I’m 66 yo and have recovered from Cushings but now take hydrocortisone, thyroxine, ddavp and citalopram. It’s was a real fight to find a dr who believed me. (my GP said I was a morbidly obese hypochondriac).
It has been 16 years and I’ve lost 75 pounds. Sometimes life is still tough, but I can handle it.
My endocrinologist was Dr Katznelson at Stanford University Palo Alto CA and my surgeon was Edward Laws.
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
Hi,
I have only recently been diagnosed with Cushing’s syndrome,and it is due to the mediciine i take for asthma.ilast year i kept collapsing in the street and iwas suffering from low blood-pressure and hypoglycemia.
I live in france where this illness is practically unheard of. I am on two different medications to treat my illness but have gained a lot of weight,have a ‘camel’s hump’,edema on my legs and feet as well as having a ‘moon-shaped face”. I am British-American and would love to hear other people’s stories of living with this disease.
I am exhausted all the time,depressed,can’t concentrate on anything…i have trouble leaving the house because i get dizzy and people stare at me and judge me because i am obese.
I came to this website to hear other people’s stories and to feel less alone because Cushing’s syndrome is a nightmare.
Hello Cushing’s world! My names is Chelsea. I’m 23, female and waiting for a possible Cushing’s diagnosis. I’m trying to see if anyone has a similar story to mine? I’ve had a hard time finding people in my age bracket with similar symptoms or test results.
Up until I was 21, I was 110 pounds soaking wet. I’m 5’3 and have always been extremely active. I was on the USTA junior tennis circuit for 15 years and then started coaching when I was in college. I also was always on a high protein, low card diet for the majority of my life.
I also went on birth control at age 13 and stayed on it until I was 20. The first 6 months off of birth control, I never had a period but I assumed it was normal after being on the pill for so long so I didn’t worry about it.
Then, about 3 and half years ago, roughly six months after I turned 20, I gained 45 pounds in a matter of 5 months. Completely unexplained when, at the time I was coaching a JV tennis team and in kickboxing class twice a week. Obviously I was utterly shocked and disappointed. I started trying to lose the weight. I cut down from 1500 calories a day to 1200 and amped up my cardio routine.
My period had come back, but I started noticing that it would always come about 8-10 days after I expected it to come. Again, I assumed my body was just getting back into the swing of things after going off the pill.
During all of this, it was time for my yearly physical with my GP. I went to the appointment, had weight and height taken, and was ready to discuss with him the weight problem I got in what seemed like overnight. After walking him through my diet and exercise routine and mentioning my period irregularity, he simply insinuated that I was probable a closet over eater and said “Just eat more celery”.
Still to this day I can not look at celery without my blood boiling. He also said that once I lose the weight, my periods will get normal. Ok. I’m 20 at the time and a little naïve in my thinking that, “he’s the doctor, he must be right”. So I pressed on in my quest to lose the weight. To no avail. Instead, every Wednesday when I stepped on the scale, it showed that I had gained a pound of two.
At this point I’m weighing in at 158. Not grossly overweight but also not a healthy BMI. I also started noticing that my once long, strong jaw line was turning into mush and seriously thought I needed a chin implant. Then I noticed that I was starting to oddly resemble a linebacker. The fat on my back between my shoulders came out of no where. I have worn a scarf almost every day since to hide it. I also noticed that, while the sleeves in my shirts were fitting fine, my pants were not buttoning and I could no longer wear my mid-drift bearing tops without looking at myself and crying.
The depression began to set in. I had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder at 18 due to boughts of depression followed by highly elevated mood, never quite reaching mania. Also, I was anxious 24/7. I never took antidepressants. Only a mild mood stabilizer and still do to this day. It is the only medication I’m on.
Back to age 20, the next thing I noticed was that I could no longer bear going to school, coaching tennis, and working part time. It was everything I could do to just get out of bed. My back ached, my knees ached, and I was not even recognizing myself in the mirror. As my mother puts it, I started looking like I was stung my a thousand bees rather than putting on weight.
It was about this time, age 21 that I had skin problems. So I went to the dermatologist who diagnosed me with mild eczema on my elbows and tops of my hands. But it hurt. I couldn’t and still can’t stand for my hands to come in contact with anything hotter than warm bath water.
