Amy Schumer has revealed a private health battle that resulted in a change in her physical appearance.
The comedian says that she has been diagnosed with Cushing syndrome, a hormonal disorder that she developed as a result of taking steroid medication. The 42-year-old made her comments more than a week after sharing she was going through "some medical and hormonal things" while responding to criticism and speculation over her "puffier" face, as seen on recent appearances on The Tonight Show and The View.
"I reached out to Amy after the haters came for her," journalist Jessica Yellin wrote in the Feb. 23 edition of her News Not Noise newsletter, which Schumer promoted on her Instagram. "She shared that she has exogenous Cushing syndrome brought on by getting steroid injections in high doses."
According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, Cushing syndrome occurs when your body has a high level of the hormone cortisol and the exogenous type is typically caused by taking too much glucocorticoid or corticosteroid medicine, or steroids, which are used to treat a variety of other conditions.
A common side effect is facial swelling, often dubbed "moon face," and such symptoms typically subside after stopping treatment, which must be done gradually.
"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," the Life of Beth star, who shares son Gene, 4, with husband Chris Fischer, said in her own words in the 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."
Schumer continued, "It has been a crazy couple weeks for me and my family. 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."
While the Trainwreck star has not revealed why she was prescribed steroids, she has been open about her battle with endometriosis, an autoimmune disease in which tissue grows outside the uterus, which can cause pain and infertility. In 2021, Schumer underwent a hysterectomy to remove her uterus, which can alleviate symptoms of the condition.
On Feb. 15, following the recent scrutiny over her looks, she wrote on Instagram, "I've enjoyed feedback and deliberation about my appearance as all women do for almost 20 years. And you're right it is puffier than normal right now. I have endometriosis an auto immune disease that every woman should read about. There are some medical and hormonal things going on in my world right now but I'm okay."
In the newsletter, Schumer said she wants to advocate for women's health.
"The shaming and criticism of our ever-changing bodies is something I have dealt with and witnessed for a long time. 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," the actress said, adding, "Everyone is struggling with something. Maybe we can all be a little kinder to each other and ourselves."