Actress Daisy Ridley, best known for playing Rey in the Star Wars movie franchise, has made the tragic announcement that she’s been diagnosed with Graves’ disease.
Ridley’s Major Diagnosis
Ridley, 32, told Women’s Health magazine that she was diagnosed with the autoimmune disorder after initially blaming her symptoms on a “really stressful” movie role.
Graves’ disease is a condition in which your immune system produces antibodies that cause the thyroid to produce too much thyroid hormone, according to the NHS. In turn, that can cause bulging eyes (like famous actor Marty Feldman), problems with digestion, heart palpitations, and more.
While the cause of the condition is unknown, it often runs in families. Those who suffer from it are typically young or middle-aged women. It is reportedly seven to eight times more likely to hit women than men.
After filming the upcoming psychological thriller Magpie, Ridley began experiencing hot flashes and fatigue.
“I thought, Well, I’ve just played a really stressful role; presumably that’s why I feel poorly,” she explained, adding that this was the “first time” she’d publicly spoken out about her diagnosis.
However, Ridley soon started experiencing more symptoms like hand tremors, racing heart rate, and weight loss.
Ridley Gets Diagnosed
Ridley was finally diagnosed with Graves’ disease when she went to see her doctor. He explained to her that Graves’ is often referred to as “tired but wired.” Ridley could immediately relate to this feeling.
“It was funny, I was like, ‘Oh, I just thought I was annoyed at the world,’ but [it] turns out everything is functioning so quickly you can’t chill out,” she said.
Ridley was placed on daily medication. Though she was already a vegan, she also adopted a gluten-free diet.
“I am not super strict about it, but generally cutting down on gluten makes me feel better,” Ridley added.
It didn’t take long for Ridley to begin seeing positive changes to how she was feeling.
“I didn’t realize how bad I felt before,” she admitted. “Then I looked back and thought, ‘How did I do that?’”
Ridley also started integrating infrared saunas, cryotherapy, acupuncture, and massages into her daily routine. These days, she carries crystals with her everywhere at all times.
“I’ve always been health conscious, and now I’m trying to be more well-being conscious,” she explained. “I do a fair amount of the holistic stuff, but I also understand that it is a privilege to be able to do those things.”
Related: Carrie Fisher Of ‘Star Wars’ Fame To Receive Major Honor Seven Years After Her Death
Ridley Still Learning To Manage Her Grave’s
While Ridley is feeling much better these days, she is still learning to manage her Grave’s, which never goes away.
“We all read the stats about women being undiagnosed or underdiagnosed and sort of coming to terms with saying, ‘I really actually don’t feel good,’ and not going, ‘I’m fine, I’m fine, I’m fine, I’m fine.’ It’s just normalized to not feel good,” she said.
“In the grand scheme of things, it’s much less severe than what a lot of people go through. Even if you can deal with it, you shouldn’t have to,” Ridley concluded. “If there’s a problem, you shouldn’t have to just [suffer through it].”
While it’s sad to see someone as young as Ridley deal with a serious medical issue, she seems to be managing it well. Please join us in saying a prayer for Ridley and her health moving forward!
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