Real Housewives of New Jersey star Dolores Catania got candid during a recent appearance on Jeff Lewis Live, revealing some deeply personal health challenges and weighing in on the buzz surrounding Bravo’s newest franchise, The Real Housewives of Rhode Island.
In a vulnerable moment on-air, Dolores Catania shared that her go-to weight loss medication, Mounjaro, has recently stopped working. “I’m having a really hard time right now,” she said. “My Mounjaro stopped working. I gained 20 pounds.”
While Margaret Josephs quickly reassured her that she still looks amazing, Dolores Catania admitted that she’s been struggling emotionally and even sought therapy for herself and her friends. But the conversation quickly took a more serious turn when she revealed she recently underwent a cardiac ablation due to a sudden onset of atrial fibrillation (AFib).
“I didn’t post about this yet, but I’m going to soon. I had a cardiac ablation,” she told Jeff Lewis, explaining that her heart had been “beating a lot,” prompting the procedure. Though AFib is typically associated with older adults, Dolores noted that more people her age are now experiencing it. While she carefully avoided speculating on causes, Jeff and Margaret lightly floated the idea of the COVID vaccine — a theory Dolores neither confirmed nor denied, noting doctors wouldn’t make that connection.
As a result of the procedure, Dolores is now on a hefty regimen of medications — about ten pills a day — including blood thinners like metoprolol. “It’s just a formality now,” she said, adding that she hopes to be off the meds in 90 days. The weight gain, she believes, could be linked to the medications or the break she took from weight loss injections during her recovery.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a proper Bravo chat without a little franchise gossip. When asked about the much-rumored Real Housewives of Rhode Island, Dolores admitted she does have friends in the cast — and yes, they are bringing the drama.
“They are wild!” she laughed, though she quickly clarified she’s not joining the show full-time. “I’m not gonna be a star… I’ll visit maybe.”
Still, Dolores made it clear that while Rhode Island might be fun, Jersey holds a special place. “You’ve gotta go far to beat Jersey,” she said. “I’m not just saying that.”
SiriusXM’s Jeff Lewis Live airs Monday through Friday at 12pm ET/PT on Radio Andy (Ch. 102), and anytime on the SiriusXM app.
