Wendy Williams to Take 3 Weeks Off as She Battles Graves' Disease, Thyroid Issues

Wendy Williams has announced that her television show will be on hiatus for a few weeks as she battles Graves' disease, an immune system disorder that affects the thyroid. 

She made the revelation Wednesday morning, crediting her viewers with convincing her to get checked out. When she did, doctors told her to take some time off. 

“My doctor has prescribed — are you ready? — as of today, three weeks of vacation," she announced. 

She added: "I’ll be back in two. I’m not an heiress — who is going to pay my bills? Are you serious? I’m just saying, I come from working class."

She also took the opportunity to send a message to her viewers, especially women, to put their health first.

"What I want to say to women, more than men, is stop putting everyone first because if we’re not good, they’re not good," she said.

Speculation about Williams’ health has been rife for weeks. For the last few days, she's been absent from her show. 

She also famously fainted on stage during her live Halloween special. It's not known if the fainting spell is related to her diagnosis.

Inside Edition spoke to Dr. Roshini Raj about what Graves' disease is. 

“Someone with Graves' disease may have palpitations, they may feel very warm or hot, they may have a tremor of the hand, they may have some eye syndromes — even a bulging of the eye," she said. "They also may have a goiter or an enlargement of the thyroid gland."

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