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Jules's Story

My journey with Cushing's started six years ago at the age of ten. It started when I developed a duodenal ulcer. It was unbearably painful (this is coming from someone with a very high pain tolerance) and I have extreme stomach problems for at least 4 years following. I went to a gastroenterologist and got it somewhat under control.

This went on until the age of almost 15 when I just couldn't take it anymore. By this time I had struggled with a very mentally draining family issue that had occurred. I became very irritable and depressed and just assumed it was from this hard period of my life.

I was shocked one day to see purple stretch marks running down my abdomen. I had been rapidly gaining weight and associated them with that. Always being an average size girl this weight gain both freaked me out and made me even more depressed. I was very irritable and unhappy with myself. I don't overeat and am pretty active being an equestrian rider and working out at least twice a week. It made no sense. I knew something was wrong but had no idea what. My face has always been round but lately it was larger and red.

I decided to go to a new gastro. and was suprised when he felt the base of my neck and told me my thyroid was very enlarged. He quickly referred me to an endocrinologist who diagnosed me with hypothyroidism. I though I'd finally found the answer and expected my new medication to solve my problems.

To my dismay the symptoms only got worse. I was also now noticing fatigue and weakness.I gained 25 pounds that year when I should have been losing it after starting the medication. I was starting to get thirsty and drink all the time. I urinated frequently and sometimes had leakage. My periods from day one were very intense and I had horrible PMS but now they were becoming very weird and I am starting to lose them. I have sweet cravings several times a day and if I miss a meal by an hour I get an intense headache sometimes accompanied be nausea. It is now difficult for me to concentrate on schoolwork and I am extremely fatigued. I can't bend my joints for long before they tighten and ache. I can no longer bend over without having bad pains when I straighten up again. Some nights I have an awful time trying to sleep and I feel as if life is growing harder and harder by the day.

After dealing with this endocrinologist for a year and having him ignore my other symptoms by telling me that my thyroid levels were normal I couldn't take it anymore. I knew I was very sick deep inside.

I scheduled an appointment with my now lifesaver. My first appointment with Dr.Borg was the best day of my life. He did a full body exam (which the other doctor hadn't) and immediately told me that I looked like a person with Cushing's disease. He was completely shocked when I told him that the other doctor hadn't tested or looked at anything other than my thyroid.

Advice to anyone who might have this disease is to insist that your endocrinologist runs as many blood tests possible and make sure they do a physical exam. This is what I think "saved my life". I was told by my new doctor that I would have developed type 1 diabetes within 3 years.

After the tests showed that my levels were way off I had an MRI which confirmed a tumor. I should now say that the best day of my life was when he told me that the MRI showed that I had a tumor and this was very fixable. I was so relieved. Now I am seeing a neurosurgeon and am awaiting news of when my surgery is. What I would like to say to anyone struggling with this disease is listen to yourself over anyone else. I had countless doctors tell me that I needed to eat less and work out more.

Deep down inside I knew there was a reason for my weight gain and for the hurt I lived with everyday. I knew that life was better than this. I pushed my parents to bring me to as many doctors as it took until we found the one who could find the culprit. You are the only one who knows how you are really feeling. I know it's hard but hang in there and know that there is a light at the end of that dark tunnel.

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