Cushing's Info

Greetings from Heather R,

I was diagnosed with a pituitary (micro) back in early 2000. I remember sitting in my human disease class, and turning into a hypochondriac by the second. I must have had 15 different disease in a 40 minute class.

I am going to take a minute to take you back to the beginning of why I even decided to become a Medical Assistant or Possibly a Nurse in the first place. I met the man of my dreams, and was married at 21 years old. six months before that, I had the worst flu of my life, at least I thought so then not knowing that this would mark a history of life long health problems.

I was a full time scriptural teacher, with a type A personality and a book of friends and activities that only I could keep up with. I was flat on my back a few month after marriage with a diagnoses of Mono, whatever that was. I was told to go home and rest for a couple of weeks, and that my body would return to normal. I tried, I really did, but in the end my idea of resting was making perfect meals, having and sporting the perfect wardrobe, and perfectly socializing all from bed lol.

I found myself back at the doctors office a month later worse off than when in the first time. I had double vision, stiff muscles and everything in between. I was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome( whatever that was) in early 1990 followed by federal disability at 22 years old! Well I was happy to have the $400.00 a month, but it got real old real fast. The disease was so new, that my family thought that it was all in my head, and I wanted it to be all in my head. I wanted to work, so I rested up for 6 months and got a job at the small pharmacy in town. I lasted 2 hours a day at 2 weeks before I could no longer walk to the car where my husband would be waiting to pick me up.

We were both baffled as to what was wrong with me. Here I was thinking that I pulled a fast one on social security, ended up on me! Who would have thought. I went on for a time. We decided to make a move to a more private community, it just seemed that everyone was getting on my last nerve, and they didn't even know that they were. With this move came severe allergies, better known as the end of my immune system.

I had my first my first sinus surgery in 1991. The doctor told me that it was most likely allergens to the Smokey Mountains, and that I might want to consider a move. I could not hear of it, and then we moved to Colorado in 1994. I was sick by then that I could not make it up stairs to our 3 floor apartment. My husband carried me many days.

I felt so useless, that I decided to use my special talent called "I will accomplish something in my life to prove everyone wrong." I watched commercial after commercial of how great my life would be if I became a Medical Assistant. I was at registration soon after. I will never forget what the lady helping or maybe critiquing the prospective students said to me. I must have looked like I felt that afternoon as I walked in using my husband as a crutch. She said "you are never going to make it in this program." She missed her calling as a motivational speaker, those words was exactly with someone with my personality needed to hear to Ace the program and go on to be the undecided student of the year!

ironically as I type this, my re-certification is coming up February, 2012. I graduated in 1996, passed the Certification Exam, and never did my C.E.U. I threaten to sit for the exam every year, and I will between now and my death. These are the highlights of my sick career, the rest is just the bad and the ugly.

Years have gone by with Doctors, therapist, hospitalizations, and all the medications but the right diagnoses. I have been to Endocrinologist before, and no one has ever taken me seriously. I diagnosed myself with a prolactin secreting pituitary tumor in 2000, and my endocrinologist laughed me out of the room, except that I wouldn't leave until I got my MRI, and the rest is history.

I am currently awaiting a slew of test from a week ago including 24 hour urine which I have had before with negative results, only this time, blood and saliva was done, and with 10 tubes of blood and test in every direction of the star. I am praying that something turns up this time, because I am at the point to where I cannot sleep, I am awake 24 hours a day. I cannot talk and breath  at the same time time. I am a walking case of anxiety and stress, and these are the least of my symptoms.

Someone help me! I'm scared to death that I might have Cushings Syndrome.

Heather

Note: Heather has not authorized her email address to be added, so please add comments to this bio below.