Cushing’s, The “Gift” that Keeps on Giving

Posted on October 9, 2012 by MaryO

I had an eye doctor appointment yesterday. No problems, just a routine check, maybe update my contacts to a newer version.

I was completely not ready when the doctor said “cataracts” to me. Say what? I’m not that old.  He mentioned a few other things like macular degeneration but that was less distressing to me somehow than the Cataract Word.

They’re not bad yet.  They’re slow growing.  I won’t need to do anything about them for 7-8 years.  AARRGGHH!

My mother is waiting for her cataract surgery.  Maybe we can do this together, a bonding thing.

When I got home and all the eye drops had worn off, I looked at the brochures he had given me.  One of the symptoms was light insensitivity.  So that explains why I have trouble first thing in the morning and it hurts to open my eyes and other bright lights can be painful.  It’s nice to be validated but…

Then, I turned the page to find contributing factors and came upon the word STEROIDS.  Not again!  Almost all the problems in my life start with the word steroids.  I did a search of the Cushing’s Help boards for “Cataracts” and came up with 84 entries.  How could I have missed this?

From Cigna.com:

The eye conditions glaucoma and cataracts also may occur in Cushing’s syndrome. In Cushing’s disease (tumors on the pituitary gland), your field of vision can be affected. You may have loss of side, or peripheral, vision.

Filed under: Cushing's, pituitary, Rare Diseases | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

Day Twenty, Cushing’s Awareness Challenge

Posted on April 20, 2012 by MaryO

This is one of the suggestions from the Cushing’s Awareness Challenge post:

What have you learned about the medical community since you have become sick?

This one is so easy.  I’ve said it a thousand times – you know your own body better than any doctor will.  Most doctors have never seen a Cushing’s patient, few ever will in the future.

If you believe you have Cushing’s (or any other rare disease), learn what you can about it, connect with other patients, make a timeline of symptoms and photographs. Read, take notes, save all your doctors notes, keep your lab findings, get second/third/ten or more opinions.

This is your life, your one and only shot (no pun intended!) at it.  Make it the best and healthiest that you can.

When my friend and fellow e-patient Dave deBronkart learned he had a rare and terminal kidney cancer, he turned to a group of fellow patients online  and found a medical treatment that even his own doctors didn’t know. It saved his life.

In this video he calls on all patients to talk with one another, know their own health data, and make health care better one e-Patient at a time.

 

Filed under: Cancer, Cushing's | Tagged: , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

Day Fifteen, Cushing’s Awareness Challenge

Posted on April 15, 2012 by MaryO

Because it’s a Sunday again, this is a semi-religious post…

After I was finished with the Cushing’s long diagnostic process, surgery and several post-op visits to NIH, I was asked to give the scripture reading at my church. The man who did the sermon that week was the survivor of a horrific accident where he and his family were hit by a van while waiting at an airport.

I thought I had written down the verse carefully. I practiced and practiced, I don’t like speaking in front of a crowd but I said I would. When I got to church, the verse was different. Maybe I wrote it down wrong, maybe someone changed it. Whatever.

This verse has come to have so much meaning in my life. When I saw at a book called A Musician’s Book of Psalms each day had a different psalm. On my birthday, there was “my” psalm so I had to buy this book!

Psalm 116 (New International Version)

1 I love the LORD, for he heard my voice;
he heard my cry for mercy.

2 Because he turned his ear to me,
I will call on him as long as I live.

3 The cords of death entangled me,
the anguish of the grave came upon me;
I was overcome by trouble and sorrow.

4 Then I called on the name of the LORD:
“O LORD, save me!”

5 The LORD is gracious and righteous;
our God is full of compassion.

6 The LORD protects the simplehearted;
when I was in great need, he saved me.

7 Be at rest once more, O my soul,
for the LORD has been good to you.

8 For you, O LORD, have delivered my soul from death,
my eyes from tears,
my feet from stumbling,

9 that I may walk before the LORD
in the land of the living.

