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Brenda B (BeBop), PCOS Bio

February 15, 2026

MaryO Other Diagnosis, PCOS , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

I recently read an article in the NY Times magazine about Cushings, and a light bulb went off. I have an appt with an endocrinologist in March, but I’ve been to a renowned large clinic near my home in the early 1990s and was diagnosed with PCOS yet had no cysts on ovaries. I had abdominal striae, rapid wt gain in belly only, facial hair. They also found I had hypertriglyceridema – 1000+ when fasting. They could not put me on estrogen for the PCOS because of the lipid disorder, which they figured was genetic tho I never had any tests to find out why. So I went on Lopid, went on to grad school, shaved and plucked, wondered when the period would come.

I’m 53 now, got married in the mid 90s and we tried for years to have children, finally got pregnant in late 1998 and had a son in 99. Then I got hit with a terrible insomnia, sweating and anxiety and was treated for post partum depression. I did not feel depressed, just could not sleep despite my 9.9 baby sleeping through the night almost immediately. Didn’t sleep the two nights I was in the hospital after delivery. I stopped breastfeeding at 3 weeks and began a tragi-comedy of errors of regular health/mental health treatment, finally Zoloft did the trick as well as Valerian root instead of Ambien (which never worked for me) for sleep. The toughest point was when I hadn’t slept at all for 3 days. But that is another story. Anyway to make this already bad story worse, at 4 months postpartum, my mom died of stage 4 leiomyosarcoma, which she’d had in 1995 in her leg and it had metasticized to her lungs. She was a tough old bird and I think maybe had Cushings come to think back. (And thinking of my family history there may be something there with genetics, ie., MEN, with a sister with uterine fibroids, and two brothers with neurofibroma on their foreheads that were removed). Anyway, she refused all medical treatment after the leg surgery and elected to only have radiation in the leg area and never went to get checked out after that.

My son is now 14 and I’m apparently in menopause. I’ve had the return of the awful insomnia and the rapid heart rate at night. So I’m  back on Zoloft and valerian root immediately and made this endo appt today after reading about cushings here for two weeks.  My other conditions are hypertriglyceridemia (never determined if primary or secondary) for which I take Lovaza and Niacin and it’s down to about 300-400, which is not good. I tried Pravastatin but makes my muscle aches and constantnback aches worse.

In 2005 I had a terrible loose cough that the renowned clinic diagnosed as GERD after being misdiagnosed as asthma for 2 years by the community clinic. I can’t tolerate steroids as they make me an angry insomniac but took them as prescribed when they thought it was asthma. The big clinic diagnosed that as GERD (aciphex immediately worked on the cough) and I was also found to have NAFL (fatty liver), an enlarged spleen, and stil the high triglycerides.

In 2011 I had an uterine polyp (removed) and endometrial hyperplasia for which I get checked every year because I don’t want to/can’t take the progesterone. I would really prefer a hysterectomy to end that but obgyn is reluctant.

This year I’ve had a number of new symptoms: lactose intolerance, all over tendinitis (phy ther prescribed), incontinence and needing to go alot, leg and feet cramps, horrible back aches (member at the massage place), super fatique and muscle weakness (couldn’t even snap down the buckle on my ski boots last weekend and only lasted a couple of hours on the hill, and I love to ski) and blurred vision, eipscleris and early cataracts. I also have suffered from what is diagnosed as vasomotor rhinitis for YEARS, I keep lotion tissue companies in business. It’s been so bad this winter that I went to the doctor this week and was prescribed a steroid. Then I didn’t sleep last night. Oh and if I drink alcohol I get the same rapid heart beat and insomnia too, to add insult to injury. I still have the facial hair despite oh maybe a dozen laser treatments.

Oh, and since my 20s when this all started I’ve always considered myself “round shouldered” which looks to be a buffalo hump. :0

In reading all these stories I am worried that I’ve had Cushings my *entire* life not unlike some other folks here. I don’t trust doctors all that much becuase I had so a horrible time with “postpartum depression” treatrment. I was so angry after that that I spent several years on the board of a women’s reproductive mental health organization fighting to get the Melanie Stokes Act passed. I am too old and tired to do advocacy again but thanks for doing it and being here. I am reading about all you folk fighting for a diagnosis and I fear that I’ll be in the same boat. God bless you and hugs for all. Hang in there. I have. Sometimes barely.

