Camilla Luddington is opening up about a health journey that many of her fans may not have expected.
The Grey’s Anatomy actress, known for portraying Dr. Jo Wilson, recently revealed that she was diagnosed with Hashimoto's thyroiditis, an autoimmune disease that has affected her energy levels for years.
The 41-year-old star shared her diagnosis during a candid conversation with her cohost Jessica Capshaw on their Call It What It Is podcast.
Luddington explained that for a long time, she had chalked up her constant exhaustion to just feeling "slothy." "As long as you've been listening to us, you've known that I joke about being slothy. Slower, tired. Wanna be in bed. Love a nap,” she laughed.
Despite playing a doctor on television, Luddington admitted that it never occurred to her that her symptoms might have a medical cause.
It wasn’t until she went for her routine bloodwork that a doctor uncovered the truth. "My doctor was like, 'Everything looks great except this one little thing,'" Luddington recalled. “And I remember hearing the words ‘autoimmune disease’ and thinking, ‘What the f***.’"
At first, the diagnosis was unsettling. “I was a little freaked out,” she confessed. “But I felt like I had the answer for something that I’ve been knowing is going on.”
It was a relief, especially since the actress, who struggles with health anxiety, had been wondering if she was "gaslighting" herself.
Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is a condition in which the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks the thyroid, a small gland in the neck responsible for regulating energy, per Mayo Clinic.
As the thyroid becomes damaged, it leads to low hormone production, resulting in symptoms like fatigue, weight gain, dry skin, and even depression.
Luddington explained: "Hashimoto's is when your body's immune system accidentally attacks your thyroid. Which is a little gland in your neck that helps control your energy, AKA makes you a little slothy."
For now, Luddington is on a road to recovery, taking medication and getting regular blood tests to track her progress.
"Now I'm on a medication called Levothyroxine," she shared, adding that she started on the lowest dose and will continue to monitor her progress through tests every six weeks. "It’s going to be a journey," she added optimistically.
The actress also joked about the toll Hashimoto's can take, quipping: "Basically, you're feeling gorgeous with Hashimoto."
Still, she's taking it in stride, focusing on getting better and sharing her experience with her audience. "We set out to share all the things in the hopes that sharing our stories might resonate with somebody else," she explained.
Interestingly, Luddington wasn’t the only celebrity to speak out about Hashimoto’s. Other well-known figures such as Gigi Hadid, Zoe Saldana, and Victoria Justice have also publicly shared their diagnoses.
While dealing with her health, Luddington continues to thrive in her acting career.
She’s set to reprise her role as Dr. Jo Wilson in Grey's Anatomy for the upcoming 22nd season.
The actress reflected on her decade-long journey with the character, saying: "So, this very strange thing happens when you're playing characters for this long – where sometimes your life kind of goes in and out and is parallel to the other. But I consider it a privilege to be in a position where I get to play somebody this long."
Luddington's personal life is equally fulfilling. In addition to her acting career, she’s busy raising her two young children, Hayden and Lucas, with her husband, actor Matthew Alan.
The couple, who first met in 2008 and married in 2019, shares a heartwarming daily ritual. Luddington told People that her husband brings her coffee every morning, which she lovingly refers to as "Daddy Bucks," calling it "the best cup of coffee ever."