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Denise H (deekay), Pituitary Bio

October 4, 2026

MaryO Pituitary, Pituitary Surgery, Treatments , , , , , , , , 1 Comment

I am a 45 yr old female

pituitary-glandI was dignosed with Cushing’s in April 2013 i had surgery in June 2013 to remove a tumor on my pituitary gland.

I have had some ups and downs with joint and muscle pains and emotional issues.After my 8 week check up they decreased my meds down but my levels were not normal at that time yet.   I just recently had my blood checked again and my levels were really high in the normal range so they advised me that I could stop taking my meds all together which they say is a great thing.

I had been having some of the same issues and symptoms as when i first went to doctor that  started coming up this is why i asked for blood test in first place and they are stating with meds and my own levels i am once again overproducing makes sense.  However i am not feeling well at all severe muscle pains in knees and feel like i need a crane to get out of bed from being so stiff everyday.

I feel like i am once again an emotional wreck and have issues and nobobdy seem to understand this terrible disease and what it does to your body and one’s self.  I have been married 23 yrs and have 2 beautiful daughters.

I gained over 45 pounds with all this I am down about 20 so far still have a ways to go for sure.

I really  need some support with dealing with all this they say about 6-18 months to truly recover from this and feel so alone sometimes.

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In Memory of Lenise Petersen ~ October 2, 2002

October 2, 2026

MaryO In Memory, Pituitary, Pituitary Surgery, Treatments , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

in-memory

Lenise’s Original Bio

Lenise, 22 years old, single mother.

After the birth of my daughter I was breast feeding. I stopped, but did not stop producing milk. My doctor told me it was normal. So, I ignored it, and the anxiety, weight gain.

Then I went and saw a different doctor. He ran an MRI and found a pituitary tumor. That was in June. He sent me to my Endo. She diagnosed me with Cushing’s and sent me to a Neurosurgeon.

I’m now waiting to have surgery. I am tired all the time (I have a two year old). I’ve gotten so fat I can hardly move. My face is red all the time, acne too. I can’t sleep at night, and have a hard time staying awake during the day. I’m getting so tired of being tired it’s not even funny.

It’s almost been a year now, since I’ve known, and I really want something done. I want to feel normal again. I want to have the energy to play with my daughter. I feel bad for her. It takes all of my energy just to take care of her all day. I’ve had some depression with this, mainly because of the way I look. I used to look good. Not now. I have major issues with anxiety, I shake all the time. It’s like my nerves are shot to you know where. But, I’m so ready to have this surgery and hopefully get on with my life. I feel like my life is at a stand still waiting for this surgery. So, wish me luck. God Bless.

Lenise

Note: Lenise passed away Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2002 at 23 years old, just after her surgery.

Official obituary.

Alma (Diane), Adrenal Bio

October 2, 2026

MaryO Adrenal, Adrenal Surgery, Sub-Clinical Cushing's, Treatments , , , Leave a comment

adrenal-glandsI have been diagnosed with Subclinical Cushings Disease.

Also, included in that diagnose is rare form of cushings;  Amiah macnodular independent hyperplasia?

I have multiple nodulars on both adrenal glands with both of them being active.

I will be having both Adrenals removed.

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Interview with Robyn Y (2ndtimecushie), Recurrent Pituitary Patient, June 15

September 23, 2026

MaryO BlogTalkRadio, Golden Oldies, Interview, Pituitary, Pituitary Surgery, Recurrence, Treatments , , , , , , 1 Comment

A Golden Oldie

Robyn was diagnosed with Cushing’s Disease in 2004 and had 2/3 of her pituitary removed.  This was after 8 years of going from doctor to doctor and thinking she was going to go crazy.

She writes: “Anyway, after my surgery in February of 2004 I had probably a good three years and then I slowly started feeling bad again.  I am now going through what I did 8yrs ago.  My endocrinologist doesn’t think that the Cushing’s is back because of my tests being borderline.  He told me that he thinks I am obese and I need to have stomach surgery.  I seriously cried for days and told him that I disagreed and I wasn’t going to give up…I need support in following through with the tests that I need to.  Like I said I have been putting them off because subconsiously I am so worried that they will tell me that I don’t have the Cushing’s back and I will have to live like this the rest of my life.  Tired of being so heavy and uncomfortably large, sweating to the point of dripping, aching all over and not having any desire or motivation to do anything.

I’m praying the tests come back showing that the tumor is back and they will go in and take the rest of the pituitary out.”

