An actress has admitted she went through numerous diagnoses over a period of years, such as bipolar disorder, chronic fatigue syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, and anxiety disorder and burnout, before finally getting a diagnosis for Graves’ disease, an autoimmune disorder of the thyroid.
She said she had been experiencing a gradual deterioration of her condition since 2023, starting with extreme fatigue that was attributed to stress or work overload. As time went on, her symptoms worsened, causing major disruption to her sleep, neurological symptoms and cognitive decline, making everyday activities difficult.
One of the scariest areas that started to change is memory loss. She said she had a hard time keeping dialogue while shooting, and that it was disorienting and scary on a high-stakes TV shoot.
The physical symptoms also got worse, such as numbness in her legs and arms, palpitations and a constant pain. These symptoms resulted in numerous visits to doctors from various specialties and failed to be diagnosed for several years.
During this time, she was also finishing up the last season of a big TV show in which she played a role that she had been performing for years. The juxtaposition of her image and her health issues was part of the problem and she noted that speculation about her situation swirled around as she was not diagnosed.
Medical uncertainty added to her psychological stress, she said. Her condition worsened to the point that at one time she was seen by a neurologist due to fear of a life-threatening illness. Not getting answers was adding to her feeling more unstable and self-doubting, she said.
It was in May 2025, when she underwent numerous tests with an endocrinologist and the diagnosis was confirmed as Graves’ disease that things changed. The diagnosis was based on antibody tests to determine the underlying autoimmune disorder causing her symptoms. The result gave her clarity after years of confusion, she said, but it didn’t right away correct the damage from the long illness.
It started soon after and she went on to have a severe mental health episode, resulting in hospitalisation in August 2025. She said this was a “late emotional reaction to the years of not having a diagnosis” and realizing what she had been through during her recovery.
She said it was tough to get used to being diagnosed, and it meant grieving for the lost years and for the effects it had on her career and her life. The experience has made me re-think what I think of being strong and resilient,” she said.
She also spoke about the challenges of dealing with a condition which affects women disproportionately, as her symptoms were often not understood or acknowledged during the diagnostic journey. She cited broader problems in the evaluation and comprehension of women’s health issues in medical systems.
She is currently in treatment and recovery continues to be a non-linear process, she said. Her physical recovery has improved, but she said the emotional and psychological impact of the disease takes a long time to deal with.
Publicly discussing her experience is meant to promote greater awareness, especially for people experiencing symptoms that can’t be explained, she added. Early detection can make a world of difference, she said, so people should not shrug off any changes in their bodies that continue for a while.
