And It's About Time There Was Some Support For Cushing's!
MelissaTX's Story...
I am a new member to this list. I am so thankful to find y’all online. My name is Melissa. I am a 34 yo who lives in San Antonio , Texas . I have not seen a doctor for Cushing’s yet. I have been told my thyroid is ‘normal’ and was not satisfied with that answer anymore. I finally got lucky with an internet search. I am hoping you can tell me if you think I have Cushings.
Self-diagnosed cushings, 5/9/07 appointment with endocrinologist (has diagnosed Cushings before according to patients on these boards)
Do not have any diagnostic test results for Cushings yet.
I have many of the symptoms of Cushings, but since some of the symptoms show up in other diseases, I realize this is hard to diagnose.
SYMPTOMS
Missed periods. I have missed 8 of the last 16 periods. (two 4-month time frames).
Buffalo hump. Pronounced hump at the base of my neck. I have been in several car accidents, and my doctors and I always treated it for muscle
Central obesity . I used to keep my weight pretty stable at 180-190 pounds. Large for my 5'6" frame, but my weight was stable. Within the last few years, I have jumped up to 245 pounds, then down to 228 pounds. The fat is mostly stored in my abdomen and between my waist line and breasts and upper back.
DIET: I eat pretty well (no white foods, no fast food, no ice cream or sweets, no candy bars, no sodas, no pasta, no salt or sweet cravings. I eat whole wheat, whole grains, fruits, some veggies, drink water). I seemed to gain weight anytime I ate anything bad. When I eat one slice of birthday cake with my family once a month, it seemed like I gained 2-3 pounds within a week. I knew that was not normal and just plain cruel. Terrible way to live because I felt like I couldn't splurge and enjoy any food. Eating stresses me out. It has been difficult to lose weight in the last four years, have been trying to lose weight with better nutrition and exercise and the weight stays on no matter what, sometimes increases.
Purple stretch marks on the abdomen. I just thought this was because I was getting fat.
Bruising easily. I have been borderline anemic all my life (as are my two sisters and mother), but hemoglobin has hovered around 12.
Roundness of the face. Again, I thought it was just weight gain. No moon face but more fullness in the face. You can see the roundness in my cheeks in the buffalo hump photos
Reduced libido.
Inability to focus or concentrate. I have always been a person who takes charge and gets things done. Now, I make lists and try to get organized, but I just can't follow through. I am very easily overwhelmed. I forget a lot. I have fought with my husband about needing help around the house and asking for help keeping up with everything. The real reason is that I have been so frustrated with him because I couldn't do everything myself any more. I became 'driven' to keep more and more lists. I would use them for a few days then forget I had them. I'd spend hours making lists and Excel spreadsheets. At the same time I'd throw my bills in a drawer and forget about them. I have had many late bills. I have a great credit score so this is very unusual for me.
Mood swings. Very irritable. Easily upset. Little things set me off. Use to throw things around the house when no one was around. Now, I throw things in front of my fiancé within the last few weeks. Fighting with fiance about house work and bills. I can't keep track of this all myself and I need help remembering things. It has been a real strain on my relationship and I have felt guilty for all my yelling. He has taken it all well, always forgives me when I apologize and say 'I don't know what is wrong with me.'
Depression, anxiety, feeling of hopelessness, isolation. Crying all the time. Being lonely but not wanting to be around anyone. Never leaving the house. I didn't/don't feel like myself. I have been really disappointed in myself because I couldn't get things together, couldn't concentrate and get things done like I used to.
Muscle soreness. I groan when I get up from a chair, have aches in my legs when I go up the stairs. Again, I thought it was because I was overweight and out of shape. Soreness in back and legs after walking/jogging on the treadmill. Always thought it was because I didn't stretch enough or that my body was too fat and didn't like being jostled around.
Joint and muscle pain. Back pain. difficulty getting out of car and chairs. Shoulder joint make a popping and grinding noise. Doctors told me it was nothing. Back is always sore. Just thought it was the result of various car accidents (2 in 1991 and one in 2003).
Four 'normal' thyroid panels in nine months. Doctors have called it subclinical hypothyroidism. Taking Thyrolar-1 offered some help with anxiety. Stopped taking it so I can have lab work done with the endocrinologist. I have textbook symptoms of hypothyroidism [mental and physical sluggishness, cold intolerance (hands and feet), fatigue, brittle/weak fingernails, dark circles under eyes, weakness, weight gain (unintentional), depression, joint or muscle pain, decreased libido, abnormal menstrual cycles), insomnia, extreme irritability, heat sensitivity, no menstrual flow, and rapid heart beat (<5 occasions).
Uncomfortable at night with hot flashes. Husband (who is always hot) is cold but I am burning up.
Waking up in the night at least once to urinate.
Insomnia, restlessness during sleep. Once I wake up, I can't go back to sleep. I never feel like I am well-rested. More snoring in the past 2 years
More skin tags. Always had a few (doctors said this is common for Asians—I am ½ Filipina) but there seem to be many more in the last 2-3 years.
Headaches. Rarely had them before (less than 1 per year), but have been getting them more in the past 2 years (2-3 per month).
Difficulty healing. Sprained ankle in July 2005, still not fully healed.
Dry skin on arms and especially legs. dry and scaly. My skin is not like this; it always looks good even without lotion.
More facial hair on upper lip than normal. No excess hair anywhere else.
More breast tenderness. I just thought it was because I was missing periods and my cycles were messed up.
Heart palpitations, 1 a month
Chest pains and palpitations, 1 a month
Loose bowels, every day for the past year. I also have diarrhea or soft stools every day for many months (at least 6 months, maybe up to one year).
If you have had surgery, could you recommend where I could go for the pituitary surgery? Please include doctors names and locations.
