HGTV Star Heather El Moussa Faces Shocking Health Battle

Heather El Moussa, known for co-starring with her husband Tarek El Moussa on the hit HGTV show “The Flipping El Moussas,” recently shared a deeply personal health struggle that she has been facing. On October 26, 2023, Heather opened up about her battle with Hashimoto’s disease, an autoimmune condition that targets the thyroid gland and can lead to various health complications.

At 36 years old, Heather revealed in an interview with Today.com that her journey with Hashimoto’s began during her pregnancy with their son Tristan, who was born in January 2023. Initially unaware of what was causing her symptoms—ranging from extreme fatigue to a drastic drop in milk production—Heather found herself overwhelmed by the physical and emotional toll it took on her postpartum experience.

Reflecting on those difficult moments, Heather recalled telling her assistant that she felt as though she was “dead,” highlighting just how debilitating the condition had become. By sharing this intimate part of her life, Heather hopes to bring more attention to Hashimoto’s disease and offer support to others who may be silently enduring similar struggles.

When baby Tristan reached four months old, his mother Heather faced a sudden and alarming issue while breastfeeding. Her once steady milk supply plummeted unexpectedly—from producing six ounces at a time down to barely half an ounce—a change that left Heather both shocked and disheartened. Alongside this troubling development came overwhelming exhaustion; no matter how much rest she got, it never seemed enough. The fatigue made participating in their home renovation show alongside Tarek feel like an insurmountable challenge.

Describing this period of intense physical and mental strain, Heather said she felt utterly drained: “My brain was so tired. My body was so tired.” Even getting out of bed became a monumental task as filming continued despite these challenges.

In search of answers and relief from these symptoms, Heather turned to the lactation consultant who had been helping since Tristan’s birth when he struggled with latching due to tongue-tie issues. The consultant suggested comprehensive blood tests might reveal underlying causes for what Heather was experiencing.

The results were indeed revealing—and shocking—as they confirmed that Heather had been living with Hashimoto’s disease all along. This diagnosis brought clarity but also deepened the uncertainty surrounding how best to manage such an impactful autoimmune disorder moving forward—a reminder of just how crucial awareness is when dealing with conditions like these.

Hashimoto’s disease is an autoimmune disorder where the immune system mistakenly attacks cells within the thyroid gland—a small but vital organ located at your neck’s base below your Adam’s apple—that produces hormones essential for regulating many bodily functions including metabolism energy levels among others according Mayo Clinic reports . When affected by Hashimotos ,the thyroids ability produce necessary hormones diminishes leading hypothyroidism which manifests through symptoms such as chronic fatigue cognitive difficulties muscle weakness depression swelling among other things . In Heathers case doctors linked sudden decrease breastmilk production directly impact caused by compromised function due underactive thyroid .

Managing Hashimotos typically involves taking prescribed medication often synthetic hormone called levothyroxine which helps restore balance hormone levels within body allowing patients regain control over their health . Since starting treatment ,Heather reported significant improvements well-being demonstrating effectiveness proper management strategies available today .

By speaking openly about living managing life after receiving diagnosis ,Heather joins ranks other celebrities whove publicly shared experiences battling same condition including supermodel Gigi Hadid actress Gina Rodriguez singer Leona Lewis Guardians Galaxy star Zoe Saldana among others . These public figures play important role raising awareness around autoimmune disorders offering hope inspiration those facing similar challenges themselves .

Interestingly before marrying Tarek ,he too received diagnosis another autoimmune disorder celiac disease which triggers adverse reactions gluten consumption revealed during episode Flipping101 back 2021 where heather stood beside him throughout process expressing concern social media emphasizing importance proactive approach maintaining good health especially given history cancer previous years further underscoring couples dedication supporting each other through thick thin particularly matters related personal wellbeing