Cushing's Info

My name is De, I am 25 years old and from Ireland.  I have been overweight my entire life.  When I was a baby, the public health nurse had my mom water down my bottles cos I was such a hungry baby.  I continued gaining weight as a child and my GP sent me to a dietician when I was 5.  It didn't make much difference.  I was sent to one again when I was 13.  Around this age I started breaking my ankle and really gaining weight.  I was in plaster at least three times.  The first time it happened, the doctor told me I would grow no taller.  I was only 13.  My breaks would always confuse the doctors because they were in unusual places.  When I was 16 I got depressed for the first time.  I got over it myself.  It happened again when I 19.  This time it wasn't so easy.  My GP told my mom I just needed a kick and I'd be fine.  I stayed in bed for 10 months.  Again it happened at 24.  My mom moved fast this time and got me into a psychiatric hospital within a week of me not going to work.  I was there for 4 months and diagnosed with bipolar disorder, psychosis and all.

A few weeks ago I watching an episode of House MD (lol) and they were discussing Cushings.  It sounded so familiar.  I looked it up on the internet and showed it to my parents.  My poor mom cried when she saw it.  It was the answer she had been looking for for me all these years.  I called in to my psychiatrist's registrar one day to see if they had tested me for it.  She said they hadn't but my brain scan would have excluded it.  I never had a brain scan.  Her tone changed to immediate concern and told me to get an endocrinology referral from my GP straight away which I did.  My app is for May 2010.  My GP did a serum cortisol test at 930am.  My result was 890nmol/L.  The higher limit for an 8am test is 640nmol/L according to my GP.

My symptoms are:
Pretty extreme central obesity
Buffalo Hump
Moon Face
Red face
High blood pressure
Very easy bruising
Leg weekness
Aches and pains and fatigue
Lower back pain
Hot flushes
Ring of fat around my neck
Cartilage injury in ankle that won't heal despite two surgeries - surgeon is very confused about this.  Tested me for gout and something else - both neg
Drinking and peeing a lot (I pee on average 8.5 litres/day)
Skin on my hands splitting and bleeding
Purple striae several years ago on arms and back of hips and tummy (now faded)
Very long menstrual cycles (2-4 months) until I went on the pill
Prone to kidney infections and UTIs, colds, sinus infections, occasional severe flu
Mind is often clouded and I find it hard to follow my own thoughts
Bipolar symptoms

I really hope this is my answer, not so much for me but for my mom.  She has fought for me since birth and is still doing so 25 years later.  The more I read about Cushings and other people's stories on this great site the more I think how can I not have this illness?  I really wish more doctors were aware of it.  I understand that there are only approx 50 people in Ireland with this so its understandable that docs are not too aware, but still, that's 50 people suffering and God know's how many more undiagnosed.

Take care all and be strong.

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