Amy Schumer opened up about a recent health diagnosis following social media speculation about her "puffier" face during the promotional tour for "Life & Beth." The comedian and actress disclosed that she has been diagnosed with Cushing syndrome, a condition characterized by prolonged excessive levels of the hormone cortisol in the body, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Signs and symptoms encompass a rounded facial appearance, a fatty deposit between the shoulders, and pink or purple stretch marks on the skin. Additionally, the condition can result in hypertension (high BP), bone loss, and the onset of type 2 diabetes, as outlined by the Mayo Clinic.
"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 expressed in the Friday edition of Jessica Yellin's "News Not Noise" newsletter.
"So finding out I have the kind of Cushing that will just work itself out and I’m healthy was the greatest news imaginable," she added.
Schumer, who has previously shared her experience with endometriosis, told Yellin that scrutiny regarding her appearance during the promotion of her Hulu series' new season prompted her to recognize that "something was wrong."
In a February 15 Instagram post addressing the criticism, Schumer reassured her fans, stating there were "some medical and hormonal things going on in my world right now but I’m okay."
"It has been a crazy couple weeks for me and my family.," the comedian expressed to Yellin. "'Aside from fears about my health, I also had to be on camera having the internet chime in. But thank God for that. Because that's how I realized something was wrong. ... The internet is undefeated, as they say."
Treatment for Cushing syndrome aims to reduce cortisol levels in the body and may involve surgical, radiation, or medicinal interventions, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Schumer expressed her desire to publicly disclose her diagnosis to advocate for women's health.
"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," she said.