10 I believed; therefore I said,
“I am greatly afflicted.”

11 And in my dismay I said,
“All men are liars.”

12 How can I repay the LORD
for all his goodness to me?

13 I will lift up the cup of salvation
and call on the name of the LORD.

14 I will fulfill my vows to the LORD
in the presence of all his people.

15 Precious in the sight of the LORD
is the death of his saints.

16 O LORD, truly I am your servant;
I am your servant, the son of your maidservant;
you have freed me from my chains.

17 I will sacrifice a thank offering to you
and call on the name of the LORD.

18 I will fulfill my vows to the LORD
in the presence of all his people,

19 in the courts of the house of the LORD—
in your midst, O Jerusalem.
Praise the LORD.

 

I carry a print out of this everywhere I go because I find it very soothing. “when I was in great need, he saved me.” This print out is in a plastic page saver.

On the other side there is an article I found after my kidney cancer.  You can read that article in Day Twenty-nine, coming up on April 29, 2012.  Plan Ahead!

Filed under: Cushing's, Inspiration, Thankfulness | Tagged: , , , , , , , | 3 Comments »

Day Three, Cushing’s Awareness Challenge

Posted on April 3, 2012 by MaryO

On Becoming Empowered. Adapted from my blog post Participatory Medicine

The Society for Participatory Medicine - MemberThis is kind of a “cheat” post since it’s a compilation of other posts, web pages, message board posts and some original thoughts.  I wrote it to submit to Robin’s Grand Rounds, hosted  on her blog.

 

For all of my early life, I was the good, compliant, patient.  I took whatever pills the doctor prescribed, did whatever tests h/she (most always a he) wrote for.  Believed that whatever he said was the absolute truth.  He had been to med school.  He knew what was wrong with me even though he didn’t live in my body 24/7 and experience what I did.

I know a lot of people are still like this.  Their doctor is like a god to them.  He can do no wrong – even if they don’t feel any better after treatment, even if they feel worse.  “But the doctor said…”

Anyway, I digress.

All this changed for me in 1983.

At first I noticed I’d stopped having my periods and, of course, I thought I was pregnant. I went to my Gynecologist who had no explanation. Lots of women lose their periods for a variety of reasons so no one thought that this was really significant.

Then I got really tired, overly tired. I would take my son to a half hour Choir rehearsal and could not stay awake for the whole time. I would lie down in the back of the van, set an alarm and sleep for the 30 minutes.

A whole raft of other symptoms started appearing – I grew a beard (Hirsuitism), gained weight even though I was on Weight Watchers and working out at the gym nearly every day, lost my period, everything hurt, got what is called a “moon face” and a “buffalo hump” on the back of my neck. I also got stretch marks. I was very depressed but it’s hard to say if that was because of the hormone imbalance or because I felt so bad and no one would listen to me.

I came across a little article in the Ladies Home Journal magazine which said “If you have these symptoms…ask your doctor about Cushing’s”. After that, I started reading everything I could on Cushing’s and asking my doctors. Due to all my reading at the library and medical books I bought, I was sure I had Cushing’s but no one would believe me. Doctors would say that Cushing’s Disease is too rare, that I was making this up and that I couldn’t have it.

I asked doctors for three years – PCP, gynecologist, neurologist, podiatrist – all said the now-famous refrain.  It’s too rare.  You couldn’t have Cushing’s.  I kept persisting in my reading, making copies of library texts even when I didn’t understand them, keeping notes.  I just knew that someone, somewhere would “discover” that I had Cushing’s.

My husband was on the doctors’ sides.  He was sure it was all in my mind (as opposed to all in my head!) and he told me to just think “happy thoughts” and it would all go away.

A Neurologist gave me Xanax. Since he couldn’t see my tumor with his Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machine there was “no possibility” that it existed. Boy was he wrong!

Later in 1986 I started bruising incredibly easily. I could touch my skin and get a bruise. On New Year’s Day of 1987 I started bleeding under the skin. My husband made circles around the outside perimeter each hour with a marker, like the rings of a tree. When I went to my Internist the next day he was shocked at the size. He now thought I had a blood disorder so he sent me to a Hematologist/Oncologist.

Fortunately, the Hematologist/Oncologist ran a twenty-four hour urine test and really looked at me. Both he and his partner recognized that I had Cushing’s. Of course, he was sure that he did the diagnosis.  No matter that I had been pursuing this with other doctors for 3 years.

