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Alex C (Alex C), Undiagnosed Bio

July 7, 2017

MaryO Diabetes, Male, Other Diagnosis, Undiagnosed , , , , , , , , , , 4 Comments

Hi, My name is alex and i honestly have no idea what’s wrong with me.

about 5 years ago i became ill, all of a sudden went from a healthy strong active person, to feeling weak, tired, i gained weight, my hair started thinning, among other symptoms, i was diagnosed with diabetes, my sugars were in the 500’s then one day about 6 months later, my diabetes went away, no change in diet, no change in lifestyle, just up and went away…but it was replaced with excruciating pain, throughout my body mainly in my legs and arms, they said its pribably neuropathy… but i had only been diabetic for 6 months, they tested and found no neuropathy…they said it might be MS, they tested nope not MS….they said it might be fibromyalgia…i don’t have trigger points no not fibromyalgia,,,i started getting infections….gum disease…eye infections… bites and scratches on my legs which used to heal quickly no longer healed and when they did they left scars and marks on my skin….the pain was so unbearable… they tried all the neurological meds, cymbalta, lyrica, etc….. nothing helped…

finally they gave me fentanyl patches and norco and i was able to manage the pain… but still no diagnosis… i saw hemotologists, oncologist, because at one point they thought i had luekemia which i dont… i saw a rheumotologist and nothing…my pain management doctor said i had a bulging disc in my back and wanted to give me steroid injections in my spine…he said that’s whats causing the pain….but the pain was in my legs and arms a bulging disc in my lower spine would cause pain in my legs and lower back only so i disagreed with his assesment…still i got 1 injection and it didnt help… he said oh it could take up to 3 for you to feel relief i refused the injections and he stopped giving me pain meds, he said since i wasn’t cooperating he couldn’t treat me anymore… so i suffered

one day on an emergency room visit i saw a doctor and told him my symptoms… (i would tell any doctor that would listen to try to find something.. i know something is wrong with me) he said have your pcp test your cortisol levels….well my corisol levels were 5 times the normal count.. they did the test twice…and both times they showed 5 times the normal level…now i don’t have the moon face or the buffalo hump but i do have every other symptom of cushings…i went to and endocronologist who right away said… you don’t have cushings…this was over the course of the first 2 years… now 3 years after that and 5 years from the start i’m still suffering the pain i’ve gotten used too for the most part but sometimes it;’s sooo bad i have to go to ER and get morphine and dilauded to help…last week i was in the ER and they gave me 3 shots of IV morphine within two hours and it only lasted about 20 minutes..each time… finally a shot of dilaudid helped and i was able to come home and rest ….. still no difinitive diagnosis other than chronic pain…and my diabetes has come back recently…i no longer see doctors because i have never gotten help from them…i’m lost and don’t know what to do anymore…if it wasn’t for my kids.. i have 3 i don’t think i could go on…invisible illnesses are real and devestating…

 

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Jill (Jillleesmith), Adrenal Bio

March 1, 2015

MaryO Addison's Disease, Adrenal, Adrenal Insufficiency, Adrenal Surgery, Treatments , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 1 Comment

adrenal-glands

 

Cushing’s Syndrome
Addison’s Disease

After I had my daughter in 1995, I started gaining weight. I went from 110 pounds to over 200 pounds in a year. I had so many symptoms and was told to quit eating. My family wondered what happened to me. I never ate much. I was always the smallest one. One doctor even wrote me a prescription to get a dog. Over the course of 10 years, I was told I had possible MS, high blood pressure, diabetes, weight gain, severe depression resulting in several suicide attempts, hallucinations, declining vision, stress, severe fatigue, inability to work, divorce, personality disorder, inability to walk the stairs or walk for that matter and numerous others.

I went undiagnosed for 10 years. I was home sick one day on September 9, 2006. I was watching Mysterious Diagnosis and saw a woman with my symptoms. She had Cushing’s Disease. She turned out to be Sharmyn McGraw, a friend and mentor. I made an appointment for the next day. I asked my doc to test me for Cushing’s. I was diagnosed with multiple tumors in each adrenal gland called Cushing’s Syndrome. I was literally on my death bed. I was unable to care for all my kids and had given my cousin custody of my oldest son and my ex was given full custody of my daughter. I did manage to care for my son Gavin, who actually took care of me. Riding his bike home from school to make sure I was ok and riding his bike home right after school to take care of me.

