- By Helen Bushby
- Cultural reporter
February 26, 2024, 10:34 GMT
Updated 1 hour ago
Image source: Getty Images
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Amy Schumer: “It’s been a crazy few weeks for me and my family”
Actress and director Amy Schumer has revealed that she suffers from Cushing's syndrome, which is caused by an excess of the hormone cortisol in her body.
She revealed the condition after being inundated with comments about her face. Fans said it looked “more puffy” in recent television interviews.
In her initial reaction, Schumer attributed the change in her appearance to endometriosis.
The subsequent Cushing’s diagnosis made her feel “like a new person,” she said.
“There are a few types of Cushing’s. Some can be fatal, requiring brain surgery or adrenal gland removal,” the actress told the News Not Noise newsletter.
“I have the kind of Cushing’s that develops on its own, and I’m healthy.” [which] “It was the biggest news you could imagine,” she added.
Cushing's syndrome occurs when a person has elevated levels of cortisol, the body's primary stress hormone, in the body for a long time. People who take steroids are particularly affected.
Jessica Yellin, the founder of News Not Noise, said she reached out to Schumer after reading about the online discourse about her appearance.
Schumer responded that she sought medical advice after reading the comments.
“Plus, I was lying in MRI machines for four hours straight, my veins blocked by the amount of blood they were taking, and I thought I might not be around to see my son grow up,” she agreed Yellin.
“Aside from worrying about my health, I also had to be in front of the camera and let the internet play along.
“But thank God for that. Because that’s how I realized something was wrong.”
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Amy Schumer said she feels “strong and beautiful and so proud of this TV show I created”
Schumer appeared on US television earlier this month to discuss the second season of the sitcom “Life And Beth”, which she writes, directs and stars in.
During the promotional tour, the actress, who also appeared in the sketch show “Inside Amy Schumer,” the 2015 film “Trainwreck” and 2018's “I Feel Pretty,” visited “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” and “The View.” .
Afterwards, she was met with a barrage of jokes mocking her face, as well as medical speculation and supportive comments.
“I enjoyed feedback and reflections on my appearance,” she said.
With a half-serious tone, the actress added on Instagram that she had endured such speculation for “almost 20 years.” […] like all women do.”
What is Cushing's Syndrome?
The NHS website says the syndrome can be serious if left untreated and is rare.
This is often due to people taking steroid medications, especially tablets that contain a synthetic version of cortisol, for a long period of time.
Very rarely, the syndrome can be caused by the body producing too much cortisol, caused by a tumor in the pituitary gland in the brain or in one of the adrenal glands above the kidneys.
Cortisol is known as your “fight or flight” hormone. When it sends alarm signals to the brain in response to stress, it can affect almost every system in the body, from the immune system to digestion to sleep.
The syndrome is usually benign [non-cancerous] and most common in young women.
Symptoms tend to slowly worsen if left untreated, and the website says one of the main symptoms is weight gain and more body fat. Symptoms may include:
- More fat on the chest and stomach, but slim arms and legs.
- A collection of fat in the neck and shoulders known as the “buffalo hump.”
- A red, swollen, round face.
Other symptoms include skin that bruises easily, large purple stretch marks, weakness in the upper arms and thighs, decreased libido and fertility problems, depression and mood swings.
The Pituitary Foundation, which provides support for Cushing's syndrome in the United Kingdom, told the BBC it was sorry to hear about Schumer's diagnosis and said it was “encouraging to see her raising awareness of her condition.” sharpens”.
They wished Schumer “all the best in her recovery” and encouraged anyone who thinks they may have the disease to contact their primary care doctor.
“Cushing’s syndrome is rare, affecting only a few in a million people each year,” a spokeswoman said.
“Some people live with symptoms for many years, so raising awareness is key to ensuring people can receive a diagnosis.”
The spokeswoman added that other symptoms could include “excessive hair growth, irregular periods and an increased feeling of irritability and anxiety”.
Son's name change
Schumer praised News Not Noise as her “favorite credible news source” and said she wants to “advocate for women's health.”
“I so desperately want women to love themselves and fight relentlessly for their own health in a system that typically doesn't believe them,” she said.
“I want women to value feeling strong, healthy and comfortable in their own skin.”
She has previously spoken about body positivity, saying it's important to “advocate for self-love and acceptance of the skin you're in.”
“The only thing I would add is that this is a good example of how we never know what's going on with someone,” she said.
“Everyone is struggling with something. Maybe we can all be a little kinder to each other and ourselves.”
Schumer added that comments about her son's name in 2020 sparked a similar period of self-reflection.
The actress had originally planned to call him Gene Attell, his middle name being a reference to her boyfriend, comedian Dave Attell.
The internet was quick to point out that the name “sounds like genitals.”
“I realized I had given my son a name that didn't sound so good,” she said. “The Internet is undefeated, as they say.”