Grey's Anatomy Star Camilla Luddington Prioritizes Self Care After Hashimoto's Diagnosis
Grey’s Anatomy star Camilla Luddington reassured her admirers that she is prioritizing “self-care” after receiving a recent diagnosis of Hashimoto's disease.
“This is quite recent for me,” the 42-year-old Luddington shared with People in an interview released on Saturday, October 4. “I received the diagnosis at the start of summer, so I’m just beginning to navigate this path. I’m taking Levothyroxine, a medication for the thyroid, and I can confirm that many aspects have transformed.”
Luddington — the actress portraying Dr. Jo Wilson in the ABC medical series — disclosed her recent diagnosis of the autoimmune condition during her Grey’s Anatomy colleague Jessica Capshaw’s “Call It What It Is” podcast on August 6.
As per the Mayo Clinic, Hashimoto's disease occurs when “the body's immune system mistakenly targets healthy tissues,” potentially leading to “the destruction of the thyroid’s hormone-generating cells.” Common indicators often encompass tiredness and lethargy, drowsiness, muscular frailty and discomfort, joint aches and rigidity, impaired focus, and feelings of despondency, among various other signs.
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Fortunately, Luddington informed the publication that her well-being has shown significant improvement since her formal diagnosis.
“I perceive a considerable reduction in inflammation,” she commented. “I frequently experienced puffiness, without understanding the reason for my constant exhaustion. I wasn't exercising. I hadn't attended a fitness class in ages, and now I'm back at Barry's bootcamp, engaging in weight training. Consequently, I feel more like my authentic self. I sense a greater capacity for energy concerning my profession and my loved ones.”
The star continued, “A particular symptom that puzzled me was significant brain fog, and now I comprehend that such a sensation can arise when your thyroid function is erratic. The debilitating weariness of cognitive haziness. Therefore, simply being genuinely attentive with colleagues on set, and with my family, represents a monumental change.”
Luddington and her spouse, Matthew Alan, are parents to two children: their daughter Hayden, aged 8, and their son Lucas Matthew, aged 5.
When she initially revealed her diagnosis back in August, the performer stated that regular blood tests aided her in discovering there was an underlying cause for her “sluggish sensations” over the preceding months.
“Honestly, when the term ‘autoimmune disease’ was mentioned, I became quite alarmed, and then upon learning its prevalence, my reaction was, ‘That's unfortunate, but acceptable,’” she recalled.
Luddington conveyed to her fellow actor that she “sensed something was amiss” due to her perpetual exhaustion, despite initially suspecting perimenopause as the cause.
“It induces feelings of tiredness and chilliness. It can lead to cognitive haziness, melancholy, dry skin, and hair thinning. Essentially, you're looking fabulous with Hashimoto's,” she quipped. “It reached a stage where, by 11 a.m., I felt as though I had consumed a significant dose of Benadryl and required a nap, irrespective of the amount of sleep I had obtained the previous night. It became impossible to power through the day.”
Upon eventually receiving a formal diagnosis, Luddington was prescribed Levothyroxine, a pharmaceutical agent employed to address insufficient thyroid hormone levels.
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“I haven't fully returned to normal,” Luddington stated in August. “However, I do experience significant improvement. My vitality is considerably enhanced. I no longer exhibit as much swelling.”
Concurrently, Luddington lately resumed her role on Grey’s Anatomy following a summer break to shoot the astonishing season 22 inaugural episode, in which a gas canister detonation within an operating theater at Grey Sloan Hospital jeopardizes the well-being of all personnel.
“It was extraordinary. This season is already utterly wild. I'm unable to divulge any plot details … it wasn't my preferred premiere to film, as it proved incredibly distressing for every participant,” she confided solely to Us Weekly in August.
Grey’s Anatomy is broadcast on ABC every Thursday at 10 p.m. ET. Fresh installments can be streamed the following day via Hulu.
