Artie Lange's sentencing on drug charges has been pushed back again because the comedian is still in the hospital getting treatment for diabetes.

Lange, 50, pleaded guilty to heroin possession in December and was due to appear in state Superior Court in Essex County on Friday, but his lawyer requested an adjournment because of his condition.

"He is still dealing with sinus infection and diabetes issues," says Lange's lawyer, Frank Arleo.

Lange, a Livingston native who grew up in Union Township and lives in Hoboken, has been in the hospital since at least May 10, when he canceled a show at Scotty's Pub and Comedy Cove in Springfield. On Monday, the executive producer of "The Artie and Anthony Show," his podcast with Anthony Cumia, tweeted that Lange would no longer be a part of the show.

The comedian was charged with drug possession after State Police stopped him on the Garden State Parkway during a plainclothes surveillance operation in May of 2017.

Police said they saw Lange drive erratically away from a McDonald's parking lot in Bloomfield and found a bag of heroin and straw in his lap. Lange was charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance and drug paraphernalia.

After he was arrested for missing a court date, Lange pleaded guilty to possession of 81 decks of heroin (bags worth about $10 each).

This is not the first time he planned to show up in court and had to cancel because he was in the hospital. Lange had said he would appear in Superior Court on Feb. 23, but didn't make it because he had to be hospitalized for blood sugar and blood pressure issues. He had a pre-sentence interview on March 23.

"I saw the judge who is very fair," he tweeted at the time. "She said I looked better! The interview went well. So I'm praying for probation but I will respectfully do what they tell me to do!"

Lange, who completed a stint in drug rehab earlier this year, has long struggled with drug addiction.

In March of 2017, just two months before police stopped him on the Parkway, police allegedly found Lange with heroin, cocaine and drug paraphernalia in his building's parking garage.

The comedian's battles with addiction were the subject of an episode of the latest season of the HBO series "Crashing," in which Lange plays a crotchety sidekick and veteran stand-up comic opposite an amateur comedian played by Pete Holmes.

Lange, who should also be appearing in the show's third season, has said that the episode was being considered for submission to the Emmys.

Both Holmes and Judd Apatow, the executive producer of "Crashing," stood by Lange during his relapse, but Lange recently lost another regular gig.

Keith Maresca, program director for Compound Media, tweeted on Monday that Lange's podcast with network founder Anthony Cumia, "The Artie and Anthony Show," of which he is an executive producer, would be reverting back to "The Cumia Show," ostensibly because Lange hasn't been able to show up to carry out his hosting duties.

He said he had visited Lange and that he was "in good spirits and is going to work on his health and getting better."

Maresca tweeted more about Lange on Wednesday.

"It was one of the hardest things I've had to do to walk in there and see him knowing the conversation we were going to have," he said, adding that he was at a loss for how to help the comedian.

"I don't know what it's going to take to pull him out of this horrible tailspin he's in," he said. "It's been so hard watching it get worse everyday."

Had a good visit w @artiequitter. He's in good spirits & is going to work on his health & getting better. Going forward @AnthonyCumiacm & @LandauDave are going to revert back to @TheCumiaShow. We wish Artie the best & hope he comes out on top. He's a true friend w a huge heart. -- Keith the Cop (@Keiththecop) May 14, 2018

Like his history with drugs, Lange's health problems often figure in his act. He once joked that his blood sugar was "Babe Ruth's lifetime slugging percentage."

On May 6, Lange, who canceled a show in Ohio last year because of blood sugar spikes, tweeted a photo of a plate of pizza and what appeared to be a cup of Coca-Cola:

"You sent Yoga videos to a guy who's currently calling this breakfast," he said.

Lange, who will now be sentenced on June 1, is next scheduled to perform at Scotty's Pub in Springfield on May 31 and at the Stress Factory in Bridgeport, Connecticut on June 14, 15 and 16.

"He's got to get his health in order," said Laurielle Nagel, manager at Comedy Cove, after the comedian canceled his show there last week.

Amy Kuperinsky may be reached at akuperinsky@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @AmyKup or on Facebook.