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Amanda P, Pituitary Bio

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Amanda Paxton, aged 41. From Auckland, New Zealand. Grew up in California. Currently living in Doha, Qatar, Middle East.  This is like speed dating :).

Skinny and healthy until my 20s, started gaining weight, it took 5 endocrinologists and 12 years of increasingly agressive symptons to find the tumour.

They kept telling me I had PCOS and needed to diet and exercise more – how often have we all heard that??  It was so frustrating.  Countless trips to naturopaths and kineisologists and chinese herbal doctors and nutritionalists and dieticians and weight management specialists.  Countless diets – South Beach, Atkins, Dukan, Weight Watchers.

Found the tumour just before my 35th birthday.  Successfully removed it (biggest one the neurosurgeon had seen) transphennoidally.  Had less than a year on synthetic steroids – hydrocortisone. Periods returned – have had 2 beautiful daughters post surgery and one beautiful daughter pre surgery.

We now think there is another tumour as symptons have returned.  Unexplained weight gain, no loss with diet and exercise, hair falling out.  Should have test results in a couple of weeks.

I have an amazing life with a great family and I am really healthy, except for weighing 100 kilos.  My biggest concern is not being here for my family or developing diabetes or heart disease esp with the weight.

I will keep you posted.  Nice to meet you.  Would love to hear from anyone who has had 2+ surgeries with any advice.

Candy (cjbritton), Undiagnosed Bio

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In seeing an endocrinologist about normalizing my thyroid levels (Hashimoto’s), he became suspicious of Cushing’s.

I was diagnosed with PCOS in 2006 with a suspected onset of 13-14. We’ve done one blood test that came back further pointing to Cushing’s along with the signs & symptoms (i.e. buffalo hump, moon face, sweating, ruddy complexion, etc…). I will be seeing another endocrinologist in the near future (current one is closing his practice & moving to the Middle East) to confirm a diagnosis of Cushing’s.

If I do have Cushing’s it has to be endogenous, as I do not take any steroid mediations that are known to cause exogenous Cushing’s. I take Nasonex periodically, but not any more than I absolutely have to & I’m told that is too small a dose to be a problem.

Wish me luck in getting answers.

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