And It's About Time There Was Some Support For Cushing's!
I am 38 years old and have been sick since I was 17. I'll never forget standing in my parents living room and seeing a blinding flash, I made my way to the couch and laid down, I thought I was going blind, 20 minutes later I felt like somene was jackhammering my head. This was the beginning of a 20 year nightmare called Cusging's. Doctor's told me it was classic migraine and treated me with various medications, none of which helped. Cat Scans were negative, as the years progressed my headaches grew worse as did my list of symptoms, chronic sinusitis, chronic UTI's, cystitis, high blood pressure, high cholestrol, high liver enzymes, low potassium, hair loss, fatigue, depression, confusion, hallucinations, uncontrolled hunger, abnormal and enormous weight gain from 125 to 283, falls and fractures, restless leg syndrome, snoring and sleep apnea,glacoma, irratable bowel, dry skin and on and on and on, you name it I had it.
I was sent to the ENT, Cardiologist, Urologist, Neurologist, Sleep studies, cat scans...everything but what I needed. For years I complained there was something wrong with my metabolisim, but no one believed me I begged for a referral to the Endocrinlogist but my PCP kept saying it was diet & exercise (family history of obesity & diabetes), finally my periods stopped and my Ob/GYN said it was my thyroid, my stupid PCP repeated the tyhroid and said it was normal. After a big argument she finally agreed to send me to an Endocrinologist.
Thank God I finally found a doctor who listened to my entire story and put all the pieces of the puzzle together. After examing me she suspected Cushing's, I had all the classic Cusging features, the moon face, buffalo hump, dark purple stretch marks, fat neck and belly, skiny arms and legs.
It still took another 3 months to find the Pituiatary Tumor, by this time I was on death's door. My urinary Cortisol waz 5660, a new world record for this type of tumor, normal human beings have a level of 20-50. The neurosurgeon was amazed I was still walking around. It was a macroadenoma over 3 cm and the surgeons told me they would not be able to get it all, that I would most likely need a second surgery or radiation. But GOD IS GREAT AND ANSWERS PRAYERS.
It has been 7 months and my bloodwork is normal and I am feeling better and better everyday. The last MRI appears normal. My doctors were amazed at how successful surgery was. It really does depend on finding an excellent surgeon. Thanks to Dr. Donald O'Rourke and James Palmer at Univeristy of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia for an outstanding job. I am following up with Dr. Peter Snyder, a leading expert in Endocrinology, he is really fantastic.
For now we will continue to monitor my condition but I couldn't be happier. After years of thinking I was a hypochondriac or just plain crazy, it is comforting to know it really was all in my head. Keep the faith, GOD hears our cries and wipes away every tear. Praise Jesus!!!
