(KTLA) – Daisy Ridley, famous for her role as Rey in the “Star Wars” films, has opened up about her journey with Graves’ disease.
In an exclusive with Women’s Health, Ridley revealed she was diagnosed with the autoimmune disorder in September 2023 after seeing an endocrinologist.
She told the magazine that she began to “feel terrible” while filming the psychological thriller “Magpie,” but chalked it up to the character she was portraying.
“I thought, ‘Well, I’ve just played a really stressful role; presumably that’s why I feel poorly,’” she told the outlet. At the time, Ridley said she had been experiencing “a racing heart rate, weight loss, fatigue and hand tremors,” but was also irritable.
“It was funny, I was like, ‘Oh, I just thought I was annoyed at the world,’ but turns out everything is functioning so quickly, you can’t chill out,” the actress said.
The Mayo Clinic describes Graves’ disease as an autoimmune disorder targeting the thyroid gland. The disease causes the gland to produce excess hormones, which can lead to problems with many of the body’s organs.
Symptoms include those described by Ridley, but also increased appetite, excessive sweating, hair loss, and several eye conditions, like swelling or bulging, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
The cause of hyperthyroidism is currently unknown, thought it’s believed to be more common among those with other autoimmune conditions like lupus, celiac disease or rheumatoid arthritis, the Cleveland Clinic explains. Anyone can be diagnosed with Graves’ disease — it affects about 1 in 100 people in the U.S. — though it’s more common among women 30 and up, the National Institutes of Health says.
Graves’ disease is a chronic condition, but can be treated with medications such as beta blockers or antithyroids. Radioiodine therapy (an oral radioactive iodine tablet) and surgery to remove a portion of the thyroid can also be effective, the NIH says.
If left untreated, Graves’ disease can lead to other health issues down the road, including osteoporosis, irregular heartbeat or even a condition called a “thyroid storm,” which results from a flood of thyroid hormones that can be life-threatening, the Mayo Clinic writes.
Ridley, once diagnosed, said she found relief through medication, and by switching to a gluten-free diet to reduce inflammation. (An overview of Graves’ disease from the National Institutes of Health writes that diets high in iodine-rich foods can worsen the symptoms of Graves’ disease, but does not mention gluten.)
“I am not super strict about it, but generally cutting down on gluten makes me feel better,” Ridley claimed.
Ridley told Women’s Health that she also utilizes infrared saunas, cryotherapy, massages and acupuncture in an effort to be more health-conscious.
“We all read the stats about women being undiagnosed or underdiagnosed and sort of coming to terms with saying, ‘I really, actually don’t feel good’ and not going, ‘I’m fine, I’m fine, I’m fine, I’m fine,’” Ridley said. “It’s just normalized to not feel good.”
