Jennifer Esposito - Jennifer Esposito Detailing Celiac Disease Struggle In New Book

Bradley Cooper's ex-wife discovered she had the potentially-fatal autoimmune condition, which is caused by an adverse reaction to eating gluten, in 2009 following years of misdiagnoses.

In a candid blog entry for GlobalGrind.com, Esposito remembers the "constant stomach problems, raging panic attacks, joint pain" and "extreme weakness" she suffered over the years, revealing the symptoms often became too much for her to bear.

She goes on to detail the visit to the doctor's office that changed her life forever - revealing she was rendered speechless when her physician asked her, "Do you want to kill yourself?".

The actress recalls, "I stared at her blankly. I had no words. Tears just rolled off my cheeks. I couldn't believe what I had just heard. Did she actually just say that? I know I told her I was depressed, but that was because I was sick all the time. Wouldn't that depress anyone? Killing myself though? Was that what was written on my face? My mind raced and my insides screamed."

Esposito's doctor promised to get to the bottom of her health problems and now the actress star is preparing to share her experiences with fans in her own book.

She is also working on a collection of her favourite gluten-free recipes to help other celiac disease sufferers manage their dietary needs. And she has founded Jennifer's Way, a support network to raise awareness and educate others about the need to lead a healthy lifestyle.