In a refreshingly honest take, Camilla Luddington is getting candid about her recent health scare. She made a health revelation on the August 6 episode of her “Call It What It Is” podcast, which she cohosts with “Grey’s Anatomy” alum Jessica Capshaw.
Camilla Luddington Recalls Shock of Hashimoto’s Diagnosis After Weeks of Fatigue
(Photo by Amy Sussman/Getty Images )The 41-year-old actress revealed she was recently diagnosed with Hashimoto’s disease. The British-born star admitted she had been “feeling slothy” for weeks before finally getting blood work done.
“My doctor was like, ‘Everything looks great except this one little thing.’ I remember hearing the words ‘autoimmune disease’ and thinking, ‘What the f***?’” she recalled.
Her doctor explained she had Hashimoto’s hyperthyroidism, a very common condition. Still, the diagnosis initially shook her. “Truly, when they said ‘autoimmune disease,’ I was really freaked out, and then when they said it’s really common, I was like, ‘That sucks but OK,’” she said.
The Symptoms: ‘It Got to the Point Where I Needed to Nap by 11 A.M.’
(Photo by Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images)Hashimoto’s disease can cause the thyroid to produce too little of the hormones that regulate major body functions. According to the Mayo Clinic, symptoms include fatigue, brain fog, dry skin & sensitivity to cold — all of which Luddington said she experienced.
“I knew something was up,” she said. “Even when I was having my blood drawn, the doctor said, ‘Is there any particular thing you’re concerned about?’ and I said, ‘Look, I’m really f***ing tired all the time. I’m wondering if I’m in perimenopause.’”
The exhaustion was relentless. “It got to the point where, by 11 a.m., it felt like I had chugged some Benadryl and I needed to nap, and it didn’t matter how much sleep I’d gotten the night before. There was no pushing through the day,” she explained.
Swollen Face, Brain Fog & Exhaustion: ‘This Is Hard to Live This Way’
As her symptoms worsened, Luddington began noticing physical changes. “One day I woke up and my face and hands were really swollen,” she said. “It was getting to the point where I was like, ‘Wow, this is hard to live this way.’ I didn’t realize how exhausted my body was.”
The actress added that Hashimoto’s affects more than just energy levels. “It makes you feel tired and cold. It can make you foggy, depressed, you can have dry skin, your hair can thin,” she said with sarcasm. “Basically, you’re feeling gorgeous with Hashimoto’s.”
Finding Relief: Luddington Says She’s ‘Not Normal’ Yet, But Feeling Better
(Photo by MICHAEL TRAN/AFP via Getty Images)Luddington, who has played Dr. Jo Wilson on “Grey’s Anatomy” since 2012, said the relief of finally having a diagnosis was huge. “After being diagnosed, I felt more calm about it and the relief was really huge,” she shared.
She’s now taking a medication called Levothyroxine to help restore thyroid hormone levels — and while she’s still recovering, she’s feeling hopeful. “I’m still not normal,” she said, “but I do feel a lot better. My energy’s a lot better. I’m not as puffy anymore.”
With her signature humor & honesty, Camilla Luddington is not only managing her health but helping others feel less alone in the process.
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Camilla Luddington, 41, Emotionally Details Her Fight With Hashimoto’s Disease