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JoAnn (Flojo3), Adrenal Bio

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After reading this website for awhile, with much interested and appreciation, I thought I should post my introduction even though I don’t have a confirmed diagnosis yet.

I am a 63 year old Canadian widow who recently retired – partly because I was finding work difficult, i.e. not as sharp mentally, fatigued, less motivated, sleepy in the afternoon, digestive problems and some days just not feeling well.

My symptoms started about 11 years ago. Acne/boils started developing on my face and I also noticed, after growing my hair longer, that it became curly after being straight all my life. About this time I also gained about 35 lbs. quickly. As I wanted to quit smoking I went on the Atkins Diet and walked at least an hour about 6 days a week. I did lose the 35 pounds in 5 months. However, when I did quit smoking some months later I gained 65 pounds in 6 months – more than I thought I deserved to gain (I am 5′ 2″). At first my doctor was not concerned as he said I had not ever been heavy and would start losing this weight. However, after three years or so he began to strongly encourage me to do so especially once I developed very high blood pressure and cholesterol. I was trying but with no success.

In addition, some of the symptoms I have been experiencing, some off and on, are: dry skin, skin tags, thinning hair on the top of my head, e, aches and pains (including repetitive strain injury), fatigue and anxious feelings. Last summer, for a short period of time, I had very dark pigmentation under my arms, under my breasts and on my forehead. I am on medication for high blood pressure, high cholesterol, thyroid and hiatus hernia.

Over the years I did mention some of these symptoms to my doctor and he said it was probably because of my overweight. I have been doing research on the computer for years and several years ago he readily agreed to send me for testing for PCOS although he didn’t feel that is what I had because I have 3 children.

Last year I had, I believe, two bladder infections and this year when I went for my annual check up on November 29th he found I had one again. (This is embarrassing!) I had no symptoms/pain though – maybe just frequent urination especially at night. As a result and because my mother had kidney cancer, he decided to send me for an ultra sound on my kidneys. My followup appointment was on December 22nd. He said my kidneys looked fine, however, there was an abnormality in my adrenal glands. I think he said they were swollen. He said they are not suspecting cancer and that is probably why I couldn’t lose weight, had high blood pressure, etc. He seemed pleased that finally there may be an explanation for my various symptoms. I must admit I did not tell him everything as I did not want to seem like a hypochondriac. My doctor ordered a CT Scan (appointment originally April 11th) and referred me to Urologist.

I had my appointment with him on January 14th and he rescheduled my CT Scan for January 28th. I recently completed lab work, i.e. 24-hour urine test, glucose, creatintine, uric acid, sodium, potassium, chloride, CBC (Hematology), urine test, serum Cortisol 8 a.m. test and a urine R4M (can’t read that writing too well). On February 15th I have a follow-up appointment with the Urologist. I have mixed feelings. In one way I am very happy at last that I am not “crazy” and something is wrong, however, I am frightened at what is ahead. Also, part of me wants to know everything and part of me wants to let things unfold a bit at a time. For the most part I do feel positive and feel that if it was cancer I would not have been having symptoms for at least 11 years. So I continue to read/research every night and have learned a lot from this board (have started to keep a journal) and am enjoying the humour as well. Sorry this is so long but it has been many years of various symptoms and frustrations. Thanks for reading my introduction and for sharing your knowledge and experiences.

JoAnn

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AllisonChained (AllisonChained), Undiagnosed Bio

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undiagnosed2

I’m becoming increasingly concerned I may have Cushings and I dont know where to start.

In 2006 my health suddenly took a dive. It started with my mental health. I had severe anxiety and depression and panic symptoms. I am currently disabled due to agoraphobia. My fight or flight response was on a hair trigger. My brain would give me sudden urgent DO THIS RIGHT NOW MESSAGES, as though if I didn’t I would be in danger. But the things it was telling me to do was things like jump out of the moving car, put my hand on the stove. I was hospitalized eight times in impatient mental health. I feel like I’m on high alert all the time.

In 2007 I developed insomnia and it’s been very severe ever since. I sleep on average three to five hours a night no more than five nights a week. This past October I didn’t sleep for 9 straight days aside from two one hour naps. I have circadian rhythm disorder and when I do sleep, it’s usually between 8-11am. I also have diagnosed sleep apnea. I take Trazodone, it doesn’t help enough.

I’ve been being treated for the past four years for Fibromyalgia. I was seeing a PT for massage therapy twice a week for two years because I am in serious pain all the time. Every day I have sinus headaches and headaches behind my eyes. I have pain in my lower back/hip/IT band and then in my neck, shoulders and arms. My shoulder joints are so painful I wake up with my arms dead more often than not and I just feel incredibly weak during the day. I take 2700 mg of Gabapentin/day. I am 60.5 inches in height and weigh 297lbs but I have never had high blood pressure. I have a pendulous abdomen and keep getting yeast infections under it. I have tons of stretch marks, adult onset acne cysts/boils and mosquito bites that just wont go away. In the past year I’ve been losing my hair by the handful.

For a while I thought I might have a sex addiction because my hormones were just out of control but then my sex drive abruptly disappeared. My menstrual cycles disappeared as well. I’ve had three in the past five years. And I don’t know if it’s sleep deprivation or what but my vision has gotten so bad lately. I had mild double vision so they put prisms or something in my glasses to raise the vision in one eye slightly and lower it in the other. I used to be able to get by without them but now I feel like I cant see hardly at all without my glasses and I have trouble tolerating light.

I have an appointment with my primary on Tuesday but I frankly do not trust him and I dont know how to bring this up and request to be screened.

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