Throughout her illustrious career, Oprah has continually fought to keep her weight down. Several editions of her talk show have focused on weight loss, and over the years her weight has fluctuated up and down dramatically. Viewers have celebrated along with her when she has met her weight loss goals, and her celebrity status has brought hope to countless viewers struggling with their own weight issues.

In this month’s issue of O magazine, Oprah discusses her health and the problems which have contributed to her weight once again ballooning. She talks freely about being diagnosed with thyroid disease, her treatment, and how the medication to treat her thyroid condition has made her feel, both physically and emotionally. Initially, she was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism, which then settled into hypothyroidism, a not-uncommon experience for patients with thyroid disease.

The thyroid is a gland located in the neck just below your Adam’s apple. Its job is to regulate your metabolism. It does this through the production of certain hormones. Your thyroid is responsible for how fast or slowly your body burns energy, or calories; when your thyroid is overactive (hyperthyroidism) or underactive (hypothyroidism), you may lose or gain weight unintentionally. Your thyroid also controls may other important body functions.

Symptoms of an overactive thyroid may include:

Fatigue

Heart palpitations

Trembling hands

Sleep disturbance (insomnia)

Weight loss

Muscle weakness

Hair loss

Nervousness

Symptoms of an underactive thyroid may include:

Fatigue

Weight gain (or difficulty losing weight)

Weakness

Cold intolerance

Depression

Constipation

Irritability

Weakness

Hair loss

Irritability

You may have noticed that the two conditions share symptoms in common, but also that several of the symptoms are polar opposites, such as weight loss and weight gain. If you think of the thyroid as regulating your metabolism, this makes perfect sense: when your thyroid is overactive, you get symptoms of a “speeded up” metabolism; with an underactive thyroid, your bodily processes slow down.

The treatment for many thyroid conditions is medication to regulate hormone levels. Oprah discusses how medications made her feel, and how this contributed to her current weight gain. She states that she was aware that something was wrong physically, but that it took many visits to doctors before she was diagnosed. Generally, thyroid disease can be diagnosed with simple blood tests, and in some cases, more specialized tests such as ultrasound or other methods to visualize the gland. Oprah has stated that her thyroid disease is “cured”, but generally, once a person has been diagnosed with thyroid disease, treatment must continue for the rest of that person’s life.

Regardless of her weight, Oprah’s fans love her and her show, and accept her as she is, no matter her size. Perhaps one day she will be as accepting of herself.

Related Links:

Video: Overcoming Obesity from illumistream

Thyroid Diseases from Medline Plus

Thyroid Disease: Can it affect a person's mood? from the Mayo Clinic