And It's About Time There Was Some Support For Cushing's!
Hello everyone! I am so glad that SusiQ saw a post I'd written on a health web. She is the one that told me about this site, and I am so grateful to her.
I don't have any pictures to send yet, but I will later. It is so sad, I don't even look like the same person (but it will get better...it has to...couldn't get any worse!!) It will be exactly 5 months tomorrow since my surgery (June 5, 01)
The surgery went well, but I did end up with pneumonia and spent 10 days in ICU. My diabetes went away. I quit smoking (pneumonia will do that for a person, great help in quitting smoking) I was on a fairly low dose of hydrocortisone when I got out of the hospital. About 3 months went by, and the pain was just too much for me to take anymore, so the doctor upped my dosage, and now I can at least move around. I've been having bad joint and muscle pain, but I have been walking everyday (motion is lotion for the joints) and that helps. I still have not lost any weight (MAJOR BUMMER) but I guess all the meds and my endocrine system have to get things going, and sooner or later it will come off. I was always what you'd call a "sturdy" person...I have worked horses all my life, and I was very strong and very fit. Then about 10 years ago, I started to get panic attacks. Then I had all kinds of pains, and the doctors did not know what to do with me. They said I had MD, then that I didn't!
Then he said it was menopause (I turned 41 in September) and put me on different drugs for heart rate, hormone replacement creams, etc. Then he hit on a thyroid problem, and got me on Thyroid Armour. I just got worse and worse, and about 3 years ago, I started to gain. And gain. AND GAIN! Time to go get a second opinion. I like to eat, but not nearly enough to be blowing up as fast as I did! So, we went in search of a Endo. doctor, and thank God for Dr. Harari. He took one look at me and said it looked like Cushing's (his helpers later joked that I was an endocrinologist's dream so they had better be nice to me) I had no idea how rare this condition is, but it didn't surprise me really, if it is strange, it will happen to me! So, now I am on different meds and feel better. Getting out and walking and being with my animals helps a lot. I will do most anything to avoid going back in and having blood tests, but I guess I am due for some pretty soon. RATS! Some days I get really depressed, some days I can joke about my disease, but all days I am grateful to God for getting me through the surgery and the recovery, and for watching over me all the time. I am also so glad that Mary made this site! I was feeling like the only one in the world who had this crummy disease! It is nice not to be alone!
Take care, and God Bless, Beverly