It then came time for my annual gyno appointment. Again, I rehashed everything I had been feeling and noticing and again, I was told it was just “life stress” and to “learn to relax and work hard to lose the weight”. So again, I left feeling like it was all in my head. The next few months is when I started noticing that I was not functioning like I used to. The comment I often made to my mom was ” I just feel like I’m on autopilot all day. Everything seems so hazy.” She began thinking I may have a thyroid problem.
SO I made another appointment with my GP and brought her with me. He adamantly insisted it was in my head and would not order blood work. Again, I left feeling like this was all my fault. A few months later, I accepted a job after graduation and moved to Boston. This is when I first noticed the disgusting black mustache that had taken up residence above my upper lip. I began having to shave it every day and decided well this must have something to do with my period problem, that was still coming farther and farther apart every couple of cycles. Again, more weight gain.
Finally, I hired a personal trainer and nutritionist. I met with the trainer twice a week and the nutritionist once a week. I kept up with this regime for about 11 months. I lost a grand total of…… four pounds. I was defeated to say the least.
During those 10 months I noticed that my vision was so blurry. Every day all day, it was slightly fuzzy but there would be instances where it would get so bad, I could no longer read my phone. I had been diagnosed with refractive amblyopia when I was 5 ( a non-wandering lazy eye) but I had never had blurry vision before. I decided to find a GP in Boston and made an appointment.
I yet again, went through my whole list of symptoms that I had been gradually wracking up over the last two years and again, heard “you need to just try harder to get the weight off and then everything will go back to normal”. UGH. I thought by choosing a female doctor this time that I’d hear something at least a little more hopeful. But no.
A few months later, I took a job with a great company and relocated to Houston. It was this time last year and I had completely missed a period. 84 days with no period. I decided to get serious. I starting tracking my cycle and recording my weight. I met with another GP. Again, I heard, you need to lose the weight. I was done. I resolved that this must be how I was going to spend my life. Fat, achy, depressed, most probably infertile, and going through life in a haze. However, I kept tracking my periods just so I’d get an idea of when to expect them.
Then, in October of 2015, I accepted a dream promotion and relocated to Seattle. I had started having hot flashes in Houston but guessed that it had to just be that Texas heat. However, they continued in Seattle. I was still living life with the sense that maybe all people feel like me. Maybe all people have aches and pains and can’t muster up the energy to do tasks as simple and mundane as cleaning the coffee pot.
Then, I went home over Christmas where I experienced the three most awful hot flashes of my life. My whole body started tingling, I felt like I was being held up to a fire. I resolved then and there that when I got back to Seattle, I was making a gyno appointment and I was not going to leave that office until the doctor thoroughly listened to me and blood work was ordered. I had a “don’t take no for an answer attitude”.
Luckily, by God’s grace I presume, I didn’t need that attitude. My new gyno is now my hero. Immediately after I went through the last three years of my symptoms, he sent me for blood work. He was thinking PCOS or a thyroid problem. Maybe both. A week went by and I never heard from him. He had said he’d call in two days. Finally, after I called the office about 5 times, he called and said he was sorry to keep me in suspense but that he had never seen blood work like mine. He was expecting to see either my thyroid levels elevated or my testosterone/androgen elevate. Instead, those were all in normal range. What wasn’t in normal range was my moderately elevated Prolactin level and my “through the roof” DHEA level. He had consulted four other doctors who were all just as puzzled as he was and recommended he refer me to a medical endo.
In the meantime, I had made an appointment with a new GP. I went to that appointment two days after my gyno called with my test results. I didn’t mention that conversation with my new GP. I wanted to see what her opinion was when I presented her with my symptoms and test results. She too thought PCOS with symptoms but when she looked at my blood work said ” I have no idea but something is not right”. SCORE! I couldn’t have been happier.
After years of feeling crazy and lazy and defeated, I had validation that my body was working against me. She didn’t come out and say “I believe you have Cushing’s” but she did say “When you see the endo, please ask him about Cushing’s”. My guess is, she didn’t want to make that kind of diagnosis. I got my referral to endo and called to make the appointment, it’s for next week. And I found out my gyno had written “possible Cushing’s?” on my referral. So now I’m anxiously awaiting my endo consultation. His assistant called yesterday and asked why no one had order a pituitary MRI yet. I told her that these were the first two doctors out of 7 that I have seen in the past two years who ever even believed something was wrong. She decided we should do the consultation and go from there. Weird to say, but I really hope it is a cut and dry endocrine issue. Then I’d have a real answer. So now, I’m at 173 pounds, 5’3, (obese as I have been told by several non Seattle physicians), with stage 1 hypertension and a multitude of symptoms that I hope are all linked together.
