Star Wars actress Daisy Ridley reveals she has autoimmune condition

Actress diagnosed with Graves’ disease after initially putting her symptoms down to stress from her role in a psychological thriller

Daisy Ridley, the Star Wars actress, has revealed that she has been diagnosed with the thyroid condition Graves’ disease after initially dismissing her symptoms as just being annoyed.
The London-born celebrity was diagnosed with the autoimmune condition last September and has said she first experienced symptoms while filming Magpie, the psychological thriller.
After initially putting her symptoms down to stress from the role she was referred to an endocrinologist after seeking medical attention.
Ms Ridley was suffering from racing heart rate, weight loss, fatigue and tremors, the 32-year-old told Women’s Health magazine.
“I thought, ‘well, I’ve just played a really stressful role; presumably that’s why I feel poorly’,” she said.
When the doctor described that Graves’ can make you feel “tired but wired”, Ridley said: “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.”
Graves’ disease is an autoimmune condition where the immune system produces antibodies that cause the thyroid to produce too much thyroid hormone, according to the NHS website.
Ms Ridley had some of the most common symptoms, with shaky hands also another telltale sign of the condition. Scientists do not know what caused Graves’ disease but say treatments can help manage the condition and improve quality of life.
In 2010, Sia, the Australian singer-songwriter, confirmed in a tweet that she had Graves’ disease. While Missy Elliott, the US rapper, confirmed she first started struggling with the disease since 2008.
Sia, the singer of Chandelier and Unstoppable, once said of the condition: “I basically s— my pants for eight months and shook like I had Parkinson’s”.
The condition normally affects young and middle-aged women and is thought to run in families, despite the cause being unknown.
Since her diagnosis, Ridley has embraced daily medication alongside adopting lifestyle changes including using infrared saunas, cryotherapy, massages and acupuncture to try and manage her condition.
She also says she is using crystals to promote emotional balance, self-love and peace.
“In the grand scheme of things, it’s much less severe than what a lot of people go through,” Ms Ridley told the magazine.
“Even if you can deal with it, you shouldn’t have to. If there’s a problem, you shouldn’t have to just [suffer through it].”
The Young Woman And The Sea star also added going gluten-free alongside her vegan diet.
“I am not super strict about it, but generally cutting down on gluten makes me feel better,” she told the magazine.
“I’ve always been health conscious, and now I’m trying to be more wellbeing conscious.”
Ridley has been candid about her health over the years, having been diagnosed with endometriosis during her teenage years and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in her 20s.
Endometriosis is a condition where tissue similar to the lining of the womb grows in other places, such as the ovaries and fallopian tubes, while PCOS also affects the ovaries.
Lyn Mynott, Chief Executive Officer of Thyroid UK, told The Telegraph: “Graves’ disease is often diagnosed fairly quickly as the symptoms can easily be noticed e.g. weight loss; fine tremor; feeling hot; sweating and anxiety.
“Treatment with medication often works well and in some cases remission can occur.   
“If it doesn’t, further interventions may be needed such as radio-active iodine treatment or surgery, depending on the severity of the symptoms.
“Graves’ can be linked to stress so it’s always a good idea to try activities like yoga or mindfulness if you are feeling stressed.”