SNL's Kenan Thompson Finally Opened Up About This Painful Medical Diagnosis

Whether you’re a devoted fan of Saturday Night Live or catch a few sketches on YouTube, Kenan Thompson gets the endurance award for being the show’s longest-serving player. Yet two years ago, Thompson noticed his voice getting more hoarse during his late-night appearances each Saturday. Even on other nights, he would have trouble sleeping because his burping or hiccuping would keep him awake.

Thompson tried some over-the-counter medications and adjusted his diet, but he couldn’t find any relief. After “suffering in silence” for a while, he decided his condition was serious enough to see a doctor. The doctor would diagnose him with gastroesophageal reflux disease, also known as GERD.

“I didn’t know there was a real medical term for it,” Thompson told People. He felt immediate relief after being prescribed a potassium-competitive acid blocker called Voquenzna. Thompson is now working with the maker of Voquenzna, Phathom Pharmaceuticals, to let others know more about GERD and how to find relief for themselves.

After a heavy meal or eating certain trigger foods, you might feel a burning sensation rising from the middle of your chest or even reaching your throat. This discomfort, known as heartburn or acid reflux, can also occur if you eat too late at night or lie down soon after a meal. Occasional heartburn is relatively common. If these symptoms happen frequently or persist over time, it could be a sign of GERD.

GERD occurs when stomach acid repeatedly flows back into the esophagus, the tube connecting your mouth and stomach. This backwash, or acid reflux, can irritate the lining of your esophagus and lead to symptoms like heartburn or regurgitation — a sour or bitter taste in the mouth caused by food or acid rising up. However, not everyone with GERD experiences these classic symptoms. Some people may have difficulty swallowing or, as in Thompson’s case, throat inflammation that leads to hoarseness. Others might experience chest pain, cough, or nausea. Pregnancy, obesity, and smoking can lead to GERD or worsen GERD symptoms. Certain medications such as sedatives, calcium channel blockers, NSAIDs, and tricyclic antidepressants can also cause GERD.

Treating GERD may begin with lifestyle changes such as losing weight, quitting smoking, and identifying foods that may trigger your symptoms. Foods that often trigger GERD include alcohol, caffeine, chocolate, mint, spicy foods, and high-acid foods like citrus and tomatoes. You also may find relief from GERD by using several pillows so your body is at an incline while you sleep (read about the best sleep position if you struggle with acid reflux). Over-the-counter (OTC) medications may include antacids, which may temporarily relieve symptoms. Histamine blockers (like Pepcid AC) and proton pump inhibitors (like Prilosec OTC) both reduce the production of stomach acid to give you longer relief. These are also available at prescription strength. Voquezna (vonoprazan) is a new class of drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat non-erosive GERD.

If changing your lifestyle and taking different medications don’t provide relief, your doctor may want to run some diagnostic tests to ensure you don’t have any GERD complications. Your stomach acid can cause inflammation or narrowing of your esophagus, or damage to the tissues of your esophagus could increase your risk of esophageal cancer.