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Hadie (Lane), Undiagnosed Bio

January 29, 2026

MaryO Undiagnosed , , , 2 Comments

I have a huge buffalo hump with purple striations below it on my back.

No high cortisol problem found.

Frusterated and searching for possible other cause.

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Neale O (NealeO), Pituitary Bio

January 22, 2026

MaryO Diabetes, Ketoconazole, Male, Other Diagnosis, Pituitary, Treatments , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 2 Comments

pituitary-gland

 

I was diagnosed with Cushings Disease in September of 2015.

I used to be skinny. I was 160 lbs dripping wet. I had a thin face and exercised regularly. In fact, up until 2 years ago, I was doing CrossFit every morning at 5AM, and was pretty good at it!

I guess about 5-6 years ago, I started putting on weight. It started with what I thought was just a beer belly. I was dating a great girl and we went out a lot to eat and drink. I figured I was just getting fat and happy. Fast forward (got married to her) and we started to live our lives together. One day (2012) I was going in for a routine physical and was going over some things with my PCP. He suggested we do a finger prick to check my Glucose levels. The sample showed a 567. He was astonished, and immediately admitted me to the hospital. I ended up taking 5 IV bags as I was severely dehydrated. My PCP then schedule me in for the next day so that he could tell me I had Type 2 Diabetes (runs in family). They started me on drugs and insulin injections. So there I was, being treated for Diabetes (the Sugars as they call them) and High Blood Pressure (HBP).

This went on for a while and my wife and I decided to moved to Florida. In the mean time my undiagnosed Cushings was starting to rear it’s ugly head. Big belly, stretch marks, limb atrophy, fatigue, major depression, reduced libido, moon-pie face, thin skin and bruising easily. The depression caused a lot of issues with my marriage and we ended up getting a divorce. I moved back to Baltimore for support from my family.

I worked at my uncles shop for about a year, then was offered a new job with a great company and I jumped at the chance. By this time, the atrophy in my legs had started to really take effect. The job ended up being too physical for me and I had to resign after 1 one month.

I decided to see a new PCP as I was not happy with my previous one. Within the first 20 minutes of our initial consult, she recognized the Cushings symptoms and quickly referred me to the Endo Department (Dr. Taylor) at Mercy Medical. She had me do a bunch of blood work and urine tests. The cortisol numbers were off the charts.

She then referred me to Dr. Salvatori at John’s Hopkins Hospital (JHH). I was very lucky as she got me in there quickly. After speaking with him, he thought I had a Pituitary adenoma based on the crazy ACTH levels. We did and MRI, and an IPSS. The IPSS showed it was secreting from the right side mostly. The left had some high numbers, but nothing like the other side. In the MRI, they could not see the tumor.

Dr. Salvatori suggested on more thing before resorting to surgery. I am to have a “wet MRI” in January., 2016 This should give a much clearer scan. He also started me on Ketoconozale.

This is all happening very fast (diagnosed Sept 2015), and I am looking forward to the upcoming treatments.

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Donelle T, Pituitary Bio

January 22, 2026

MaryO Male, News Items, Pituitary, Pituitary Surgery, Success Stories, Treatments , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

 

Donelle Trotman was only in his 30s when his health suddenly took a strange and frightening turn.

He was rapidly gaining weight — more than 100 pounds in one year. His upper torso was getting bigger, but not his legs. And he felt overwhelmingly tired.

“My body just started changing,” the Staten Island, New York, native told TODAY as part of a three-day series, “Medical Mysteries,” looking at people who have recovered from rare diseases.

It was especially puzzling because Trotman had never had weight issues before.

In school, Trotman was never a skinny kid, but he wasn’t overweight. He loved sports, playing both basketball and baseball.

So as he entered adulthood, he was active and in good shape. Then, three years ago, he suddenly began to gain weight.

“It was just specific places: My stomach, under my arms, my back of my neck, my face, the bottom of my back,” Trotman said. “My legs stayed the same for a long time.”

