Missy Elliott Once Opened up about Her Traumatic Experience with Incurable Graves' Disease

Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliot has been living with Graves’ disease, an autoimmune condition that attacks the thyroid for over a decade. The rapper has been candid about her experience and credits her faith for helping her get through it.

Missy Elliot is considered one of the most iconic female rappers and producers in the music industry.

She has sold over 30 million records, won four Grammys, and has five platinum albums in her pocket, not to mention she was the first female rapper to be inducted in the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

The 48-year-old was still enjoying the success of her hit song “Work It” in 2008 when she had to take a break from the industry after receiving a dreading diagnose with an autoimmune, incurable disease.

THE FIRST SYMPTOMS

Elliot was first diagnosed with Graves’ disease in 2008, but she kept her battle away from the public light until 2011 when she came forward to share the details of her experience.

On top of Graves’ disease, Elliot also deals with high pressure, so at the time, she felt like everything was happening at once.

As she told People magazine at the time, she first knew something was off when she was driving one day, and her legs started to fail her. She was tried to hit the breaks, but her legs kept jumping, and she almost crashed the car.

That scary experience was followed by more symptoms like dizzy spells, lumps in her throat, hair loss, a fast heart-rate, mood swings, and bulging eyes.

According to the Mayo Clinic, Graves’ disease is an autoimmune disorder that affects the thyroid, resulting in the overproduction of thyroid hormones (hyperthyroidism).

Although it can’t be cured, the disease can be controlled under treatment.

A TRAUMATIC BATTLE

For Elliot, who took a radiation treatment and other medications, learning about the disease at first was a scary experience, as she confessed to Sway Calloway in his radio show in 2012:

“I was scared. Anybody that has Graves’ disease [is afraid] like, you feel that you’re going to be out of here."

"You think: ‘what do I really have?’" Elliot added, revealing that going through the changes of seeing her eyes changing, her hair falling out, and her skin changing, "was traumatic.”

Elliot recalled being in the studio one time working on Monica’s song “Everything to Me,” and she couldn’t even write the lyrics down.

Since the disease affects the nervous system, her hands were shaking, so Monica had to take charge and reassure Elliot she had her back.

On top of Graves’ disease, Elliot also deals with high pressure, so at the time, she felt like everything was happening at once.

THE POWER OF FAITH

Elliot believes she’s gotten better not only following her treatments and adopting a healthier lifestyle in general, but also because of the grace of God.

“God allows things to happen, and however, I feel like he was dealing with me in whatever way, or maybe protecting me from something,” she explained.

After her diagnosis, Elliot had to take a break from the spotlight, and she said that in the end, the experience was beneficial for her creative process because after going through the worst part, she came out with a refreshed mind.

“I went through a [tough] time period, but God was with me, and I feel like he’s guided my footsteps, and I want to be a leader, I want to be an inspiration,” she concluded.

ANOTHER CELEBRITY WITH GRAVES’

Like Missy Elliot, another big name in the entertainment industry dealing with Graves’ disease is TV host Wendy Williams.

The 54-year-old was diagnosed with the disease in 2018, only a few months after she gave her fans a scare when she fainted on live TV while shooting her Halloween special.

Williams shared her diagnosis on her show, explaining that she had to take three weeks off-work following her doctor’s recommendations.

Since then, Williams has taken several breaks from the show due to complications with the disease and other ailments.

She also made a point to share with her followers, especially women, the importance of putting their health at the top of their priorities, something that she failed to do for a long time.