<!– Read Robyn’s complete bio –>

This interview was archived and available through  BlogTalkRadio, or through iTunes Podcasts

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Ashleigh, Pituitary Tumor Bio

September 12, 2026

MaryO Other Diagnosis, PCOS, Pituitary, Pituitary Surgery, Treatments , , , , , Leave a comment

 

I’m 28 years old. I had a pituitary tumour removed at the start of this year.

My main symptoms were weight gain, bright red stretch marks, joint pains, muscle loss and fatigue.

I was originally diagnosed with PCOS, but when diet and exercise caused no improvement I kept looking. Once the stretch marks appeared I was referred to an endocrinologist who conducted urine and blood tests. My cortisol levels were double the normal level. I was then referred to a surgeon who ordered an MRI and found the tumour.

The tumour was removed.I was in ICU the first night then a week more in hospital. It took me about 3 months to recover from the surgery. I am now recovering from the disease itself which is ongoing.

I do physical rehabilitation 6 days a week as well as regular seeing a dietitian, psychologist, endocrinologist, exercise physiologist and hormone specialist.

I’m hoping to return to work next year, which will be about a year after my surgery. I believe the disease has manifested for many years.

I think the perhaps the hardest part of the disease is the time it takes to get a diagnosis. I hope my story can help others get their answers sooner.

 

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Barbara S (Babs1953), Adrenal Bio

August 26, 2026

MaryO Adrenal, Adrenal Surgery, Treatments , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Was finally diagnosed in Feb of this year.

Had surgery mid March to take left adrenal.

Am still on 3mg prednisone daily. Lots of joint muscle aches, headaches, hair falling out, dry skin, split nails… sleeping a bit better but tired during day,can’t walk long or stand without feeling like I’ll hit the ground any minute.

Any weight lost right after surgery is back!

 

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EvE7070, Pituitary Bio

August 24, 2026

MaryO Pituitary, Pituitary Surgery, Recurrence, Treatments , , , , , , , , , 1 Comment

Hi and good evening new here So im EvE7070 and oh my were do i start.

I was finally diagnosed with Cushing‘s 2015 To wich i had no clue what it was and how horrible it would change my life.

But lets start before when it first started I was a gym rat and eat very lil and would do fasting often and one day my menstrual cycle changed and I stop getting my periods and after that I gained about 60 pounds out of nowhere and I decided to see a doctor who told me that I had a hormone deficiency and they put me on something called glucophage which instead of making me lose weight made me gain another 30 lb within the few months of taking it and nobody knew what was wrong with me or how to treat me and I was very depressed for so long because every time I would see a doctor they would say you’re obese and you need to get on a diet and I would cry and tell them I don’t eat I exercise everyday and I don’t understand what is happening to my body i all of a sudden had every disease you could think of and know doctor could tell me what was wrong

i even got a allergies to peanuts which I had never had a problem with before crazy right

So finally after so many yrs i stated getting headaches to witch they said migraines and then my eyesight started to get affected and finally they said no maybe it’s just a sinus infection to where I had to have an X-ray done of my sinuses and that’s when they saw the tumor and my pituitary gland

So had surgery 2015 was on remission until the beginning of this year I started getting headaches again and my eyesight was starting to mess up and decided to go back to the endocrinologist and now they tell me that my cushing‘s is back and I’m hoping that my MRI comes out okay and I don’t have a tumor again but I don’t know what the odds of that happening again of another tumor this is the hardest thing that I’ve had to go through and I’m having a really hard time trying to adjust again to everything that’s going on with my body they say the second time around is worse than the first time and so far it’s true emotionally my depression is at its highest

I’m having problems with coordination brain fog concentration problems forgetting what i was taking about and im really scared I won’t be able to deal with it this time It took me so long to get back to wat ever normal is and now im back here again

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Lisa S, Pituitary Bio

July 18, 2026

MaryO Pituitary, Pituitary Surgery, Treatments Leave a comment

I was mid-diagnosed for about 5 years. Doctors that I had gone to for decades would prescribe me diet pills, told “brisk walking” (even though I walked about 12,000 steps every day at work), I was told to “put down the fork “… finally I was to meet a new doctor- the very first time I met her- she figured it out!

Then came blood tests and mri.

My neurosurgeon appointment was set for Nov. then I got a call that it would be October…. It was the end of September. Yay!! I was so happy someone figured it out!

First surgery didn’t get it all so it was done again. Veins were failing but I finally got to go home. 5 days later I was readmitted for my sodium levels being too low…. I told them my nose kept running- surgery #3- cerebral membrane leak- iv in my foot and a port installed…. and the spinal tap.

Again I got to go home. Was out of work for 11 mos. I was sooo tired. Went from 264 at original surgery to 109. That was in 15.

In the last 9 months I’ve been in the icu twice for adrenal crisis…. Nothing is getting better.

