seat in that year's general election.

The ultra-conservative politician continued to engage with her social media followers throughout her health emergency. In a Facebook post thanking her supporters, Boebert even showed off her sexy grandma look with her grandson Josiah during her hospital stay. "The BEST little visitor came by before surgery and he helped get me through it! THANK YOU to everyone who has reached out to me and our team to send their prayers and support, it has meant the world to me!" she wrote.

Following her diagnosis, she became the target of conspiracy theorists who claimed her hospitalization was linked to the COVID-19 vaccine. But Boebert, who was outspoken against former President Joe Biden's vaccination efforts, denied it. "It's May-Thurner syndrome, so just want to clear the air there — But you know, I'm back at being active [which] is the best thing for me," she told OAN's Dan Bell (via Newsweek). While usually not dangerous, Boebert's condition can lead to life-threatening complications.

May-Thurner syndrome occurs when an artery in the pelvis compresses the left iliac vein that carries blood to the left leg. While most people live with the condition without ever manifesting symptoms, some develop blood clots. That was the case with Lauren Boebert. Blood clots formed because the compression of the vein prevented blood from properly flowing into the limb. Boebert caught them early and underwent surgery to remove them. But removing clots that have already formed is only part of the treatment.

Once diagnosed, doctors will also perform surgery to prevent new ones. In Boebert's case, the procedure involved inserting a stent, a metal mesh cylinder that keeps the vein from being squeezed. "We successfully performed surgery on the Congresswoman this morning and expect her to make a full recovery," Dr. Rebecca Bade of UCHealth Medical Center of the Rockies told CBS News. "Patients with May-Thurner Syndrome who undergo the procedure to restore blood flow are able to live and work just as they have in the past after a brief recovery."

However, May-Thurner can cause severe consequences, as it can make patients more susceptible to deep vein thrombosis, a type of blood clot that can travel up the leg and end up in the lungs. Known as pulmonary embolism, the condition can lead to death. May-Thurner syndrome is more commonly seen among women between 30 and 50, though it can also affect men. Boebert was 37 when she developed symptoms.