To lose the extra pounds, Trotman began running, working out and lifting weights. Nothing worked.

In the span of one year, Trotman gained more than 120 pounds, topping the scale at 366 pounds, twice the amount he weighed at 18.

“I doubled, like, I got a whole person on me,” he said.

There were other alarming changes. Trotman became so easily tired that he’d get out of breath just by chewing food. When he woke up seeing double three months ago, he knew it was time to go to the hospital.

Doctors ran a flurry of tests, but the results offered few clues, leaving everyone puzzled. Then one day, an intern noticed stretch marks all over Trotman’s body, a telltale sign that solved the mystery. Trotman had Cushing’s disease, a rare condition that affects fewer than 50,000 people in the U.S. every year.

Trotman’s weight gain was being caused by a tiny tumor at the base of his brain, prompting his body to produce too much of the hormone cortisol. He had some of the classic symptoms: major weight gain in his upper body, skin problems and acne, plus fatigue.

Dr. John Boockvar and Dr. Peter Costantino at New York’s Lenox Hill Hospital discovered Trotman had steroid levels ten times higher than normal.

“In Cushing’s disease, the pituitary gland has a small growth that releases a single hormone that causes the body to live with very high levels of steroids. The skin becomes very thin. You get increased acne. You can grow hair. You start sweating. You gain a lot of fat,” Boockvar said.

There was no time to lose: Untreated, Cushing’s is a fatal disease. Trotman was getting close to the point where doctors would not be able to reverse the changes, Costantino noted. He underwent surgery two weeks ago and had the growth successfully removed.

“The tumor was no bigger than the size of the tip of my pen,” Boockvar said. “And that something so small can cause a man to grow to 350 pounds and absolutely destroy his life is rather remarkable.”

These days, Trotman is feeling much better. His main focus now is to lose the weight he gained and regain an active lifestyle. He hopes to play basketball with his son soon.

“It’s wonderful. Every day it’s just like I feel a little stronger,” he said.

Doctors say Trotman will continue to lose weight and can shoot hoops with his son in about three months. There is an 8-10 percent chance the disease could come back, but Trotman said he knows what to look for now.

One of the reasons Trotman wanted to share his story is so others might recognize the symptoms of Cushing’s, although doctors stress it is a very rare illness.

From http://www.today.com/health/after-gaining-120-pounds-1-year-rare-diagnosis-saves-mans-t6561

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Amy (Amy), Undiagnosed Bio

January 21, 2026

MaryO Undiagnosed , , , , , , , Leave a comment

undiagnosed2

 

I have been going back and forth on whether to add a bio here because I don’t yet have a diagnosis. Also, it is really difficult to believe in myself sometimes and occasionally I feel relatively good. Some members of my family don’t support or believe me, but my husband is incredibly supportive and has been with me since my symptoms first started. My sister and my dad have both said to me that they don’t think anything is wrong with me and either implied of outright said that I am just depressed. They keep pushing me to continue with school even though I am taking two classes right now and can barely keep up with them at this point. I graduated from college a few years ago in biology and really would like to go on but don’t really feel like it is possible since I was barely able to get the degree in the end due to my energy levels (mental and physical). At this point I am going to L.A. to visit Dr. F next Tuesday so I am hoping that I will be getting a diagnosis and that something good will come out of this.

I think that my symptoms started as a sophomore in high school. I noticed that I was always tired for some reason and couldn’t seem to “wake up” mentally a lot of the time. I also developed cluster migraines that were particularly hideous. This is also when I noticed that I had a buffalo hump below my neck which I assumed was caused from a fall on my head when I was seven years old. The logic here doesn’t really make sense since I only developed neck and shoulder problems and pain in high school with no symptoms beforehand. I had chiropractic care for years for a stretched ligament in my neck that could never seem to heal. At this time I was very thin (5’8” and 140lbs) so there was no reason that I should have had a fatty lump at the base of my neck. I also had stretch marks on my sides at this weight. I have since gained around 90lbs (about 120 if you count some weight lost over the years due to drastic measures) and I am now 25 years old. There are a ton of stretch marks now all over my body from my knees to my elbows.

