"Amy Schumer Is An Idol"—Says Woman Whose Cushing's Syndrome Was Dismissed

"I wasn't too familiar with Amy Schumer at first, but now we have this connection," Lynsey Hildebrand, 21, told Newsweek, as she praised the actress for speaking publicly about her recent Cushing's Syndrome diagnosis.

Schumer appeared on multiple chat shows in February to promote her latest TV series, leaving fans concerned about her swollen appearance. But the 42-year-old explained in a recent News Not Noise newsletter that she felt "reborn" after learning that her "puffier" face was caused by Cushing's.

Just like Schumer, Hildebrand was searching for answers as to why she gained weight—in Hildebrand's case 45 pounds—which she couldn't shift, despite eating healthily, regularly hitting the gym, and competing in the university rowing team.

"I started to notice something was wrong during the start of my sophomore year of college in 2021," Hildebrand said. "I had stopped getting my period and started gaining weight, which I thought was just because of college. My eating habits got a little worse, but I was still going to the gym four to five days a week and walking 10,000 steps every day."

Hildebrand, from Baltimore, Maryland, recalls the shame she felt about gaining weight, leaving her self-confidence plummeting. She no longer wanted to go out with friends or have any pictures taken, and she felt anxious about everything she did.

For many months, she put off going to the doctor because she felt embarrassed, but after 10 months of not losing any weight, she knew something wasn't right when she noticed her hair thinning, bruising, and stretch marks appearing.

Hildebrand's doctors then sent her for numerous tests which came back clear, insisting her periods must have stopped due to the weight gain. However, after a year of seeking out other opinions from various medical professionals, Hildebrand finally got what she was hoping for in July 2023.

"I had a video chat with an endocrinologist, and she told me that I had a Cushing's-like face after seeing me just once. She had me do many lab tests, and ultimately, she was the one who diagnosed and cured me," she said.

What Is Cushing's Syndrome?

Prior to her diagnosis, Hildebrand had never heard of the condition, which is estimated to affect between 10 and 15 million people every year, according to the American Association of Neurological Surgeons. It's most prevalent among adults aged between 20 and 50, predominantly affecting women.

Cushing's can occur when the body has high levels of cortisol over a prolonged period of time. This can be a result of the pituitary gland making too much of the hormone adrenocorticotropin (endogenous), or it can also be caused by taking steroid medications for a long time (exogenous).

Johns Hopkins Medicine explains the typical symptoms include a round face, upper body obesity, stretch marks, tiredness, high blood pressure, anxiety, and irregular menstrual cycles.

Dr. Maria Fleseriu, a professor of medicine and neurological surgery, explained to Newsweek that the "controlled release" of cortisol is important for metabolic, immune, and central nervous system functions. However, a prolonged excess can lead to the numerous symptoms of Cushing's.

It may be difficult to test for, as Dr. Fleseriu notes that there are so many tests required and a number of other conditions must be ruled out, but if it is confirmed, the next step is to analyze the reason for the increased cortisol.

"Treatment of endogenous Cushing's is primarily surgical and aims at complete resection of a underlying tumor source," Dr. Fleseriu said. "For exogenous Cushing's, treatment is very different. Steroids doses must be slowly decreased at the soonest possible time, but rushing the timeline too much will induce glucocorticoid withdrawal syndrome.

"Additionally, stopping altogether can lead to a more severe disease, adrenal insufficiency and adrenal crisis which could be lethal if not treated. We usually recommend slowly decreasing the steroids to physiologic doses whenever possible."

Treatment for Cushing's Syndrome

Following months of tests and after discussing all the medical possibilities, such as PCOS, and thyroid problems, Hildebrand hadn't even considered that it could be Cushing's.

But when she got her long-awaited diagnosis in July 2023, that was only the beginning of her health journey. Further scans revealed a 2.5-centimeter (one inch) tumor on her right adrenal gland, which was causing the increased cortisol production.

"I had the tumor removed in September, and I'm feeling great now," Hildebrand told Newsweek. "Post-op was hard for the first two months, and I slept for most of the day. It was hard seeing people go back to school and having fun without me, especially since I had just turned 21.

"But now, I'm losing weight, my hair is growing back, my bruising and stretch marks are gone, my appetite is lower, and I'm thinking a lot more clearly. The surgery was definitely worth it."

Amy Schumer Is an Advocate for Women's Health

This time last year, Hildebrand had never even heard of Cushing's, but now she is sharing her experience in the hopes of helping just one other person in a similar position. With a well-known celebrity like Schumer also speaking publicly, Hildebrand is optimistic that more awareness can be raised.

"Amy Schumer has become an idol to me now, and I'm glad that she is using her platform to bring awareness. It would be great to meet her in person one day. I wish her the best and speediest recovery," Hildebrand continued.

Hildebrand used to feel deep shame about her weight gain, but after finally learning that it wasn't her fault, she felt compelled to share her story on social media. She has posted several videos on TikTok (@lynseyy22), detailing her diagnosis and the road to recovery she is now embracing.

"At first, I was wary of sharing so much because I was embarrassed. But nothing that happened was my fault, and I would rather provide information that could help just one person than shy away and never talk about it.

"People think it's a very rare disease, but it isn't so rare. Many people go undiagnosed for years. I was very lucky to find such a great endocrinologist who took me seriously. I knew deep down that something wasn't right, and two doctors told me it was nothing before I finally got an answer."

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