Cushing's Info

I had never heard anything about Cushing’s before my doctor suggested that I might have it.  I still haven’t seen the endocrinologist (my appointment is 7/29) but my initial 24 hr cortisol test was normal.  I am embarrassed to say that I was disappointed!  I mean who WANTS to be ill?  But I am just so despondent over the years and years of knowing something is wrong, being treated for so many seemingly un-connected symptoms, and having my family and friends and even my doctor treat me like a hypochondriac.  After reading my very first article about Cushing’s I literally started to cry at my desk.  (very embarrassing at work, by the way).  It was me!  Everything I have been going through for years fit!  Needless to say I was devastated (yes I was) when the 24 hr test came back normal.  I just don’t have the energy to go through yet another round of endless tests and doctors to be told nothing is wrong with me, it’s in my head, lose weight, reduce stress, exercise etc.

I used to have an extremely thin face, so thin in fact that I sometimes wished it was just a little fuller because I thought my chin and cheekbones were to angular.  Well, what is it they say?  Be careful what you wish for?  I have such a moon face now that I can barely even see my cheek bones, and my chin?  Well now I have a few.  My stomach is huge, my periods are few and very far between.  I’m having gallbladder attacks, constant respiratory infections, irritated all the time, exhausted, joint & muscle pain, and on and on and on….

Did I mention I used to be a competitive figure skater?  That I used to work for a Health Club, that I coached my kids soccer teams?  I NEVER eat fast food, I LOVE vegetables, never had a weight problem.  I eat healthier than most people I know!  Now I’m not saying I don’t ever eat pizza or anything “bad”.  I do, but an occasional piece of pizza, or a couple cookies is not responsible for the 75lbs I have gained!  I love exercise, but I am so exhausted most of the time that I even had to give up Tai Chi!

I remember exactly when I first noticed something was wrong with me.  It was about 10 years ago and I went to my doctor because I kept getting sick all the time with respiratory infections and I was exhausted.  I asked him at the time if I could possibly have an immune disorder because I was noticing that every time I tried to exercise I would end up weak, rundown and catch a cold or something.  I was at the point where I was only walking on the treadmill and after about 3 days of walking (briskly) for an hour I would be so run down and ill that I felt like death for a week!

Needless to say, they did some tests, and told me I was fine.  It was up and down like that for a few years, then I had my 3rd child and the weight never went away and just got worse, (I was about 150 at the time but I was always under 120 before)  Then I was 170, then 175…then the migraines started, OMG did they ever!!  They got so bad that I begged my doctor to please put me on an everyday drug to prevent them!  I started taking Topamax which helped AND I lost 30 lbs!  Unfortunately it didn’t last long…after about a year my body got used to the drug and the weigh came back with a vengeance!  I gained 30 lbs in about 2 months (did I mention that my eating habits never changed?) and then another 10 and another.  I am now at about 194lbs, which at 5ft 3in is awful!  I used to be cute and energetic and had a nice figure, now I am fat, lethargic, ugly and people do treat you differently.

I tried severely reducing my calories, weight watchers, no luck.  I lost 3lbs in 2 months eating 1200 calories and on weight watchers I lost 5 but then it came right back the following week.  It was embarrassing!

Anyway I am not crazy, I am not bi-polar (yeah that was even suggested once!) I am not a lazy glutton, and I am not a hypochondriac!  Your blog gives me hope that they will finally diagnose me and I can be treated.

Thank you,

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