If anyone has had a similar experience, please reach out. I know this is different for every patient but any kind of similarity will be welcomed while I anxiously await the endo appointment next week.
I was first diagnosed with Cushings Disease in the fall of 2007 after having broke my hip (just by stumping my toe – no fall) and then deleveloping a PE which landed me in the ICU for 5 days. And I thank God that these things happend to me because I was rushed to Parkland / UTSW and it was there that the dr started questioning why a 39 year old woman would break her hip in the manner that I did. No other dr questioned this (I had even broked 2 ribs and was told that I must have been laying on the couch funny – WHAT?!?!).
I had been told for years by my dr that I was just obese and needed to diet – IT WAS EASY, he said. (This is the same dr after he found out was I was diagnosed with said – I could have treated you for that Endo is my speciality. Again – WHAT?!?!?)
It took the drs at UTSW about 5 / 10 minutes to look at me and say “We think you have Cushings”. I had never heard of this before and can remember just asking can it be cured? And being told about 70 to 80% of the time.
They still had to test me and that took a few months. They all came back with results that I had Cushings and they found a tumor on my pituitary.
I had to wait a few months before I could have surgery due to I was on blood thinner to treat my PE / blood clots. I had my first surgery in February 2008. Drs said it went well and I should start seeing things go back to normal and that I should also start feeling better. Well I never really did and it came back and I had another surgery January 2011.
And now they think it’s back yet again! I’m mentally and physically done with this disease! I just want them to take everything out of me that would make this horrible disease stay away! I’m very emotional right now and feel completely lost and alone.
I have a great husband (can’t tell you how great he has been) and family that has stood by me the entire time and will always be there for me but as I’m sure a lot of you know sometimes you just want to ‘not be’.
With this go around I’m really struggling. The first time I was almost cheerful cause I finaly knew why I felt so bad and worthless (I had had this disease for probably 10 years before I was diagnosed). The second time, I was a little more bummed about it and this time I’m more depressed than I’ve ever been. I know I’ll get thru this (again) but I’m tired of having to deal with it.
And I know I’m rambling but I’m feeling the need to let this all out. I could go on and on but I think most of you know how I feel.
Thanks for having this site and for allowing me a place to go to vent.
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.”
Hello. I was led to this site while searching for information. I am surprised to find out that so many people have similar stories to my own.
Last summer I went to the ER because of unexplained vomiting. They said that my liver values were off, and I needed a CT scan. So I went to my internist and after the scan he called to tell me that they found a tumor on my left adrenal gland. He told me to stop taking Metformin, and at the time I was taking 850 mg 3 times daily. I am severely diabetic, have hypertension and am taking 5 blood pressure meds. I have had a lifetime of weight issues, missed periods for years at a time, have had hair loss on my head, but I shave my chin and mustache every day since I was a teen, and I am constantly tired. I also am obese, but eat usually once a day now, since my abdomen is so large. My legs and arms are smaller than the rest of my body, and this has happened over the last 10 years. I have a buffalo hump, and have since I was a teenager.
The last 2 endocrinologists I went to just yelled at me for not eating properly and not monitoring my glucose levels. One told me that she was glad my daughter is married because I am going to die. She never checked me for anything. The crazy part was after the internist called me and said that I would have to have surgery to remove the adenoma, he changed his mind. All of a sudden, he said I needed to be followed by an endocrinologist, after he knew the two that I had been seeing. He referred me to a new endo, who immediately said she didn’t think I had Cushing’s syndrome, but she ordered some tests. I didn’t take them because she was in the process of leaving the practice. I see a cardiologist who insists that adrenal adenomas are common, and usually don’t require any attention. UMMM, I am on 14 different medications for diabetes, hypertension, depression, and arthritis in my back. I think the evidence is present, but the doctors don’t seem to want to deal with my situation.
So, I changed doctors. I go to a new endocrinologist on 9/2, and I pray this one will listen. My health is failing, and my quality of life has sufferred because of all of these problems.
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