Wendy Williams reveals treatment for lymphedema

Wendy Williams is putting her health first.

The daytime talk show host, 54, announced last week that she was diagnosed with lymphedema, which causes swelling in the arms and legs, and said she purchased an at-home machine to help mitigate symptoms. On Monday, Williams shared a picture of herself in the enormous leg sleeves as she received her daily treatment.

“Just Wendy with lymphedema machine. 45min every day. #lymphedema #flexitouch #gethelp,” Williams’ team captioned the photo.

Williams’ struggle with lymphedema isn’t her only public health battle. Williams was diagnosed with Graves’ disease about 20 years ago but it started “creeping back” in 2018 when she passed out on-air during her show.

Williams said in a video message at the Graves’ Disease & Thyroid Foundation 2018 Patients and Family Conference that the disease was under control until she felt changes in her body.

“I had the radioactive iodine [medication], taking my pill a day, minding my own business.” But she said, “Then back in the fall or maybe around July of last year, I started feeling weird in the head but I’m thinking, ‘OK, this is maybe a casualty of menopause or we were ramping up for season nine of the ‘Wendy Show.’ So, it wasn’t until I passed out on my own show [in October] that … Anyway, life has completely changed.”

It turned out that she had been on the wrong dose. Williams told the conference that her illness had even forced her to give up her stilettos because her illness makes her feel off-balance.

In January 2019, Williams was hospitalized to treat her Graves’ disease and had to delay her show’s return from holiday hiatus.