Ellen's son, undiagnosed bio
My 15 year old son has been struggling for almost a year with unexplained physical and psychological symptoms.
He suddenly developed anxiety about going to a school that he loves, and we consulted an endocrinologist because thyroid problems run in my family. Thyroid was ruled out early, but based on his symptoms, he was tested for Cushings and pheochromocytoma.
His symptoms over the past year have come and gone but they've included weight gain,excessive sweating, hot flashes, nausea, headaches, fatigue, joint pain, back pain, ptosis of his right eye, elevated blood pressure, tremors with exercise, constipation, diarrhea, irritablity, anxiety, and depression.
Early on, he had an elevated ACTH level, and the doctor assumed it might mean Cushings, so he did a dexamthasone suppression test that came back negative. A plasma metanephrine test came back elevated at 2 1/2 times upper limit normal so for 2 months they tested and scanned looking for a pheochromocytoma. None was found.
Over this time, we also got him psych treatment in case this wasn't a physical problem. He's been to therapists, spent a month and a half over the summer attending an adolescent day program for anxiety, taken 8 different drugs and nothing has helped.
Recently he had an 8 AM cortisol test to check for Cushings' and it came back exactly the opposite of what they expected-it was below the normal range. He's had testosterone levels come back below normal one time and above normal the next. Because he has an abnormal result followed by a normal, they just dismiss the abnormals. His body doesn't seem to be responding the same way twice.
I'm looking for ideas on what we might look at next. If any of the psych treatments had helped at all I wouldn't be wondering about a physical problem.
He suddenly developed anxiety about going to a school that he loves, and we consulted an endocrinologist because thyroid problems run in my family. Thyroid was ruled out early, but based on his symptoms, he was tested for Cushings and pheochromocytoma.
His symptoms over the past year have come and gone but they've included weight gain,excessive sweating, hot flashes, nausea, headaches, fatigue, joint pain, back pain, ptosis of his right eye, elevated blood pressure, tremors with exercise, constipation, diarrhea, irritablity, anxiety, and depression.
Early on, he had an elevated ACTH level, and the doctor assumed it might mean Cushings, so he did a dexamthasone suppression test that came back negative. A plasma metanephrine test came back elevated at 2 1/2 times upper limit normal so for 2 months they tested and scanned looking for a pheochromocytoma. None was found.
Over this time, we also got him psych treatment in case this wasn't a physical problem. He's been to therapists, spent a month and a half over the summer attending an adolescent day program for anxiety, taken 8 different drugs and nothing has helped.
Recently he had an 8 AM cortisol test to check for Cushings' and it came back exactly the opposite of what they expected-it was below the normal range. He's had testosterone levels come back below normal one time and above normal the next. Because he has an abnormal result followed by a normal, they just dismiss the abnormals. His body doesn't seem to be responding the same way twice.
I'm looking for ideas on what we might look at next. If any of the psych treatments had helped at all I wouldn't be wondering about a physical problem.
Labels: bios, Ellen, not yet diagnosed, pheochromocytoma, son
posted by MaryO at
7:58 PM
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