Cybill Shepherd - Actress

By: Joyce Faulkner

Actress Cybill Shepherd, star of film, stage and television, has always been interested in women's health issues. After suffering from Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Constipation for many years, she and her doctors finally found a treatment in Zelnorm from Norvatis. She spoke with us to discuss her role in

JF) Hi, Cybill. I’m really excited to meet you. I’ve been a fan since “The Last Picture Show”.

CS) You are? Have you seen the new version where they put back eight minutes? I mean eleven minutes. Peter Bogdonovich.

JF) Yes. Yes. I understand that you are leading this Amazing Woman Campaign. Can you tell me what that’s all about?

CS) Yes, we are working on behalf of the National Woman’s Health Resources Center, which is a nonprofit organization devoted to getting information about women’s health out to women and encouraging them to speak up about things that bother them. You know, women have a history of just being…we’ve been told all our lives not to say…in the fifties you couldn’t say birth or even be pregnant hardly on television …and then gradually things have changed. It’s okay to talk about birth, okay -- then menstruation. I first started my advocacy for women’s health in the field of reproductive freedom, and the next stage would be bringing menopause out of the closet. It was one of those unmentionables, and I did two episodes on Cybill Show where we had a lot of fun. I traveled around the country talking to women about alternatives to Hormone Replacement Therapy. Got women talking about it finally. This is my third stage in my advocacy for women’s health, and it’s regarding a subject that-- since I’ve suffered many many years without being diagnosed-- I feel that I have something special to say to women about -- about what these symptoms are, or IBS with constipation. I know you are going to be embarrassed. We’re all embarrassed by it, but to hide the embarrassment…silence has never protected women or helped them. We need to talk about it more with our, you know -- whoever -- our friends, our family. And if you have the symptoms of IBS with constipation -- which are abdominal pain, bloating and recurring constipation -- you need to get to a doctor or your healthcare practitioner...and say that you think you might have that…and even ask if Zelnorm might be right for you.

JF) Right.

CS) I was misdiagnosed for years and years, when they even told me that it was all like emotional and psychological. I was doing a lot of work at that time-- like Moonlighting, the Cybill Show. Uh…I just really -- and most women even today are not diagnosed -- it takes them three years to get a proper diagnosis.

JF) Do you believe it’s because they aren’t speaking frankly with their doctors?

CS) Well, I think it’s a combination. It’s hard for women to talk about these things, and for the doctors to really talk about it too, and to even have the knowledge of what’s going on. That’s why I’m doing this and urging women to speak out and talk to their doctors frankly. Mention this condition specifically if you think you have it, and ask them about it. And if doctor says that you don’t have IBS with constipation, you might want to get a second opinion, because I had doctors that were telling me…of course, a lot of this has to do with science -- progressing.

JF) I think there was a period of time when emotional problems was the first thing they blamed anything on.

CS) You’re right. Hysteria!

JF) Exactly. I mean even menopause got that moniker.

CS) (Laughing) When I’m saying hysteria, I’m referring to Freud, because all the women were coming to him with symptoms and seeking help, and he just called it hysteria.

JF) Sounds like this is a big issue for you to get out and communicate with women? How did you get into that role to begin with?

CS) Well, I was searching myself to find something that would help me with all of my symptoms. Then I went to my doctor, and she suggested that I try this. Novartis had contacted me wanting to know if I was interested in working with the National Women’s Health Resources Center and sponsoring this tour to get out the word to women about the symptoms and talking to your doctor and things like that. So I felt that it was an important opportunity for me to take.

JF) You are an awfully busy lady. You do an awful lot of things. Why did you choose this particular issue right now in your life?

CS) Well, for one thing, because I had suffered for so many years, and I know even now women are suffering. They don’t get diagnosed for three years. There’s like six million people suffering from this, and 70% of them are women. Because I’ve been very frank and open in the past with other issues that concern women in particular, it just felt like a natural for me to do this and..uh... I just felt, you know, maybe I had something that I could speak to women about…encourage them to speak out. And to be really…that’s why this is called amazing women…you know we all want to be as amazing as we can, and we want to have as much joy...and we want to find out if…we want to find out and live the best life we can, you know.

JF) Sure. I have to wonder. How do you know if you will be successful in a campaign like this?

CS) Well cause they do…uh, actually they have all these statistics...and I have been. Women thank me actually…when I go out…a few people …they thank me for speaking out.

JF) Do you believe there will be a significant change in women’s attitudes because of your speaking out?

CS) Well, I hope so. Certainly, there has been in the past in terms of reproductive freedom and also menopause. As I say, I’ll continue to be an advocate for women’s health, and whenever I have a specific issue that I think I have because I’ve suffered from it …also, because I have a sense of humor about it.

JF) Right.

CS) And I like to…A lot of times I’ll start my conversation with women with like constipation! (Laughs) You know, and everyone laughs because they’re nervous…and just to say okay, of course you’re nervous. Go to the doctor and find out what’s wrong in spite of your nervousness.

JF) Oh I’m sorry. What I was wondering about… in the past, with other issues, you put on a show about it. You used it in fiction or a play to illustrate the circumstances. How are you doing this?

CS) Well, in the past I actually marched on Washington twice for reproductive freedom. I was spokesperson for voters for choice for six years. I did many interviews, and went out and talked to many people and went to rallies. It was the same thing with menopause. I traveled around the country on talk shows and talking to women about….

JF) You put yourself on the line--not the actress, not the role, but yourself.

CS) Actually, when I did the Cybill Show I did both. I had a lot of input, and I wanted to do…so we did two Cybill Shows on menopause. I went on Oprah for an hour and wrote a song called “Menopause Blues.” I have a new album called Cybill at Home.

JF) Okay. We’ll go out and take a look then. Is there anything else you’d like to tell us about?

CS) Oh no, I think that’s enough! (Laughing)

JF) Okay. Well thank you so much for your time. I’ll make sure that we get this out-- get the word out for you.

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