Christine Kuo Suffers From Hypothyroidism
Christine Kuo (苟芸慧) spent a month back home in Canada after discovering she suffered from hypothyroidism, an endocrine disorder in which the thyroid gland does not produce enough thyroid hormones. The illness led her to gain much weight, significantly affecting her career status. Reportedly, Christine’s symptoms surfaced due to facing pressure from the media when she was accused as being the third party in Lynn Hung (熊黛林) and Aaron Kwok’s (郭富城) relationship.
After completing Tiger Cubs 2 <飛虎II> in early October, Christine did not make any public appearances. During this time, she visited a doctor in Hong Kong and found out about her ailment. Each day, she could not eat nor sleep, yet she gained weight quickly. Christine revealed, “At first, I thought I was just fat, so I only focused on how to lose weight. People laughed at me, and I felt so hurt that I often hid and cried. Many colleagues left messages to motivate me, but that only made me cry as well. I wanted to disappear, but my family would be worried. I didn’t know there were problems with my thyroid gland until I saw a doctor.”
Suffering physically and mentally from the disorder, Christine admitted there had been a time when she felt like giving up on herself. Fortunately, her family and friends in Canada cheered her up and showed their support. She expressed, “My mood changed, and there was not as much pressure in Canada.” Christine also visited a specialist and consumed medicine to control her illness.
Earlier, Christine returned to Hong Kong and was spotted shopping with three friends in Tsim Sha Tsui two days before Christmas. Evidently, she seemed to be in a good mood and in better shape as well. After shopping, the group dined at a sushi parlor for two hours. Christine Revealed that her condition improved after staying in Canada.
Past reports stated she reached a body weight of 170 lbs when conditions had been at worst. Although Christine denied the tabloids, she refused to announce her current weight.
Source: Oriental Sunday
This article is written by Shirley for JayneStars.com.
Hope she gets better soon!!
Jet Li also suffering overactive thyroid. Its too bad. This condition is hard to overcome.
Jet Li has hyperthyroidism- if anything he’s going to be losing too much weight too fast. Christine has hypothyroidism- not enough thyroid hormone (aka for metabolism) hence the easy weight gain. For hypothyroidism she can just take thyroid medication to increase her thyroid hormone levels.
Some times the medications for hyperthyroidism will make u gain weight but doctors still insist u take it.
Oh gosh, you guys are scaring me because I just found out that my brother has hyperthyroidism too. You need to go to the doctor or else you would not know that you have that illness. Those losing weight souks think it us because they are too active like my brother, while those who gain weight would think are eating too much or are not active enough. Everyone should get a check up each year or every few years to see what is wrong because things get so serious and reach the point of no return.
Meant to say would think
I thought Jet was suffering from Hypothyroidism since he was gaining weight as well. Therefore were saying he was fat because he gained weight.
Meant to say some were saying..
Hope she’ll recover soon. Live healthy & take care of herself.
I am concerned for her fragile state of mind. Not the first time she has expressed her fears, her pain, and of course her tears. Media is vicious and will continue to be vicious. She has to overcome her language problem, her acting problem and now her weight problem which impacts her goddess status. She wouldn’t want to be May Chan sort of comedian I suppose. Fans and non-fans will continue to criticise one way or another. Can she cope? Maybe a career change perhaps to a different dept? Either that or she has to toughen up.
I agree… I’m afraid she cannot handle the pressure and will soon crack… Artistes have to have amazing EQ and I don’t think Christine has the mindset for being an artiste currently.
In addition to that, 2 months of disappearance and, correct me if I’m wrong, 5-6 months of on-screen disappearance puts her popularity and career into jeopardy already.
I agree, artists do need to have a very high EQ and IQ to be able to survive under the cruel and harsh criticism and pressure created by the media. But at the same time, it’s also these experiences that makes one tougher. Her experiences through dealing with mental and physical illnesses and getting through them may build her a stronger personality-as they say, what doesn’t break you makes you. But I don’t think most people can cope and take in the continous criticism like it’s just another original day anyway. Artists just find their way of releasing the pressure off their shoulders and continously create different mindsets to deflect criticism.
I was genuinely really impressed by her continous public appearances when her weight was at its peak,and to be able to face the media and all the criticism then (i.e. at Starhub 2013,comparing her to a ‘whale’ etc), to be able to still smile and do interview responding to questions that constantly targeted her weight I could imagine how difficult it would’ve been..so I’m definitely not surprised by her vulnerability inside. To be able to get through all of that and not go completely insane is something I must applaud her personally. Hope she continues to see light and strive for her goals in 2014 despite what the world thinks and says against her in the future .
Hope she gets well or under control, i heard that once a patient resorts to getting medication for thyroid related illnesses, there’s no going back.
That is scary because it will be like diabetes where you have take medicine everyday for the rest of your life.
I hope Christine stays well. Unlike many on this site I don’t mind her acting, but as I’ve said before, I don’t understand Cantonese… so the subtitles I read are all the same 😛
I would like to see more of her on TV, but if it means facing the HK press, or worse, the HK netizens, and Christine hasn’t hardened herself to handle it, I think it would be better to safeguard her health and return to Canada.
Well 170 for a 5’7 is not fat, just chubby. Hope she gets better and ppl will treat her better. It’s not her fault that shes not skinny enough.
I thought she might have some kind of illness too because she she was just getting bigger and bigger and I’m sure that’s not her own intention to gain so much weight. I hope she finds a cure for it soon and perhaps she does need a career change if she find being in the entertainment industry and facing the HK media is too much of a pressure. Poor girl. I’d definitely switch career if I was her. Your health always come first no matter what.
poor girl! hope she get better soon and thoughen up a little more!
It is sad and hard to have any kind of illness, so really feel for her. Hope she gets it under control or cured if possible.
I have hypothyroidism, am type 2 diabetic and have pcos. Yes I have to take medicine everyday for the rest of my life but with everything under control neither of these will kill me, so it’s not the end of the world.
So sorry to hear that and some of my family members have diabetes too. Most of them take medicine while one of aunts has to give herself a shot of insulin everyday. They are still able to live normally for the most part but have to watch what they eat and all. Yes, taking the medicine is a pain and one of my uncles takes around 10 pills a day but he is in his 80s so that is understandable.
I feel for Christine. She has had it quite tough since being in the public eye. The media and netizens can be so cruel. I know it’s her profession to be in the public eye and be scrutinised for every little thing you do but I feel because she is not as strong as other actresses, the media have have been particularly unforgiving knowing they can get a reaction from her making her more vulnerable which in turn creates more news.
I wish Christine all the very best. It’s a relief to know that you have a condition that can be managed. I’m sure this will only make her stronger as a person. I just think the paps need to give her some space whilst she recovers. Their behaviour is appalling! So rude for pestering her non stop about her weight. Shame on them!!
I feel so bad for her… Even though it’s within her profession to cope with media, there’s limits as to how much criticism one can take. Hopefully she overcomes these obstacles.
As or the Aaron Kwok thing, it just doesn’t seem real? Sorry but Lynn is just so much prettier, and Aaron has such a huge reputation while Christine is merely a TVB actress.
Hong Kong media has a ridiculous perception of what weight a woman should be. At the height of her weight gain Christine could be called ‘chubby’ – she was far from really ‘fat’. Besides, I think she still looked beautiful…more like a Yang Guifei than a supermodel!