Amy Schumer is back on the big screen.
The comedian, 43, stars in the new Netflix film Kinda Pregnant, where she plays a woman who pretends to be pregnant for special perks—like a seat on the subway. It’s the first time fans have seen Amy back in a comedy movie since she opened up about some recent health issues, which included a rare Cushing syndrome diagnosis.
On a January 22 episode of the Call Her Daddy podcast, the actress shared that she started receiving ignored comments about her “puffier than normal” face, but ignored them. However, once doctors started chiming in with concerns she had Cushing syndrome, she took the feedback more seriously.
“At first, I was like, ‘F*ck off,’ Amy said. But then, she realized, “Wait, I have been getting steroid injections for my scars” from her breast reduction and Cesarean section. (Cushing syndrome can be caused by taking steroids for an extended period of time.)
“So I got these was getting these steroid injections and so it gave me this thing called Cushing syndrome—which I wouldn’t have known if the internet hadn’t come for me so hard,” she continued.
Amy first revealed her diagnosis in February in the News Not Noise newsletter, sharing that she found out while doing press for her Hulu show Life & Beth.
“I feel reborn,” Amy wrote. “While I was doing press on camera, 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.”
Amy’s health update raises a lot of questions about Cushing syndrome. Here’s what you need to know about the disorder.
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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 tumor 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.
Korin Miller is a freelance writer specializing in general wellness, sexual health and relationships, and lifestyle trends, with work appearing in Men’s Health, Women’s Health, Self, Glamour, and more. She has a master’s degree from American University, lives by the beach, and hopes to own a teacup pig and taco truck one day.