I really don’t have an explanation for the weight gain since I have never eaten much. Over the years I kept assuming that I was going to start losing weight because I kept making changes that should have led to weight loss. When I talked to anyone about it the problem was always me and what more I could be doing relating to something they randomly read about weight loss. There was always an explanation for why it wasn’t happening and why I needed to just try harder. I have continued to exercise throughout most of my “illness” either intensively (beachbody insanity several times, running daily) or light (walking or yoga). The intense times are unsustainable for me and it is incredibly hard to get dressed or take a shower let alone do intense physical activity. Nevertheless, I try to run or walk a little every day. In my diet I have made considerable changes such as becoming a vegetarian, vegan, going on juice fasts of vegetable juice for weeks, and just severe calorie limitations. Now I just stay under 2000 calories a day. Frequently I don’t eat very much because I don’t have the energy to make anything. Some people on here talked of acquaintances not recognizing them- I have the same thing. I felt ugly on my wedding because of my weight and have noticed that people are not as kind to the heavier me.

Whenever I talked about having low energy and feeling down the answer was to go to a counselor and that I was depressed. Counseling throughout college was to no effect. I honestly don’t think that I am depressed. I feel happy much of the time, but I’m just very tired and foggy and it is incredibly easy to feel down because of this.

My symptoms and the development of new ones have gotten much worse over the years. During college I had to take a semester off and towards the end I felt like there was no way to keep up with my class load even though I pretty much studied all day long. My memory is terrible and any classes that required memorization were impossible. I developed low grade fevers that continued off and on during the day for at least three months. I sought medical treatment and was tested for HIV, lyme, lupus, hypothyroidism, etc., but the cause never became apparent and I think my doctor lost interest in trying to figure out what it was. My doctor said I probably had PCOS because my testosterone was at the high side of normal, and an infectious disease doctor said I was just depressed. I was too tired to fight for myself and I thought maybe the stress and work of school was getting to me and maybe I really was just depressed. I thought that the weight, the brain fog, the aches, and the tiredness would go away once I removed myself from a stressful situation-it didn’t and has since gotten worse.

I just had a cortisol saliva test done that I ordered from ZRT labs and it indicated high cortisol, but it wasn’t that high and was lowered in the evening. I don’t really know what this means since I thought cortisol was supposed to remain high at night if you have Cushing’s, but I guess I will see what the doctor thinks next week. I have so many of the symptoms and I don’t know what else to do if I don’t end up having Cushing’s. Some other symptoms that I have experienced or that are persistent include: eczema on my fingers, round face, fat neck, sore joints (hands, feet, ankles, hips, shoulders, back) and muscles, excessive sweating, high blood pressure readings, becoming more awake at night and having trouble falling asleep, hip, ankle and foot pain, very dry hair and loss, trouble climbing stairs and descending due to weakness, lower back pain and more neck and shoulder pain (my hump is bigger), blood pounding in ears after little activity, blotchy arms and cheeks, acne on my chin, hirstruism, feeling swollen and uncomfortable, body stiffness, spinal cyst, lightheaded, shaky and clumsy, feeling hot (maybe hot flashes), long recovery from colds and chronic sinus infections, long recovery for injuries, arms and legs fall asleep easily, menstruation date fluctuates constantly, trouble giving blood, nausea and stomach problems, anxiety, twice a bump on the side of my cornea that was inflamed and I could visually see and feel, and a few instances where I had abdominal pain so bad that I couldn’t move. As far as easy bruising goes- I never know why I have bruises but I don’t get them often. I do have some other weird things with my skin such as having “sleep” marks from very short term positions that will not go away for a long time. Also, easy breaking of skin… I once used an electric massager on my back and didn’t realize until later that it had literally mauled me. I had horrible red and circular scratches and (now) a large scarred area. Other times I have had scratches so minor that they barely broke the skin, but I still have a scar…

Being sick all the time is a very humbling experience and at times it can be way too humbling to the point where I feel worthless. I hope there is more understanding and love for people experiencing pain on a daily basis since it seems to be much more common every day. It has been really beautiful to see on this forum the support that parents are giving to their children with Cushing’s and support from doctors and other family members. I don’t know if I would have believed I could have this if not for your stories and your personal struggles to get treatment. The more I read (scientific articles and medical information and bios) the more I recognized that what I was feeling all these years was real and could possibly get better. Thank you for reading my story.

