Today is

I was dignosed with Cushings after a long time of feeling many symptoms with no connection. I got the dx instantly once I was sent to an Endocrinologist. Then many tests to support the dx. Some were not very pleasant.

Within a matter of a month I was in surgery for a Pituitary tumor. I also had a mass on each adrenal gland. I had been very ill prior to the surgery. My family doctor had not listened to me. I was gaining weight rapidly.

I enrolled in Curves Gym to get inshape, kept a food journal, and yet was packing on aprox 30 lbs a month. He must have thought my food journal was not accurate. I have had a history of illnesses so he must have thought I was an attention seeker. As an infant I had double pheumonia, chronic bronchitis in my childhood. Ringworm at age 6. Planters warts from age 8-10. Many anibiotic treatments.

I was twenty and hospitilized for two weeks with an irritable colon. I was in abdominal pain and unable to hold food down. It was determined I had an irritable colon. At mid twenties I developed asthma and early thirties had two daughters.

After the birth of my daughers my body changed somehow. I started with high blood pressure at age 31. I had put weight on drastically then. The doctor ran tests wtih no explination for weight gain. (I had lost the baby weight after birth) They couldnt control the blood pressure and kept giving me more medication. I was weak. I was miserable. With the weight gain came increased asthma and I coughed myself into a hernia. Surgery.

I kept breaking bones in my foot with no appearant cause. I had casts every couple of years with no real injury. I would snap a bone walking to the mailbox. My skin went goofy and rashes appeared. They sent me to an allergist. I had the skin tests. Got weekly injections for years. Walked twice a day two miles faithfully when not in a cast. Still gained weight.

I was told I had Candidias. I stopped eating many foods for long time with no change in my health. I started to get a red rounded face. I had been very thin all my life. I looked in the mirror and didnt know the person in the reflection. I left Curves Gym one day and my face embarrassingly red and decided to talk to my family doctor about it the summer prior to dx of Cushings and he said well you are irish thats all. Come on..... are you serious?

I broke my heal bone in May when I was walking to the track at the high school May prior to DX of cushings. That break wouldnt heal. I had four casts for that break alone. I worked everyday but was exhausted. My primary doctor was not able to control my blood pressure. I developed Sugar. I was a mess. I told him I was starting to really be bothered by the fact I looked 7 months pregnant but was not. I had red face all the time. I was weak. I couldnt kneel down and get back up. I was HOT all the time. I mean really hot. I was so miserable and my kids cold from air conditioning in the winter.

Then he and I argued about my condition so he sent me to Center for Diabetes and Endocrinology. The doctor looked at me and gave me Cushings DX immediately. I was so stunned that somebody knew what was wrong. I didnt know what Cushings was but glad to have a name.

Then the tests. The urine tests, blood work. stimulation testing, ct tests, mri tests, a test from the groin to my brain that was horrible.

Few weeks later I had surgery for my Puitatary Tumor and they took more than half of my Puitatary gland also. I still have a mass on each adrenal gland fairly large in size but not yet removed. I had very high levels of cortisol and ACTH hormones that steriods were given to replace that and then to wean off of those. I am not weaning well. This Nov will be three years since surgery.

I have had reoccurance of Cushings. I have had remaining pressure, sugar, thyroid and asthma problems. I eat only 1,0000 calories a day now. I keep a food journal daily. I have lost 60lbs on this diet with the supervision of my Endo doctor. I am told to be patient.

I cant seem to wean off of Cortef. I am in pain daily. My joints and muscles hurt so much. Headaches and memory trouble. Weak even with weight loss. I should have more energy. I dont. I have been tested for HGH and it is low but not the problem I was told. Its not from lack of pushing myself because I do force myself to do things but then so exhaused. I cant walk anymore any distance because my legs give out and I begin to trip over my own feet. I had a great surgeon. He did what was necessary.

I have not been the same and have had lost some symptoms and have gained other issues. I am very grateful to be alive. My life is limited but I am here. Grateful to be alive. Cushings has changed me more and more......

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Labels: adrenal, aspcabonnie, bios, pituitary