The Boys star, who plays Annie January, opened up about her recent health battle and diagnosis
The Boys star Erin Moriarty has opened up on her health struggles and revealed her diagnosis. The actress, who plays Annie January/Starlight in the Amazon Prime TV show, said she was diagnosed with Graves’ disease last month.
The Starlight actress took to Instagram to update her followers and she had put her symptoms down to “stress and fatigue.” However, the issues she was facing were actually down to an autoimmune disease that’s caused by over activity of the thyroid gland.
In the post, Erin wrote: “Autoimmune disease manifests differently in everybody/every body. Your experience will be different from mine. My experience will be different from yours.
“Perhaps greatly, perhaps minutely. One thing I can say: if I hadn’t chalked it all up to stress and fatigue, I would’ve caught this sooner. A month ago, I was diagnosed with Graves’ disease.
“Within 24 hours of beginning treatment, I felt the light coming back on. It’s been increasing in strength ever since. If yours is dimming, even slightly, go get checked. Don’t ‘suck it up’ and transcend suffering; you deserve to be comfy. S**** hard enough as is.”
The post featured several photos, including a screenshot to the star’s mum. In the text, Erin wrote: “I’m serious; I really really need relief. I feel nauseated tonight.
“I feel so s*** and removed from who I am, I can’t live like this forever. Or that long. There aren’t moments anymore, not even a passing 5 seconds, when I feel normal.
“I’ve never had that. Not one. It’s not just fatigue – it’s an ineffable, system wide cry for help and I don’t know how long I can remain in this state.”
What is Graves’ disease?
According to the NHS, Graves’ disease is an over activity of the thyroid gland, named after a Dr Graves. It is an autoimmune disease, caused by antibodies which stimulate the thyroid gland to produce too much thyroid hormone.
Antibodies are produced by the body’s immune system to help fight infections. In patients with ‘autoimmune diseases’, antibodies react with the body’s own tissues.
Graves’ disease is most common in young women and is more common in women than men. Other family members may also be affected with thyroid disease: either Graves’ disease, or a thyroid swelling alone (goitre), or an under active gland.
What are the symptoms of Graves’ disease?
When the thyroid is overactive many of the body’s processes operate too quickly causing symptoms such as:
- Irritability and ‘swings’ in emotion; nervousness or anxiety
- Weight loss in spite of a good appetite
- Palpitations (fast or irregular heart beat)
- Sweating and feeling hot
- Shaking or tremor
- Poor sleep
- Muscle weakness, with difficulty getting out of a chair or climbing stairs
- Frequent bowel movements
- In women who are having periods, these may become light and scanty or stop altogether.
Many of these symptoms are similar to those that occur as a result of stress or worry and it is often difficult to tell the difference between an overactive thyroid gland and the effects of stress without a blood test. The thyroid gland itself which is in the middle of the neck just below the Adams apple, may become enlarged and very easy to see (a goitre).