I was diagnosed with Cushings in 2005 after 10 years of living the nightmare.
My first symptom was a 30 pound weight gain in 1995 over only 3 weeks. My MD told me to go on a diet. At the time I had whooping cough and was bed-ridden and not eating anything. I thought it was my thyroid, which I had problems with since giving birth in 1983.
I was diagnosed by my endo, who soon after became my primary physician as well. It was very hard to diagnose the Cushings as it is cyclic, but finally in 2005 a dexa test finally showed up. We had tried everything at that point.
I did have pituitary scans; the first time showed a microadenoma of about 5mm in the left lobe. When he repeated the test that was gone and there was a 2mm one on the right side. That too disappeared, but at the time I was going to healing masses often.
We cannot find the cortisol producing tumor, so we just try to keep me calm and address the symptoms to make me as comfortable as possible. The ONLY symptom I do not have is the striae, but I have every other one including the lovely moon face, hump back and GASP whiskers.
Thank the Lord God above for tweezers and hair removal products!
Jun 10, 2013 @ 02:11:56
Hi,
Have you consulted your doc for BLA? In case the source of cortisol is difficult to find, docs generally suggest removal of the adrenal glands? My case was similar..I got my adrenals removed in 2011, after having gotten my pituitary surgery done in 2004. After the pituitary surgery my symptms reoccured and the docs were not able to find any cortisol producing tumor. So they suggested that I go for BLA. I am 26 years of age now. Have been dealing with it since the last 13 years. Am on replacement therapy for life but the symptoms are going. I just have to take a med in the morning.