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Mary Lou (MarLo), Undiagnosed Bio

January 14, 2026

MaryO Undiagnosed , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 2 Comments

I am the mother of a 19 girl who is currently being evaluated for Cushing’s Syndrome/Disease.  My daughter is in her first year of college and over the past eighteen months, she has gained close to 50 pounds.  I have watched her struggle and we have even attended two military-style bootcamps for weight loss.

Despite eating healthy, during that five weeks, she gained 2 pounds.  Her facial features are so distorted from her moonface appearance that she does not even look like herself.  She has a Buffalo Hump and purple stretch marks on her rotund abdomen.  She has almost no energy and when not in class, she is sleeping in her dorm.  She has a brown stripe of skin in  the crease of her neck which prompted her roommate to ask her if she had worn a necklace with copper in it.  Her vision is poor and her periods are now very irregular.  She has excessive thirst and urination.

About a year ago, she had her wisdom teeth extracted and ended up with a life-threatening infection which included a second surgery emergency surgery and she was placed on a ventilator in ICU for three days, due to the possibility of the infection (swelling) occluding her trachea.  The doctors were so perplex how a healthy girl could have such a poor outcome from this surgery.

I looked up some of these symptoms and it seemed rather clear what she likely had.  I took her to an internist and expressed my concern about Cushing’s when she was home for Christmas break.  The physician ordered blood tests, including a CBC and metabolic panel, thyroid panel, and prolactin.  She also ordered a 24 hour urine for Cortisol.  Her CBC was normal as was the prolactin and thyroid.  Her liver enzymes were elevated about three times normal.  She then followed up with a Hepatits panel and an abdominal ultrasound, both of which were normal.  The 24 hour urine Cortisol was elevated and we are now waiting on a referral to an endocrinologist.

My daughter’s university is about 350 miles from our home, therefore I requested the endocrinologist be in her college town.  I plan on going there for her appointments and my husband and I have discussed moving there if necessary.  She has a very kind roommate who is dependable and helpful.  I still do not like her being so far away, knowing that she likely has a very serious condition.  My daughter’s spirits remain high and I think she is looking forward to beginning treatment, whatever it may be, and feeling better.  I know that the weight and the fatigue are the most troublesome for her.  I appreciate this site which has allowed me to express my concerns to so many who have been there.  God bless you all!

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H. Lane (Sunshine), Undiagnosed Bio

December 31, 2025

MaryO Diabetes, Undiagnosed , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

I have a giant buffalo hump on the back of the neck with vertical blue/purple lines below it.

I also have lipomas not symetrical across my upper back.  Then there are two symetrical lumps near each arm pit.

Two lab results come back saying I have a normal cortisol level.

I am diabetic, type 2, with high blood pressure, and only slightly elevated cholesterol levels.

I am wondering if I may have Cushings as well as Madelung’s disease.  I am very confused.

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Brian (Brian), Adrenal Bio

December 31, 2025

MaryO Adrenal, Adrenal Surgery, Diabetes, Male, Other Diagnosis, Success Stories, Treatments , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 4 Comments

In 2011, I realized I had Cushing’s Syndrome. I was a 30 year old male with several complications: swollen feet, swollen legs, stomach looked 9 months pregnant, hair fell out, memory loss, couldn’t sleep, couldn’t eat, diabetes, mood swings, depression, urination every hour during the night, bright pink stretch marks, etc.

After changing my doctors several times for misdiagnosis, I was finally tested for Cushing’s Disease/Syndrome. I contacted the National Institute of Health and doctors advised me to come in immediately. I survived 2 months living at NIH, while doctors ran several tests to determine if I had Cushing’s Disease or Cushing’s Syndrome. I had Cushing’s Syndrome and my tumor was found in my right adrenal gland.

After sucessful surgery, I did not have the energy to get out of the bed for almost a month. I was taking almost 10 pills per day including cortisol, high blood pressure medication, potassium, etc. I lost 40 pounds after surgery going from 208 pounds to 168 pounds and after 6 months, I was taken off all medication. I beat Cushing’s Syndrome and Diabetes!

