Opening up about her health. Wendy Williams revealed that she has lymphedema in the Monday, July 8, episode of The Wendy Williams Show.
The confession came as the former radio host, 54, who filed for divorce from Kevin Hunter after more than 21 years in April, discussed her new love interest.
Williams clarified that her new flame is not Marc Tomblin, the man she was spotted holding hands with last month, while addressing both their buzz-sparking PDA and leg-swelling that fans noticed from the photos on Monday’s episode of the show. “So Marc is new to New York and he’s having panic attacks,” she explained. “I’m unsteady on my feet. I’ve got the vertigo. And lymphedema, by the way. I’ve been diagnosed.”
The Ask Wendy author went on to say that viewers needn’t worry about her. “It’s not going to kill me, but I do have a machine,” she explained, adding that she uses it for 45 minutes a day.
She then mockingly chastised her fans, quipping, “And how dare you talk about the swelling of it all! It’s lymphedema. And I’ve got it under control.”
WebMD defines lymphedema as swelling of the arms, legs or other areas that occurs as a result of too much lymph fluid. Causes include surgery, injury, lymph node removal and cancer radiation treatment, to name a few. The diagnosis is the most recent in a string of health problems Williams has experienced as of late.
In February 2018, she took three weeks off due to complications with hyperthyroidism and Graves’ disease, an autoimmune condition that causes the body to overproduce thyroid hormones.
The show released a statement to Us Weekly at the time: “Wendy is a true champion and has never missed a day of work. But her health and well-being must be put before all else. Wendy has been openly dealing with her Graves’ disease for many years in addition to hyperthyroidism. Yesterday, Wendy’s doctor prescribed a necessary three weeks of rest to get her levels and medication in sync.”
After experiencing a fractured shoulder in December 2018, Williams took another extended leave of absence from the show that was further compounded by her health issues. “Wendy has experienced complications regarding her Graves’ Disease that will require treatment,” her family said in a press release in January. “Wendy will be under the strict supervision of her physicians, and as part of her care, there will be significant time spent in the hospital.”
The Emmy nominee eventually returned in March after a two-month hiatus.
In addition to her physical ailments, a source told Us in June that the talk show host, who has been open about suffering from alcohol abuse and a past cocaine addiction, is also struggling mentally. “Wendy is not in a good place,” the source said. “Friends close to her are worried she’s spiraling out of control.”
Williams announced that she had been living in a sober house on March 19, but was reportedly hospitalized for an alcohol relapse on March 25. She returned to work on March 28, telling viewers, “I feel wonderful.”
