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Candy (Candybar11), Pituitary Bio

June 21, 2016

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

pituitary-surgery

 

I was diagnosed with Cushing’s in 1997.

I had never heard of it before my doctor said he thought I might have Cushing’s. I went right to the library and read about the disease, they literally could have used a picture of me to display the physical characteristics.

After some testing I went to the NIH to verify I had a pituitary tumor. After it was confirmed I was scheduled for surgery. My surgery was successful to a point. They said a small part of my tumor could not be removed. My recovery went fairly well!

I began to lose weight and a lot of my symptoms went away. However it has been a long road. I still have some symptoms that never went away, I still sweat a lot, body aches and pains (now I have RA, fibromyalgia) memory not great, never lost all my weight either. My labs all say most of the time I am in normal range but I do not feel cured! But new doctor says numbers are fine you are fine.

I have been disabled since 1993, I had a lot of health issues that later were all related to Cushing’s. This disease in my opinion is never cured!

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Liz D, Adrenal Bio

November 18, 2013

MaryO Adrenal, Adrenal Surgery, Golden Oldies, Other Diagnosis, PCOS, Treatments , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 2 Comments

golden-oldie

 

Hi my name is Liz and I underwent a laparoscopic adrenalectomy 5/9/12 to remove my 3cm tumor that was releasing high doses of cortisol causing cushings syndrome for what I believe has been about 3-5 years now.

I was diagnosed with PCOS about 5 years ago so everytime I went to a Dr. complaining of my symptoms they blamed it on the PCOS and stress and sent me home.  I knew there was something else wrong, the symptoms didn’t add up, my face would get SO red it was embarassing, I would sweat through my clothes 2-3 times a day, my face became puffy, I would gain weight despite healthy eating and working out like crazy, I was anxious, depressed, I never slept, it didn’t add up.

Luckily I am a physician assistant and remembered learning about cushings briefly in school.  I read that most tumors were in the pituitary gland so a year ago I convinced my Dr to let me get an MRI of my brain to look for this ‘tumor’ that I was sure was there.  Well the MRI came back negative and I was ironically disappointed!  I was so sure I had cushings but maybe I was just crazy?  The symptoms continued to get worse and I just knew that I had cushings even though everyone told me I didnt because I was still petite and didnt ‘fit the picture’.

I had a colleague write a script for me to check my cortisol level and it was a whopping 56.  I immediately called my endocrinologist and got more testing done that week.  My ACTH level came back undetectable and I got an MRI of my adrenal gland done and suprise! There was my tumor.  I am getting married in August and I am so happy that I got this miserable tumor out now so I can restart my life as a normal person.  No one understands unless they have cushings the severity of the disease and how much it can change and effect your life.

I hope that people become more aware of the disease so it is no longer misdiagnosed and brushed off like mine was for so long.  I am so frustrated with my Doctors and with myself for being so ignorant, I feel like I wasted a good portion of the best years of my life suffering with this tumor and I hope people read this and realize there is hope!  Just 10 days out of surgery I feel like a whole new/better person.  I am on oral hydrocortisone now until my pituitary and other adrenal gland wake back up and start producing cortisol on their own but even with the steroids I feel great, a lot of my symptoms have started to resolve since I am at a lower dose of steroids and I can’t wait to start tapering down and be completely off of them hopefully by my wedding.

I am so happy that I was proactive and never gave up looking for my tumor and I cant wait to restart my life 🙂

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Kristi (kingskid), Undiagnosed Bio

May 12, 2013

MaryO Undiagnosed , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 1 Comment

Hi my name is Kristi and I’m seeking any help or advice on Cushings.

I had always been active growing up into sports, running, weight lifting and horseback riding.

27 Yrs ago I gave birth to a beautiful healthy daughter. I was a size 10 and had only gained 25 LBS during prignancy.  Less then a year later I was carrying my second daughter.  I had no appetite and could barely eat but was gaining 10 pds every other day.  My blood pressure soared and I was diagnosed with pre-eclampsia.  I have been sick ever since I gave birth.

In the past 20yrs I have put on over 150 lbs and I can’t get it off.  I was told I had a fatty liver and my cholesterol and triglicerites are off the chart.  I began having memory trouble even forgetting my daughters name, hair loss, blurred vision (even typing this is slow going so forgive any mistakes) I started falling, loosing bladder and bowel control, walk into walls, tables and door frames/   I’ve had bouts of blndness and layered viion (Multiple Sclerosis has been ruled out) chronic body and nerve pain, horrible mood swings from happy, depressed, anger, intolerance (it’s like a daily rollar coaster ride) SEVERE salt cravings, low body temp, heaviness in legs, bruising, infections, trouble healing, brain lesions., trouble sleeping.  Get cyst on my breast, head, ears and pubic area.  Have little hard bumps on pubic area that never go away.  No sex drive left for husband and even when we are active it’s very painful..  Major swelling in face, neck, legs and feet, backaches, headaches.  When I stand up I feel like I get a head rush or lightheaded and I flap my arms to stay up or I fall back into bed or chair.  I sweat even in winter.  I do have the buffalo hump, the stretch marks, the moon face, brain lesions and the discolored skin under breast,  behind neck and arm pits.

Dec. 6th I had a carbuncle which had develped staff and mrsa removed from my armpit.  My whole armpit had to be removed and a couple weeks later I developed an abcess and had to go back to surgery.  It has been 5 months and I still can’t heal.  Have been packing the wound every day and seeing the surgeon every 2 wks.  Now I have a carbuncle on the other side and I’m facing more painful surgery after this side heals.

Today I recieved a call that the urine test I took for cushings came back with normal levels.  Needless to say I sat down and sobbed.  I am 46 yrs old and I have been sick for half my life.  I have seen so may doctors, been through so many surgeries and painful testings.  I have been told over and over that there is something wrong but the Doctors can’t find it.  I thought cushings was the answer and that I could finally get treatment and get better.  I look in the mirror and I don’t recogize this person I see….How will I start over again on this long search for answers?  Where will I get the strength?

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