Missy Elliott has Graves’ Disease

Missy Elliot attends the 10th anniversary party of TAO New York at TAO on October 16 (WireImage)

Now we know why raper Missy Elliott has been MIA for a few years.

She’s been at home dealing with Graves’ Disease, she confesses in the latest issue of People magazine (print only).

She hasn’t been able to write or rap and has even had trouble driving a car.

“I couldn’t keep the brake down and almost crashed,” she told People, and she couldn’t “even use a pen.”

The disease has also given her mood swings, dizzy spells, lumps in her throat, bulging eyes and lost hair.

Graves’ is an autoimmune disease marked by an overactive thyroid and the overproduction of hormones in the gland, which is in the center of your neck.

Symptoms include bulging eyes, goiter, skin discoloration, nervousness, insomnia, tremors, hyperactivity, sweating, weight loss with increased appetite, diarrhea, heart palpitations, weakness, clammy skin, high blood pressure, irregular heartbeat and mental/mood instability.

There is no cure for Graves’ but the symptoms of overproduction of thyroid hormones can be treated and managed.