Dolly Parton is often hailed as the queen of country music for her countless chart-topping hits.

The 78-year-old musician first entered the music scene in 1967 when she appeared regularly on The Porter Wagoner Show. That same year, she released her first solo album, Hello, I’m Dolly, which included her first number one hit, “Dumb Blonde.”

Since then, the hitmaker has gone from strength to strength with hits like 9 to 5, Jolene and I Will Always Love You and has sold more than 100 million records worldwide, 25 of which reached the top spot on the Billboard country charts.

Although she doesn’t have children, the singer has supported her goddaughter and fellow musician Miley Cyrus throughout her career as she continues to delight audiences with new music.

But it wasn’t always easy for the hitmaker. Offstage, Parton also suffered from various ailments that “stressed” her body and took her mind to “dark” places. Let’s take a look back at some of the Wildflowers singer’s health struggles over the years.

In 2017, she opened up about her health struggles in her biography, Dolly on Dolly: Interviews and Encounters with Dolly Parton. In the tell-all book, she revealed that she first started feeling unwell when she turned 35.

She wrote: “I got away with murder. I didn’t pay attention to what I ate, I didn’t pay attention to my diet, I didn’t take care of myself.”

“I worked hard and underneath I had a lot of personal and emotional problems. Suddenly I collapsed. There were stomach problems and women’s problems – health problems everywhere, actually.”

Further problems arose later after Dolly became an international hit following the huge success of her hit 9 to 5 and her debut with The Beast Little Whorehouse in Texas in the 1980s.

In 1984, Dolly’s health deteriorated when she decided to ignore her doctor’s advice and perform on stage despite severe stomach problems.

The singer then collapsed on stage in the heart of Indianapolis, causing severe internal bleeding before she was eventually diagnosed with endometriosis.

The NHS defines endometriosis as a condition where tissue similar to the lining of the womb grows in other places, such as the fallopian tubes and ovaries.

After suffering from extreme abdominal pain and bleeding, the singer had to undergo two surgeries to prevent internal bleeding.

At the age of 36, the singer underwent a partial hysterectomy, which affected her chances of conceiving naturally. John Hopkins Medicine notes that this surgery removes the uterus and leaves the cervix behind.

This caused Dolly to fall into a deep depression, during which the star overeated, consumed alcohol excessively and even considered taking her own life.

In her book she confessed: “It was a terrible time for me. Every day I thought, ‘I wish I had the courage to kill myself’. Suddenly I was a middle-aged woman. I went through a dark time until I decided to get out of it.

The tragic events caused Dolly to gain weight quickly as she admitted she would eat three pizzas but still craved McDonalds and chips.

This soon developed into unhealthy eating habits, as she admitted: “In addition to the medication, Dietin’ Dolly took liquid proteins, Scarsdale, Atkins and the water diet, then I binged, went on a diet, gained weight and started all over again.” .

“At some point my system stopped working. My body couldn’t withstand this strain. Overeating is just as much a disease as drugs or alcohol.”

The musician has now turned the corner and continued to eat healthily and exercise, allowing her to continue performing her number one hits for millions of fans around the world.