Now, I am 32 years old. I am in great shape and finally got my life back. I do not have any complications. The only sign of Cushing’s Syndrome are the stretch marks and a scar from removing the tumor from my adrenal gland.

I just wanted to meet other people going through a bad disease and help out if possible. I am here if anyone has questions or just want to talk.

~ Brian

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Margaret D (MargaretD), Pituitary Bio

December 3, 2025

MaryO Adrenal Surgery, Ectopic, Pituitary, Pituitary Surgery, Success Stories, Thyroid, Treatments , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 7 Comments

Original Bio:

My story spands over 20 years and may sound familiar to many with Cushings who read this. The first clue came when I was diagnosed at 19 yrs old with a thyroid tumor. The tumor turned out to be both solid and cystic… Cushings is a cystic disease.

Shortly after my thyroid surgery, I developed difficulties with having regular menstrual cycle. I was diagnosed with PCOS… Cushings is a cystic disease.

In the following years, I went up and down with my weight until I finally was 80lbs over and unable to lose any; I slowly lost my hair; I developed stretch marks in my abdomen and chest area; and I developed hypertension, diabetes, and bad cholesterol problems at a young age. I went to my doctor for help and was told I just needed to lose weight.

My symptoms kept getting worse with time.

In July of 2003 changed jobs and was hired by Dr Johnny Delashaw, Neurosurgeon @OHSU. This was a day of blessings in more way than one. Accepting this position brought changes to my professional career and BIG changes to my life.

As part of my job, Dr Delashaw asked me to work with the Pituitary Diseases Clinic and Dr Bill Ludlam. I was more than happy and very enthusiastic as my professional background is in Internal Medicine.

In the beginning, I was interviewing patients to get them ready for surgery and I would also see them for their 2 week post-ops. Soon after that, I got involved in conducting endocrine testing with Dr Ludlam. This was my information gathering stage.

Not long after that, I came to the realization that I may have Cushings and the thought scared me. It took me a month or so to gather enough courage to talk to Dr Ludlam and discuss my fears. (If anyone out there knows Dr L, you know how funny my last statement is since he is the most kind and caring of doctors). He LISTENED to me and did not make me feel like a fraud. I felt legitimate.

We ran the tests and did the MRI and – BOOM – I had a very large pituitary tumor and high cortisol levels. I was surprised but then not surprised.

I have undergone 2 pituitary surgeries with the second one resulting in a complete hypophysectomy. Despite no pituitary, I continued to have symptoms along with high levels of ACTH and cortisol and eventually had a BLA in Sept 2004.

I struggled through withdrawals after my BLA but like a trooper, I returned to work within a month. Thank God I worked for Dr Delashaw who was very understanding. I was doing well for a few months but then in March 2005 I started to have symptoms again. Recent tests show ectopic cortisol production so now I’m waiting to go through the work-up to find the ectopic tissue.

I believe, as well as my doctors, that I’ve had Cushings for at least 20 years if not more. This disease has caused me to develop other conditions that increase my mortality and morbidity. Ironically, as I was going through Physician Assistant school… I jokingly (halfway) thought I had Cushings Disease as we studied it in class. I should have pursued it more but people with Cushings understand how this disease plays with one’s mind.

I am not sure when or if I will get over this disease, but I can tell you….
I am grateful… I am blessed… but most of all, I am hopeful…

Update December 12, 2013:

It’s been 10 years now since I had my “cure” for Cushings.  I am one of those rare people who have had both a complete hypophysectomy and bilateral adrenalectomy.  I have had my ups and downs over the years but can honestly say I am in a good place now both physically and mentally.

I just wanted people to know that I am back in the Pacific Northwest working at Swedish Neuroscience Institute with Dr. Johnny Delshaw again – the team is back!  Please don’t hesitate to ask me questions. As a healthcare provider and patient, I can be honest with what to expect and I will do what I can to help you through it.

Many thanks to my family and friends who have put up with me and helped me while I rediscovered myself after Cushings.  God Bless to all!