I went through many different testing including vein catheterization to see which adrenal needed to come out first. I begged my endo to just take them both but with that it would mean I would have to be on steroid replacement everyday for the rest of my life in order to sustain life. I had surgery on November 14, 2006 to remove my left adrenal gland. I lost 45 pounds in 1 month but all of a sudden I was gaining weight once again. It was found that the other tumor riddled adrenal gland needed to come out.

On February 14, 2008, I had my right adrenalectomy. This was an even more difficult recovery. I was hospitalized for 15 days. Resulting in Addison’s Disease, I am unable to work. I lost my home, my kids, my animals, my car, my life. I have not been able to return to work and am on disability. I am just surviving.

The reason for this letter???? First, I want to bring awareness to these very rare life-threatening diseases, Cushing’s Syndrome and Addison’s Disease. My body has never recovered from the extreme weight gain and weight loss. The overproduction of cortisol for 12 years, has caused irreversible damage to my body. I have lost 40 pounds. My stomach hangs and gets in the way. I could never be intimate with anyone because of how my body looks.

Steroids everyday for the rest of my life is a hard pill to swallow. Forgive the pun. Lol

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Kristi (kingskid), Undiagnosed Bio

May 12, 2013

MaryO Undiagnosed , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 1 Comment

Hi my name is Kristi and I’m seeking any help or advice on Cushings.

I had always been active growing up into sports, running, weight lifting and horseback riding.

27 Yrs ago I gave birth to a beautiful healthy daughter. I was a size 10 and had only gained 25 LBS during prignancy.  Less then a year later I was carrying my second daughter.  I had no appetite and could barely eat but was gaining 10 pds every other day.  My blood pressure soared and I was diagnosed with pre-eclampsia.  I have been sick ever since I gave birth.

In the past 20yrs I have put on over 150 lbs and I can’t get it off.  I was told I had a fatty liver and my cholesterol and triglicerites are off the chart.  I began having memory trouble even forgetting my daughters name, hair loss, blurred vision (even typing this is slow going so forgive any mistakes) I started falling, loosing bladder and bowel control, walk into walls, tables and door frames/   I’ve had bouts of blndness and layered viion (Multiple Sclerosis has been ruled out) chronic body and nerve pain, horrible mood swings from happy, depressed, anger, intolerance (it’s like a daily rollar coaster ride) SEVERE salt cravings, low body temp, heaviness in legs, bruising, infections, trouble healing, brain lesions., trouble sleeping.  Get cyst on my breast, head, ears and pubic area.  Have little hard bumps on pubic area that never go away.  No sex drive left for husband and even when we are active it’s very painful..  Major swelling in face, neck, legs and feet, backaches, headaches.  When I stand up I feel like I get a head rush or lightheaded and I flap my arms to stay up or I fall back into bed or chair.  I sweat even in winter.  I do have the buffalo hump, the stretch marks, the moon face, brain lesions and the discolored skin under breast,  behind neck and arm pits.

Dec. 6th I had a carbuncle which had develped staff and mrsa removed from my armpit.  My whole armpit had to be removed and a couple weeks later I developed an abcess and had to go back to surgery.  It has been 5 months and I still can’t heal.  Have been packing the wound every day and seeing the surgeon every 2 wks.  Now I have a carbuncle on the other side and I’m facing more painful surgery after this side heals.

Today I recieved a call that the urine test I took for cushings came back with normal levels.  Needless to say I sat down and sobbed.  I am 46 yrs old and I have been sick for half my life.  I have seen so may doctors, been through so many surgeries and painful testings.  I have been told over and over that there is something wrong but the Doctors can’t find it.  I thought cushings was the answer and that I could finally get treatment and get better.  I look in the mirror and I don’t recogize this person I see….How will I start over again on this long search for answers?  Where will I get the strength?