Comedian Amy Schumer has disclosed that she has been diagnosed with Cushing's syndrome, a condition that arises when there is too much cortisol in the body.
In an interview published Friday in the News Not Noise newsletter, Schumer revealed she has exogenous Cushing's syndrome, brought on by getting steroid injections.
The condition can trigger weight gain, fatigue, “moon face,” headaches and other symptoms. Schumer said she felt “reborn” after finally getting a diagnosis.
“While I was doing press on camera for my Hulu show, I was also in MRI machines four hours at a time, having my veins shut down from the amount of blood drawn and thinking I may not be around to see my son grow up,” Schumer recalled. “So, finding out I have the kind of Cushing that will just work itself out and I’m healthy was the greatest news imaginable. It has been a crazy couple weeks for me and my family.”
Schumer said she shared her diagnosis to encourage women’s health and body positivity.
“The shaming and criticism of our ever-changing bodies is something I have dealt with and witnessed for a long time,” Schumer explained. ”I want so much for women to love themselves and be relentless when fighting for their own health in a system that usually doesn’t believe them.”
Schumer, who had faced criticism for her puffy appearance on social media, also encouraged others to be kinder.
“This is a good example of the fact that we never know what is going on with someone,” she said in the interview. “Everyone is struggling with something. Maybe we can all be a little kinder to each other and ourselves.”