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Amanda, Undiagnosed Bio

November 24, 2025

MaryO Golden Oldies, Pituitary, pseudotumor cerebri, Undiagnosed , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

golden-oldie

 

I have been battling sickness for about a year and half now. It started with my gaining weight pretty rapidly (about 20 lbs. in a month-month and a half). I’ve never been super strict about my eating or exercising but I don’t eat a lot of junk food – don’t buy any chips, soda, cookies, etc.) I also do remain pretty active in the work that I do as an elementary teacher. I’ve never had a problem with my weight before and this particular summer I was teaching 3 sections of dance so I was getting plenty of exercise.  I told my family practioner about the weight gain and he told me that metabolism slows down as you age. Ok. I was 26 when he said this and my metabolism must have went down to 0 for me to gaine so fast! I decided to just be more concious of what I ate and did.

As the months went by, I went on a business trip to Boston. During this trip I was inrcedibly fatigued and felt awful. I thought perhaps I was coming down with something and was put on antibiotics that did nothing to help. In August of 2010 I began to have debilitating headaches. I could not get the headache to go away with any over the counter pain reliever and ended up going to a doctor who diagnosed me with migraines. I tried a few migraine medicines with no luck and had a CT scan that showed nothing abnormal. I was then referred to a neurologist.

I mentioned the weight gain to the neuroogist who thought it was odd that I would gain weight so rapidly, but he pretty much dismissed it as a symptom and said I was getting headaches from overuse of medication. I knew that could not be right, but thought I’d try just taking nothing for a while to see if it helped. It did not. The same neurologist then recommended physical therapy, which helped ease the pain but did not take away the headaches. His final thought was that I was depressed and put me on depression medication.

During this time I was working as a teacher and missing work quite often. I felt awful every day. I continued to gain weight, feel fatigued and weak, have mood swings and began developing stretch marks and acne. I always had wonderful skin and it seemed no matter what cleanser I used, I couldn’t control the breakouts.

I saw another neurologist that was recommended by a parent at my school. She scheduled me for an MRI and a lumbar puncture. My pressure came back a little high during the lumbar puncture and the MRI was fine so she diagnosed me with Pseudo Tumer Cerebri. I took medication for this condition, but ended up with no relief.

I ended up spending a week in the hospital because I couldn’t stand the pain in my head and I was so emotional over the whole experience of not having any answers. They pumped me full of pain medication and migraine drugs. At the end of the week when I still had no answers, I ended up going to see a neurologist that was a headache specialist.

The headache specialist diagnosed me with meningitis. No tests but I got a diagnosis based on my story. She put me on steriods. I began to feel better for a few days. I returned to work and thought I had finally found my answer. Then everything came to a screeching halt and I began to feel awful again. The headache specialist was still convinced it was meningitis and said I was just more susceptible to migraines from the meningitis. I again went through a whole gamot of migraine medications to no avail.

I ended up leaving my job and moving close to my family so I could have support and people to help care for me. I returned to my family doctor who decided to do some blood tests. After running the blood tests, my doctor said that my cortisol level was high and I might have cushings which would explain all my symptoms. I had never heard of Cushings so I began researching it. Once I read the symptoms and others’ stories of how they felt and what they went through I was so sure that here FINALLY was my answer. The doctor did a low dose dexamethasone test which came back with normal levels and it was decided I did not have Cushings.

I was devestated. Not that I wanted to have this illness, I just wanted an answer and thought for sure this was it! I even asked my doctor to retest me which she would not do.

I went to see another doctor. I began going through migraine medications again, acupunture, chiropractor, etc. to find some relief. I finally brought the idea of Cushings to this doctor. She ran some blood tests again. Everything came back with normal levels except my potassium was low. Even though my blood didn’t show it, I’m still convinced I have Cushings and my doctor agreed to send me to an endocrinologist.

I have an appointment on Monday with Dr. Findling in Menomenee Falls. I found him on this site as one of the ‘helpful doctors’. I’m hoping that he can finally diagnose me and I can get on the road to recovery.

I miss my life. I’ve lost friends due to this illness. My marriage is suffering. I cannot work. I basically have no life at all because I rarely feel well enough to do anything and no one understands. Not to mention the psychological toll being sick with no answers has on a person as well as watching my body change so much and not being able to do anything to control it! I want an answer and I want to finally know what I can do to help myself get better.

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