Rugby league immortal Andrew Johns makes shocking confession about his battle with epilepsy

Rugby league immortal Andrew Johns, 44, makes shocking confession as he speaks about his battle with epilepsy – admitting he can’t drive, surf or party hard anymore

  • Andrew Johns has opened up about battle with epilepsy and how it affects him
  • Johns was diagnosed with frontal lope epilepsy after two major seizures 
  • Now he has attacks every two months since his first seizure in 2016
  • Repeated head knocks throughout illustrious career could be factor 

Andrew Johns has made the stunning admission that repeated head knocks suffered during his glittering rugby league career may have led to his epilepsy battle.

The Immortal was recently diagnosed with frontal lobe epilepsy after suffering two major seizures over the past three months.

He has been stripped of his driving licencse, warned not to surf alone and told to slow down his lifestyle. 

The Newcastle Knights legend said he had experienced attacks every two months since his first seizure while commentating on an NRL game late in 2016.

Rugby league immortal Andrew Johns has made the shocking admission that repeated head knocks over his NRL career may have led to his epilepsy battle (pictured with girlfriend Kate Kendall) 

Johns, 44, had been on medication but doctors have upped his dosage following his recent scares in Yamba and New Zealand.

‘I had one up in Yamba over Christmas where I actually fell over and smashed my head,’ Johns said in a tell-all with brother Matthew on Fox League on Sunday.

The former Australian Kangaroos and NSW State of Origin star admitted to being rattled by the health scares before deciding to reach out to specialists in Melbourne.

‘Because, like everyone, when something goes wrong you google it. And then it comes up with the worst-case scenario,’ he said.

‘But the doctors and professors I’m seeing, they said if you get your medication levels right you can live a normal life.’

The Immortal, a title given to only the game’s best players, said doctors weren’t sure about the cause of his condition.

But they suggested his history with concussions could be a factor.

Johns (pictured) was recently diagnosed with frontal lobe epilepsy after suffering two major seizures over the past three months and said he now suffers attacks every two months

Johns (pictured) was recently diagnosed with frontal lobe epilepsy after suffering two major seizures over the past three months and said he now suffers attacks every two months 

The former Kangaroos and NSW State of Origin star admitted to being rattled by the health scares before deciding to reach out to specialists in Melbourne

The former Kangaroos and NSW State of Origin star admitted to being rattled by the health scares before deciding to reach out to specialists in Melbourne

Head knocks have been a serious issue rugby league in recent years, with the game’s lawmakers strengthening its rules around blows to the head.

James McManus, a former Knights winger,  is among a number of players who have taken legal action over treatment of their concussions.

‘(The doctors) can’t be sure what caused it. It could be something that popped up later in life,’ Johns said.

‘But they think maybe – and that’s maybe – a contributor could be some of the concussions I’ve had, some of the continual head knocks.’

The footy star-turned Channel Nine commentator attempted to describe the moment he first had a seizure in 2016.

‘I was commentating and all of a sudden, something came on in my body where I went into this trance-like state,’ Johns said.

‘I went into this dream, it’s hard to describe … like deja vu. You’ve seen where you’ve been before. Everything goes quiet.

‘It hit me and then I’ve come out of it, just sitting in the comm box and obviously I didn’t say nothing for a while.

‘Then the producer came up and said “Mate, are you all right?”. I said, “Yeah, yeah”.

‘Later that night I went back to the hotel and straight to bed which is pretty much a first and woke up in the morning with two big puncture marks in my tongue.

‘And my tongue had swelled right up.’ 

The Newcastle great has been stripped of his driving licence, warned not to surf alone and told to slow down his lifestyle

The Newcastle great has been stripped of his driving licence, warned not to surf alone and told to slow down his lifestyle

 

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