Wendy Williams May Experience Graves’ Disease Relapse, Experts Say
Wendy Williams’ health was an issue of concern, especially after the TV show host fainted during the Halloween episode on October 31, 2017. Speculation about the deteriorating state of her health was initially rumored to be in connection with her husband’s alleged affair. However, the talk show host and mother of one promptly shot down those rumors.
After much speculation about her health, the TV show host announced to her viewers on February 21 that she has Graves’ disease and needed some rest. Williams told viewers that she was ordered by her doctor to take a three-week hiatus from her show, according to NBC News. The TV show host jokingly said she would be back in two weeks after the announcement, according to CNN, as she will be taking time off to treat her illness.
Dr. Terry Jay Smith tells NBC News that because of the misidentification, antibodies are generated and T-cells stop their surveillance, causing the overactivity of the thyroid gland, a process called hyperthyroidism. The disease, according to Dr. Smith, can have a devastating effect on the eyes, causing them to bulge. The immune system may also mistake the tissues in the back of the eyes as foreign and attack them, according to experts.
“Graves disease is an autoimmune disease. The immune system incorrectly identifies the thyroid as foreign”
The list of symptoms of the disease is long, but the talk show host has disclosed that some of the symptoms she experienced are consistent with the disease. Experts also say women are more prone to the disease than men, but the good news is that it is treatable.
Though treatable, Dr. Smith says thyroid levels can be regulated with medications such as Methimazole but medications don’t cure the disease. This is corroborated by the American Thyroid Association, which says that because the thyroid stimulating antibodies often are unaffected by these treatments, the underlying cause of Graves’ disease still persists. A Q&A on the American Thyroid Association website says that the thyroid stimulating antibodies may return, causing the disease to relapse.
What is Graves disease, the ailment that forced Wendy Williams' leave of absence? https://t.co/GF7KEQmlpR pic.twitter.com/GFrGnZxGpH
— billboard (@billboard) February 23, 2018
Effective treatments are available, according to experts, even though the cause of the disease is not cured. Some patients may even require surgery to manage the disease, according to Endocrine Web. This means that if not properly managed, Wendy Williams may experience a relapse of Graves’ disease even after treatment.
The straight-shooting talk show host is currently on her three-week break; however, viewers will be looking forward to seeing Williams refreshed and reenergized for her TV show. Fans of The Wendy Williams Show will be praying for the speedy recovery of the talk show host and waiting for Williams to share some “hot topics.”