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Pituitary Tumor, Helping Others Comes First

July 12, 2026

MaryO News Items, Pituitary, Pituitary Surgery , , , , , , , 1 Comment

He said she needed to start focusing on looking after herself a bit more in her long journey with tumours of the pituitary gland.

“I have a tendency to do too much for other people,” Mrs Dines said.

“It’s just me. It’s in me, it’s what I do.”

The altruistic devotion is central to her being nominated in the community spirit category in the 2013 Pride of Australia awards.

“There is no end to the depth of Kellie’s passion for people in need,” her testimony said.

“She inspires everybody she comes into contact with to be the very best they can be.”

Pituitary and pineal glands

Pituitary and pineal glands (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Mrs Dines, 40, is the wife of Brad, mother of Carter, 10, and Hunter, 5, and has lived at Teesdale for two years after having spent her formative years growing up at Wallington and attending Geelong’s Matthew Flinders College. She spent 17 “hideous” years battling mystery ill health and receiving all sorts of diagnoses before the discovery of a non hormone-secreting tumour surrounding her pituitary gland, at the base of her brain.

The pituitary gland secretes hormones that influence the workings of many other glands.

She has twice undergone delicate surgery attempting to remove the tumour and now it is growing around her carotid artery.

Mrs Dines’ community devotions have ranged from volunteering at three consecutive Australian International Airshows to inspiring a Black Saturday bushfires appeal that generated two truckloads of food and goods for fire victims, and volunteering as state co-ordinator for the Australian Pituitary Foundation.

After having shifted to Teesdale, she started co-ordinating money-raising efforts for the community’s pre-school and primary school and ran money-raising events for a local single mum contending with breast cancer and a family that lost a child.

She said nomination in the Pride of Australia awards was humbling. “But it’s not why I do things,” she said.

Nominations in 10 Pride of Australia award categories close on Tuesday.

From http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/article/2013/07/12/369100_news.html

Voices from the Past: Kim H, Ectopic Bio

July 8, 2026

MaryO Adrenal Surgery, Carcinoid, Ectopic, Golden Oldies, Other Diagnosis, Pituitary Surgery, Treatments , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

 

I was diagnosed with Cushing’s in 1986. I had all the symptoms. Weight gain, purple stretch marks, severe acne, hair all over the face, balding on the head, muscle weakness, depression, no periods, moon face, etc.

I had all the blood, urine tests. Scans, x-rays and even petrosal sinus sampling. These were inconclusive as to the source. The MRI of the pituitary showed swelling and near to the optic nerve, so the next step was pituitary surgery which was done in August 1986. However the cortisol levels were still high. I still had Cushing’s. I was then given the choice of long term drug treatment while the source was located or to have an adrenalectomy. I was told that if I became pregnant on the drugs the pregnancy would not be able to continue because the effect of the drugs on a feotus wasn’t known. I felt that at the age of 24 I wanted my health back and the chance to have children if I was lucky enough. So in the October 1986 I had bilateral adrenalectomy through the back.

My Cushing’s was to all intents and purposes cured. Nearly 16 years later the ectopic source has never been found despite many more tests. It is still there because it still produces ACTH. The good side is now that I tan really easily which is amazing considering the British weather. I take hydrocortisone and fludrocortisone. I have never felt that I truly got my health back but am glad to still be here. I went on to have two lovely children, now aged 14 and 12. I was diagnosed with osteoporosis last year after years of back pain which is now being treated. I also had some problems last year and was diagnosed with angina and my steroids had to be increased due to a total lack of energy.

Up till now I have just about managed to hold down a full time job as a merchandiser for Hallmark Cards but have now taken the decision to go part-time which I am able to do with Hallmark. I have been married twice and am again a single parent. The men in my life could not cope with my health problems, so I figure I am better off with being on my own to bring up my kids. I think that’s about all. I would just like to say a huge thank-you to St. Bartolomews Hospital in London for all they have done for me over the years. Without their care and support I probably wouldn’t be here. p.s. I still suffer from depression but the old prozac sure helps.

Update: May, 2007

It is now 2007 and in 2006 they found my ectopic source in my appendix. It looked on the scan like it was in the central blood vessel but when they operated my appendix had flipped itself up and the tumour was sitting on the tip of it. After they tested it it was found to be a carcinoid tumour. Thankfully it was all taken away and the outcome was ok.

For the first time in over 20 years I can honestly say that i am much beter. for 20 years i felt ill and now i feel great. Obviously i still have bad days as I have no adrenal glands. But i will always be greatful for the immense help and support that i have received from professor Grossman and St. Bartholomews hospital in London.

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