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After months of unexplained exhaustion and swelling, "Grey's Anatomy" actress Camilla Luddington has revealed her diagnosis with Hashimoto's disease, an autoimmune disorder that affects the thyroid. Speaking candidly on her podcast Call It What It Is, which she co-hosts with Jessica Capshaw, Luddington described the moment her doctor shared the news: "Everything looked great, except this one little thing."
The 41-year-old actress said the diagnosis followed a routine blood test three months ago. "I was feeling slothy. Just tired all the time," she said. "When I heard 'autoimmune disease,' I thought, 'What the f--k?'" The condition, though common, left her shocked. "It was a little freaky," she admitted, "but there was relief too. I finally had an answer."
Luddington, a mother of two, said she initially chalked her symptoms up to parenting fatigue or perimenopause. "I thought, maybe this is just what being in your 40s feels like," she said. But the symptoms intensified. "By 11 a.m., it felt like I'd taken Benadryl. I needed a nap, and I had slept the night before. One morning I woke up, and my face and hands were swollen."
Concerned that she might be overreacting, she questioned her own instincts. "I have health anxiety, so part of me wondered, am I gaslighting myself?" But her intuition proved correct. Doctors prescribed Levothyroxine, a synthetic thyroid hormone widely used in treatment, and began monitoring her response every six weeks. "I'm on the lowest dose right now," she said. "And thankfully, I'm starting to feel better."
The Grey's Anatomy star, who has played Dr. Jo Wilson since 2012, said she wanted to speak out not just for awareness but to offer reassurance to others going through similar struggles. "It's going to be a journey," she admitted. "But I'm on the road to recovery."
Hashimoto's has affected a number of high-profile celebrities, including Gigi Hadid, Zoe Saldana, and Victoria Justice. According to the Mayo Clinic, treatment usually involves lifelong hormone therapy and regular blood tests to monitor thyroid function.
As she prepares to return for Season 22 of Grey's Anatomy this fall, Luddington says she's grateful for clarity and healing. "Knowing what's wrong is half the battle. Now I can move forward."
