Freelance Writing Jobs | Today's Articles | sign in

Famous Men and Women with Thyroid Disease

Celebrities with Hypothyroid and Hyperthyroid Disorders

Aug 31, 2009 Jim Lowrance

Many famous people have come forward to relate the fact that they suffer various thyroid conditions. Their stories have helped educate the public about these diseases.

When celebrities share the details of their battles with thyroid disorders, this brings more awareness to the general public about symptoms and diagnosis of hypothyroid and hyperthyroid conditions. Some have also gone public with their stories about diagnosed thyroid cancers they have been treated for which also helps bring more attention to cancer awareness.

Oprah Winfrey

One of the celebrity stories that has helped gain public exposure for thyroid disease in recent years is that of Oprah Winfrey. In the year 2007, Oprah announced her diagnosis including details about her symptom struggles that had plagued her for years previous but that had worsened during months previous to her diagnosis. While she did not specify that her thyroid disease is autoimmune in nature, meaning the immune system creating antibodies to attack the thyroid gland, she did state that her body had “turned against itself”.

In her descriptions of symptoms experienced, she mentioned going through anxiety and sleeplessness for weeks at a time and having experienced a panic attack at one point. Her hyperthyroid (overactive) type symptoms were followed by a period of severe fatigue and the need to sleep more hours than normal, plus her weight-gain began to escalate rapidly. This description sounds very much like the symptom phases, patients with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis go through (autoimmune hypothyroidism, first manifesting as hyperthyroidism) and many who have watched this story unfold believe this to be the disease she has.

Observers of Oprah at the time noticed she was looking ill and very tired and in the mean time she was trying to find out what was wrong with her, which required seeing several doctors before one recommended thyroid blood testing. Her hypothyroidism was revealed on test results and she is now being treated, although her treatment does not sound conventional, with her recent mentions of not being required to take thyroid hormone replacement therapy. The world continues to watch for any new developments in Oprah’s case.

Professional Athletes

Both male and female athletes have gone public with their thyroid disease stories. Two track and field gold medal winners have been treated for thyroid disorders including Gail Devers, a 3-time female Olympic gold winner in the 100 meter hurdles and Carl Lewis, a male competitor who has won many gold medals, including the top spot for 10 years consecutively in the Olympic long jump. Two other male professional athletes that have come forward with thyroid disease diagnoses include Bobby Ingram NFL, wide receiver for the Seattle Seahawks, and professional golfer Ben Crenshaw who has won the PGA championship, the Masters and the British Open.

Presidents, Comedians, Artists and Mobsters

President George H. W. Bush, the 41st U.S. President suffered Graves’ disease (autoimmune hyperthyroidism) for which he was treated and is now taking thyroid hormone replacement therapy to treat resulting hypothyroidism. His first symptoms were atrial fibrillation, severe fatigue, hand-tremors and a mild goiter. Amazingly, President Bush’s wife Barbara and his dog Millie were also diagnosed with diseases causing them hyperthyroidism. It is believed that the second U.S. President, John Adams also suffered from Graves’ disease-hyperthyroidism.

Italian comedian and actor Joe Piscopo was diagnosed and treated for thyroid cancer in 1990 and has been in full remission since. Speaking of Italians with thyroid disease, Sammy Gravano, famous Italian mobster, now serving a prison term for drug charges contracted Graves’ disease for which he has been treated. It has also been rumored that his fellow mobster John Gotti may have also contracted Graves’ disease but succumbed to unrelated cancer, dying in prison at age-61.

Other artists in various fields of media and art have been diagnosed with thyroid disorders, including musician Rod Stewart, movie critic Roger Ebert and cowboy artist Charles M. Russell. All of these individuals from so many fields of endeavor, demonstrate the fact that thyroid disease is not selective about whom it affects.

The copyright of the article Famous Men and Women with Thyroid Disease in General Medicine is owned by Jim Lowrance. Permission to republish Famous Men and Women with Thyroid Disease in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Oprah Winfrey