And It's About Time There Was Some Support For Cushing's!
Hi there everyone! My story begins in 2002. I began to put on a bit of weight, but since I've always been a bit underweight, I actually welcomed it. 15 lbs and about a year later I began to notice that I was becoming very irritable, and would have intense mood swings. I started snapping at the kids then 10 & 12.
I started to experience severe memory problems, almost like black-outs when it came to my short-term memories. I began having difficulty finding words and being as witty and articulate. The weight continued to progress however it felt more like water retention and puffiness. Not a short time later the lack of energy muscle weakness and fatigue set in.
I first went to my GP in the spring of 2003 with my complaints. Having been a prior hyperthyroid patient, I thought that perhaps my thyroid had burnt out! At that time my levels were normal and she put me on anti-depressants. 4 months later and 10 more lbs, I gave up of that theory.
I took it upon myself to see and Endo who treated my goiter and symptoms with a low dose of synthroid. I noticed that I began to lactate, well actually my ever patient husband noticed! Endo chalked it up to hypothyroid, and upped my dose. Mental fog, weakness, irritability increased and now my mentral period went from 7 hearty days to barely 3. My shoe size increased as did my finger size, but I chalked it up to the water retention. It got so bad that one day I had two bloody Mary's with my sister over a visit and gained 8 lbs in 4 hours. Now I gave up on sodium completely. I ate 1000 calories, ate not sugar, starch, or sodium and continued to inch along the scale in an upward direction.
In March of 2004 I had a severe SVT, my heart rate was 200, and my blood pressure was 210/170, turns out my potassium was very low. I decided to change Endos and he began his search, I've been tested for everything from lupus to Pheos. My Thyroid completely tanked and we spent most of 2004 getting my levels right. My endo chalked most of my symptoms to Hypothyroid. Although he still has yet to explain why my Calcium is intermittently hight as is my PTH.
He check me for cortisol and I was high twice, but other times I was normal, however no one told me to fast and draw at 8 am. I was going to the lab at my leisure. More time wasted. I seem to cycle, sometimes I feel okay and others I can't get out of bed, but then can't sleep at night either. Finally during a bad spell of weakness, and huge weight gain spurt He made sure I drew a 8 am cortisol and ACTH (first time) Both were high, as was a subsiquent one a week later. UFC was normal, I've just done a Dex Supression test.
I am hoping for some answers. I feel like I'm getting closer. Thank goodness for this website.
