Nick Jonas Opens up About Being ‘Very Close to a Coma’ Following Diabetes Diagnosis at 13

Nick Jonas has opened up with new details about his diabetes diagnosis, and his early years living with the disease. Jonas was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes as a 13-year-old, and it factored heavily in his early life as a public figure. Now 27, he admitted that the ailment almost got the better of him when he was young.

Jonas sat down for an interview in the latest issue of Cigar Aficionado, where he is on the cover of the latest issue. he recounted his diagnosis with diabetes at 13, saying that he was extremely close to the worst possible outcome.

“I was very close to a coma,” Jonas said. “Like a day away, if I hadn’t gone to the hospital.”

Diabetic comas can lead to death, in some cases, so Jonas’ case was discovered just in time. Around that time, he was showing some tell-tale signs, though his family did not immediately recognize them. In a 2007 interview with PEOPLE, they said the symptoms included dramatic weight loss.

At 13, Jonas suddenly dropped about 15 pounds in two weeks. He was also overcome with an insatiable thirst. All of the sudden, he was consuming dozens of bottles of soda and water per day.

“I kept asking my parents, ‘Am I going to be OK?’” Jonas recalled in his new interview.

Of course, one of the most terrifying things of this account is that it is not all that different from the signs of puberty. Many teenagers begin to exhibit strange physiological signs as they grow up, so the timing could have been dangerous.

In a triumphant turn, Jonas described how he manages his diabetes today. He told Cigar Aficionado that he uses an insulin pump to regulate his blood sugar, giving him the freedom to pursue his career in acting and music. Without a little flexibility, he said, he would not be able to live his hectic lifestyle.

“I love acting because it’s something that I feel keeps me on my toes,” he said. “I’m never in a spot where I’m totally comfortable, which I like.”

“I get on a set, and there’s so many moving parts. You have to be on your game, but you have to be willing to adapt,” he continued. “I feel like I’m continuing to grow in that world.”

Jonas’ new interview is on newsstands now. It includes more discussion of the Jonas Brothers reunion earlier this year, his marriage to Priyanka Chopra and his upcoming work.

Photo Credit: PopCulture.com / Dylan Skye Aycock