HGTV Star Heather Rae El Moussa Reveals Surprising Diagnosis at 36
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
Heather Rae El Moussa reveals autoimmune disease diagnosis.
The HGTV star disclosed that she was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s disease, a type of thyroid disease.
The Flipping El Moussas star said she felt “exhausted all the time” and chalked up her symptoms to post-pregnancy “mom brain.”
Heather Rae El Moussa is a busy woman. The Selling Sunset alum works in real estate, handles multi-million dollar deals, and flips houses on The Flipping El Moussas—and is a mom. The HGTV star recently revealed that she was diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder—Hashimoto’s disease—after feeling “exhausted all the time.”
In an interview with TODAY, El Moussa opened up about the fatigue and symptoms that led to her diagnosis and the challenges it caused her day-to-day life. Four months after giving birth to her son, Tristan, she experienced such intense fatigue that it was difficult to get out of bed and filming was “absolutely brutal,” she told the outlet.
“I remember saying to my assistant, ‘I feel like I’m dead,’” El Moussa told TODAY. “My brain was so tired. My body was so tired. I was exhausted all the time and no amount of sleep could make it better.”
At the time, El Moussa attributed her tiredness and fogginess t0 postpartum. “I was like, ‘I’m probably just foggy because of mom brain,’” El Moussa told TODAY.
While exhaustion could be caused by a multitude of things (especially as a busy realtor and new mom), El Moussa began to experience more physical symptoms. After having a sudden decrease in her milk supply, a lactation consultant recommended getting blood work done. Shortly after, El Moussa was given an answer to her symptoms.
Doctors diagnosed the HGTV star with Hashimoto’s disease, an autoimmune disease where your immune system attacks the thyroid, which regulates the release of hormones necessary for your body’s functioning. El Moussa’s pregnancy triggered Hashimoto’s disease in her, according to TODAY. She said she “was in total shock” when the doctors diagnosed her.
The number of people affected by Hashimoto’s disease in America is unknown, according to the National Institute of Health (NIH). However, this autoimmune disease is the main cause of hypothyroidism, which affects about five in 100 Americans. El Moussa’s symptoms were fatigue, a drop in milk supply while breastfeeding, and brain fog.
Mayo Clinic notes that common indicators of Hashimoto’s disease are: fatigue, constipation, sensitivity to the cold, muscle aches, irregular menstrual cycles, depression, and hair loss. Doctors can request a simple blood test to diagnose the autoimmune disorder.
Treatments for the disease include taking prescription medication that works as synthetic thyroid hormones, according to Mayo Clinic. Some common treatment medications include T-4 or T-3 hormone replacement therapy, such as Synthroid. Luckily, El Moussa is “feeling much better” after taking prescribed medication.
Whether you have a few of these symptoms, signs of an over- or underactive thyroid, or a family history of Hashimoto’s disease, it’s always worth talking to your doctor about any new or unusual physical symptoms. Just know you’re not alone, as El Moussa and fellow celebs like Oprah Winfrey, Kelly Clarkson, and Gina Rodriquez all deal with Hashimoto’s disease.
We’re so glad that El Moussa received the proper diagnosis and is feeling better. We can’t wait to see what’s ahead for the star!
You Might Also Like
