Dolly Parton’s Hidden Health Battle: The Collapse, Surgery, and Depression That Changed Her Life
Country music legend Dolly Parton has spent decades dazzling audiences with her voice, charm, and seemingly boundless energy — but behind the sequins and smiles lies a deeply personal health struggle that once brought her to the brink.
The 77-year-old “Jolene” and “9 to 5” star lit up the stage again recently, performing in a daring cheerleading outfit at an NFL halftime show in Texas. The crowd roared as she belted out her biggest hits, but few in the stadium would have known that the performer has endured serious health challenges for much of her career.
In her 2017 book Dolly on Dolly: Interviews and Encounters with Dolly Parton, the singer revealed how, at just 35, she began to experience severe health problems. “I was getting away with murder,” she admitted. “I wasn’t watching what I ate, I wasn’t conscious of nutrition, wasn’t taking care of myself. I was working hard, and underneath I was a pile of personal and emotional problems. All at once I fell apart. It was stomach problems and female problems — all over health problems actually.”
The early 1980s were a whirlwind for Parton. The success of her hit single “9 to 5” and her film debut in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas propelled her to new heights, but the pace came at a cost. In 1984, against her doctor’s advice, she took the stage in Indianapolis — and collapsed mid-performance. The incident forced her to confront a diagnosis that would change her life: endometriosis.
Endometriosis is a condition where tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows in other parts of the body, often causing severe pain, internal scarring, and complications with fertility. For Parton, the diagnosis led to a partial hysterectomy at the age of 36, removing her uterus and ending her ability to conceive naturally.
The surgery triggered a profound emotional crisis. “Suddenly I was a middle-aged woman,” she wrote. “I went through a dark time, until I made myself snap out of it.” That “dark time” was more than sadness — Parton described falling into a deep depression, turning to binge eating and excessive drinking, and even contemplating suicide.
Her weight quickly increased by 50 pounds. “I’d eat three pizzas and still want McDonald’s and fries,” she confessed. Attempts to regain control led to an unhealthy cycle of fad diets, liquid protein fasts, and extreme restrictions, followed by binges. “Eventually my system wouldn’t work anymore,” she recalled. “Overeating is as much a sickness as drugs or alcohol.”
Endometriosis is far from rare. According to Endometriosis UK, around one in ten women of reproductive age suffer from the condition, which the World Health Organization lists as the second most common gynaecological disorder. Symptoms can include chronic pelvic pain, heavy periods, and infertility, yet the average diagnosis takes eight years. There is no known cause or prevention, and while medication or surgery can help manage symptoms, there is no cure.
For Parton, recovery was as much about her mental health as her physical wellbeing. Over time, she rebuilt her routines, refocused on her music, and reconnected with her sense of purpose. Her openness about depression, unhealthy coping mechanisms, and the mental toll of a serious diagnosis has inspired countless fans facing their own battles.
Today, even as she embraces her 70s, Dolly Parton continues to defy expectations. She records, tours, supports charities, and remains a symbol of resilience — proof that even life-altering health struggles need not define a person’s legacy. “You have to make yourself snap out of it,” she once said, reflecting on her journey. “No matter how bad it gets, you’ve got to find the light again.”