Cushing's Info

April 2009 - I am a 48 year old male who has had multiple medical problems since 1983.  I have been diagnosed with degenerative disk disease, restless leg syndrome, and failed back syndrome.  I have undergone several spine and neck surgeries and in April 2007 underwent brain surgery to remove a lesion from the left occipital lobe which was found to be benign. In December 2007 I had a spinal cord stimulator implanted in an effort to ease some of my pain from my lower back surgeries. I recently went in for my yearly cardiology appointment and my doctor sent me for blood tests.  A week after the tests his office called and told me that my blood tests were abnormal (low testosterone, low thyroid, and elevated LDL. They prescribed simvastatin and then told me I need to get in and see my primary care physician right away and start testosterone replacement therapy and have further tests ran. I got in to see my PCP and he told me I need to start testosterone injections right away. I suggested they may want to run further tests to first find out what may be causing my symptoms and also make sure that I don't have another tumor in my brain due to concerns  because of my past medical history in addition to increased symptoms of tiredness, muscle weakness, visions problems, shortness of breath, growing abdomen and associated bird legs, mental confusion manifested through difficulty remembering tasks and assignments, lack of energy and libido, purplish stretch marks on my thighs and waist, and excessive sweating especially on the right side of my body.

Short story my PCP ran some AM cortisone tests which they said were normal, while the blood tests confirmed severely low testosterone and low thyroid. He pt attributing it to my age and insisted I start the testosterone even though they had not found what was causing my symptoms. I also convinced him to order another CT scan (note:  I can't have an MRI due to an implanted spinal cord stimulator).

My PCP called my insurance company for precertification for a Head CT and I found out he gave them a diagnosis code for psychosis - unknown origin.   I was scheduled for the head CT and they did it with and without contrast, but the slices were so far apart they could not see the pituitary gland, but the radiologist said there was no tumor in my brain. I started the testosterone injections which they say I will need to have for the rest of my life, but I am still fighting the same symptoms as before in addition to panic attacks, heart palpitations, loss of sleep, and continued weight gain (while I eat like a bird). I don't know where to turn for help or who to see that I can trust. I was given information about your website from a friend who thinks I have several symptoms of cushings syndrome, but I have not been diagnosed.

Update: July 2009 I saw my cardiologist again for a follow-up exam today and he was disappointed that my PCP did not follow up on his initial recommendations. He has his staff contacting an Endocrinologist that comes from SLC, UT twice a month to schedule me for a consultation. He was very sad that my PCP had also classified my symptoms as psychosis – unknown origin and wants me to see a different PCP. Thanks for your time.