Print this Page Cushing's Message Boards

Debbie's Story...

Hi, My name is Debbie, I live in the Portland, Or area.

My first experience with Cushing's began 17 years ago. At that time I was extremely overweight and had gone on a medically monitored fast. For 14 months I fasted having blood drawn weekly along with doctor visits. At the end of 13 months my doctor at this diet group became concerned that my legs and arms were very thin but proportionately my face and middle were out of control I had lost 200 lbs at that time.

He referred me to an endo that took one look at me and said yes. SO after all the tests it was decided that even though they couldn't see the tumor it had to be on my pituitary. So surgery was scheduled. After a week the doctor told me my levels were not dropping and I wasn't cured but shortly after that they started dropping and they reversed their decision.

So I was cured.

Life went on as hectic as ever I had four small children and a terminally ill husband so in the 17 years since my first surgery life has been pretty hectic. My husband committed suicide when informed that he would not live more than 3 more months. One of our children, one of a set of twins was severely hearing impaired, developmentally delayed, and autistic. Their fathers death threw everyone into a turmoil that we struggled to conquer for several years. In the years after this I lost my business as I could not keep up with everything.

The kids continued to grow up and all have done very well we are a very close group. One 26, one 25, two are 23. The other twin developed at age 17 years a undiagnosed neurological disorder that genetics think will turn out to be progressive. WE have definably seen signs of that as the last 5 years have passed.

During this whole time I was regaining the weight I had lost and becoming more anxious as the years marched on. Finally, two years ago this month I was hospitalized with sepsis from an extremely bad infection that I couldn't shake. I was in ICU for 4 days and total hosp. time was 14 days with 2 more weeks of home IV antibiotics. At that time I struggled to lose weight again. I stopped smoking cold turkey started at the gyn 4 times a week, learned a whole new way to eat-healthy. I really worked at this taking off 100 lbs in the next 2 years (to date). During this period I became diabetic, got high Cholesterol (the only other time for H.C. was when I first had Cushing's, and my blood pressure became elevated. All were treated without anyone putting it together with recurrent Cushing's.

Then came the inability to fight off the anxiety again, stretch marks in the bends of my elbow and the gut wrenching bone pain. It was obviously time to pull my head out of the sand. I have just started the testing again but the endo says that with 98% assurance that it has returned, What a mess. I feel very overwhelmed by this. I guess one of the reasons is that I know more this time than last and frankly that scares me. I have found a tremendous amount of reassurance from this web site. Sue and Shauna have both been very helpful in offering answers to some of my many questions. If Cushing's can be caused by stress it's no wonder this is my 2nd time around.

HOME | Contents | Search | Adrenal Crisis! | Abbreviations | Glossary | Forums | Donate | Interactive | Bios | Add Your Bio | Pituitary | • Debbie |