Octavia Spencer, 56 ‘Was Tipping the Scale at 300 Pounds and Felt Great’ Before This Silent Diabetes Sign

For decades, Oscar-winning actress Octavia Spencer has graced screens in everything from comedies that celebrate the importance of friendship, like Thunder Force, to films that explore injustice throughout history, like The Help. This year, she took on another important role: partnering with the Detect the SOS collective, a public health initiative raising awareness about the connection between type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and chronic kidney disease and encouraging people to ask their doctor about a urine test called the uACR. In an exclusive interview with Woman’s World, Spencer opened up about her experience managing both conditions, the type 2 diabetes symptom she didn’t realize was a warning sign and why this quick urine test is worth asking your doctor about.

Spencer’s experience being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes

You’ve probably heard of type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure, but here’s a quick refresher on what’s happening in our bodies when we develop these conditions. “High blood pressure, or hypertension, means the force of blood pushing against your artery walls is consistently too high,” explains Kardie Tobb, DO, MS, FASPC, FACC, a board‑certified preventive cardiologist and the medical director for the Cone Health HeartCare Women’s Heart Health and Cardio-Obstetrics Clinic. “Type 2 diabetes is a condition in which your body doesn’t use insulin effectively, so sugar builds up in the bloodstream instead of fueling your cells.”

Woman's World Answers

What’s a normal body temperature for my age? Are estrogen therapy and hormone therapy safe? What are the benefits of sleeping naked? What are easy ways to reduce belly fat for diabetes prevention? What medications can affect my sex drive? What’s a normal body temperature for my age? Are estrogen therapy and hormone therapy safe? What are the benefits of sleeping naked? What are easy ways to reduce belly fat for diabetes prevention? What medications can affect my sex drive?

What are the most common side effects of statins? Why does coffee make me poop? How can I lower my A1C levels naturally? What’s the right way to do Kegel exercises? What diet is best for diabetes and prediabetes? What are the most common side effects of statins? Why does coffee make me poop? How can I lower my A1C levels naturally? What’s the right way to do Kegel exercises? What diet is best for diabetes and prediabetes?

Powered by

High blood pressure is often considered a “silent killer,” and the symptoms of type 2 diabetes can also be easy to overlook. Spencer shared that, when it came to her own diagnosis, she didn’t realize the symptoms she was experiencing were signs of type 2 diabetes.

Wellness

6 Easy Ways to Reduce Your Risk of Chronic Kidney Disease

Here are natural tips that help thwart the "silent disease."

“I was tipping the scale at about 300 pounds, and I felt great,” Spencer told Woman’s World. “The only thing that I realize now that was a symptom [was that] I was thirsty all the time, and I was currently using the bathroom all the time. But I thought I was using the bathroom all the time because I was drinking so much water, and those were the only symptoms. And this was about 20 years ago. I was getting a routine physical for a film project that I was about to do, and that’s when I discovered I had very elevated blood sugar, and that I already had type 2 diabetes, and it was very scary to get that diagnosis because I felt fine.”

Bayo Curry-Winchell, MD, MS, family medicine physician, health advocate and founder of Clinicians Who Care, describes excessive thirst as a common, often overlooked warning sign of diabetes.

“This happens because the kidneys are unable to filter excess sugar in your blood and respond by attempting to remove it, which increases urination and raises the risk of dehydration,” explains Dr. Bayo. 

“When they say ‘silent killer,’ that’s for all of us who think we feel fine,” Spencer continued. “It doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t go to the doctor. We should always. If it’s just your yearly physical, you should make sure to have [it] because they at least do the broad strokes to make sure that we’re in optimum health.”

Spencer’s advice to those recently diagnosed 

Spencer shared that she has been living with type 2 diabetes for 20 years and high blood pressure for about seven to 10 years, adding that both conditions are now well managed under her doctor’s care.

“It’s scary to hear the diagnosis at first, but you learn to manage it,” says Spencer. She adds that with the right medication, healthy habits and medical care, living with type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure can feel a lot less scary.

What is the uACR test?

“uACR stands for urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio,” says Dr. Tobb. “It’s a simple lab test run on a urine sample that measures whether tiny amounts of a protein called albumin are leaking into your urine. Healthy kidneys keep albumin in the bloodstream, so even small amounts appearing in urine can be one of the earliest detectable signs of kidney stress.”

“One of the things that I didn’t know about having type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure is that you have a greater risk of having chronic kidney disease,” says Spencer. 

“So it’s important to know not only what’s going on with your blood pressure and your diabetes, but also we need to know what’s going on with our kidneys,” continues Spencer. 

Spencer encourages people living with type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure to advocate for themselves by asking their doctor about the uACR test.

“It’s very simple. It doesn’t hurt. They’re already going to screen…give you a urine test, and all you’re asking them to do is perform one more test from the sample that they’re already providing,” says Spencer. 

Wellness

Elizabeth Perkins' Diabetes Diagnosis Was Missed by Doctors for 3 Years

For three long years, actress Elizabeth Perkins knew something was terribly wrong. She was exhausted, losing weight at an alarming rate, constantly thirsty and battling pounding headaches that kept her in bed for days. Yet doctor after doctor told her she was fine. Her story is a powerful reminder that when it comes to your […]

How to ask your doctor for a uACR test 

So you’re ready to advocate for yourself and ask your doctor for a uACR test at your next physical, but you’re not sure exactly what to say. Here’s Dr. Bayo’s recommendation: “I suggest saying to your doctor: ‘I read that a uACR test can catch early kidney damage from diabetes years before symptoms show up. I’d like to explore options with ordering this test.’”

“I would encourage patients to keep the conversation straightforward and collaborative,” adds Dr. Tobb. “One point I always emphasize is that preventive care works best when patients ask questions and stay engaged. The goal isn’t simply to diagnose disease; it’s to identify risk early enough to prevent complications.”

What Spencer wants others to know

Deal of the Day

This Deep Conditioning Collagen Hair Mask for Has 4.9 Stars and Is 80% Off — Get It for $20! View Deal

“I know it might be scary to have one or the other or both, but it’s important to do everything we can to mitigate these diseases,” says Spencer. “And that’s why I’ve joined this collective: to put a face on type 2 diabetes…I have a great life, and I’m active. I want people to see me, and there’s so many like us.”

Receiving a health diagnosis, especially an unexpected one, can feel overwhelming, but Spencer’s message is clear: understanding your risk, staying on top of routine screenings and advocating for your health can go a long way.

Ready for more inspiration? Subscribe to our YouTube channel for video podcasts, health tips and uplifting stories designed for women 40, 50, 60 and beyond.