What Is Cushing Syndrome? Amy Schumer’s Rare Disorder, Explained
Amy Schumer, 43, has said that abuse from internet trolls caused her to seek a diagnosis for Cushing syndrome. She told Alex Cooper's Call Her Daddy podcast about how trolls had been calling her 'moon face', which she initially dismissed.
'[Then] doctors were chiming in in the comments and they were, like, "No, no … something's really up. Your face looks so crazy,"' she said.
The stand-up comedian and actor was then diagnosed with a rare disorder called Cushing syndrome.
At the time of her diagnosis in 2024, she told the News Not Noise newsletter: 'I feel reborn.
'While I was doing press on camera for my Hulu show [Life & Beth], 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. So finding out I have the kind of Cushing that will just work itself out and I'm healthy was the greatest news imaginable.'
She said Cushing was brought on by getting 'steroid injections in high doses.'
Amy’s health update raises a lot of questions about Cushing syndrome. Here’s what you need to know about the disorder.
What is Cushing syndrome?
Cushing syndrome, which is also called Cushing’s syndrome, is a disorder that happens when your body makes too much of the stress hormone cortisol over a long period of time, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK).
According to the NIDDK, symptoms include:
Weight gain
Thin arms and legs
A round face
Increased fat around the base of the neck
A fatty hump between the shoulders
Easily bruising
Wide purple stretch marks, mainly on the stomach, breasts, hips, and under the arms
Weak muscles
There are two main types of Cushing syndrome, including exogenous (caused by factors outside the body) and endogenous (caused by factors inside the body), Medline Plus says. Amy has exogenous Cushing syndrome, she revealed in the newsletter.
What causes Cushing syndrome?
There is a range of potential causes of Cushing syndrome. Amy said that hers was caused by steroid injections 'in high doses,' but certain lung cancers, tumors on the pituitary or adrenal glands, or an inherited endocrine disorder can also cause Cushing, per John’s Hopkins Medicine.
How is Cushing syndrome treated?
Treatment for Cushing syndrome depends on the cause. In the case of getting Cushing syndrome from medication, gradually reducing the dose to the lowest dose needed or switching medications can help, the NIDDK says.
However, if a tumour is behind the syndrome, removing it will help, according to the organization.
Can Cushing syndrome be fully cured?
Most people with Cushing syndrome can be treated and fully cured, the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) says. If the condition is left untreated, it can cause fatal complications; but, if the patient is properly cared for, their life expectancy is expected to be the same as that of everyone else.
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