It was not yet determined if it was Cushing’s Disease (Pituitary) or Syndrome (Adrenal). However, he couldn’t help me any further so the Hematologist referred me to an Endocrinologist.

The Endocrinologist, of course, didn’t trust the other tests I had had done so I was back to square one. He ran his own multitude of tests. He had to draw blood at certain times like 9 AM. and 5 PM. There was a dexamethasone suppression test where I took a pill at 10 p.m. and gave blood at 9 am the next day. I collected gallons of urine in BIG boxes (Fun in the fridge!). Those were from 6 a.m. to 6 a.m. to be delivered to his office by 9 a.m. same day. I was always worried that I’d be stopped in rush hour and the police would ask about what was in that big container. I think I did those for a week. He also did standard neurological tests and asked lots of questions.

When the endo confirmed that I had Cushing’s in 1987 he sent me to a local hospital where they repeated all those same tests for another week and decided that it was not my adrenal gland (Cushing’s Syndrome) creating the problem. The doctors and nurses had no idea what to do with me, so they put me on the brain cancer ward.

When I left this hospital after a week, we didn’t know any more than we had before.

As luck would have it, NIH (National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland) was doing a clinical trial of Cushing’s. I live in the same area as NIH so it was not too inconvenient but very scary at first to think of being tested there. At that time I only had a choice of NIH, Mayo Clinic and a place in Quebec to do this then-rare pituitary surgery called a Transsphenoidal Resection. I chose NIH – closest and free. After I was interviewed by the Doctors there, I got a letter that I had been accepted into the clinical trial. The first time I was there was for 6 weeks as an inpatient. More of the same tests.

There were about 12 of us there and it was nice not to be alone with this mystery disease. Many of these Cushies (mostly women) were getting bald, couldn’t walk, having strokes, had diabetes. One was blind, one had a heart attack while I was there. Towards the end of my testing period, I was looking forward to the surgery just to get this whole mess over with. While I was at NIH, I was gaining about a pound a day!

The MRI still showed nothing, so they did a Petrosal Sinus Sampling Test. That scared me more than the prospect of surgery. (This test carries the risk of stroke and uncontrollable bleeding from the incision points.) Catheters were fed from my groin area to my pituitary gland and dye was injected. I could watch the whole procedure on monitors. I could not move during this test or for several hours afterwards to prevent uncontrolable bleeding from a major artery. The test did show where the tumor probably was located. Also done were more sophisticated dexamethasone suppression tests where drugs were administered by IV and blood was drawn every hour (they put a heplock in my arm so they don’t have to keep sticking me). I got to go home for a weekend and then went back for the surgery – the Transsphenoidal Resection. I fully expected to die during surgery (and didn’t care if I did) so I signed my will and wrote last letters to those I wanted to say goodbye to. During the time I was home just before surgery, a college classmate of mine (I didn’t know her) did die at NIH of a Cushing’s-related problem. I’m so glad I didn’t find out until a couple months later!

November 3, 1987, the surgeon, Dr. Ed Oldfield, cut the gum above my front teeth under my upper lip so there is no scar. He used tiny tools and microscopes. My tumor was removed successfully. In some cases (not mine) the surgeon uses a plug of fat from the abdomen to help seal the cut. Afterwards, I was in intensive care overnight and went to a neurology ward for a few days until I could walk without being dizzy. I had some major headaches for a day or two but they gave me drugs (morphine) for those. Also, I had cotton plugs in my nostrils. It was a big day when they came out. I had diabetes insipidus (DI) for a little while, but that went away by itself – thank goodness!

I had to use a foam product called “Toothies” to brush my teeth without hitting the incision. Before they let me go home, I had to learn to give myself an injection in my thigh. They sent me home with a supply of injectible cortisone in case my level ever fell too low (it didn’t). I was weaned gradually off cortisone pills (scary). I now take no medications. I had to get a Medic Alert bracelet. I will always need to tell medical staff when I have any kind of procedure – the effects of my excess cortisone will remain forever.

I went back to the NIH for several follow-up visits of a week each where they did all the blood and urine testing again. After a few years NIH set me free. Now I go to my “outside” endocrinologist every year for the dexamethasone suppression test, 24-hour urine and regular blood testing.

As I get further away from my surgery, I have less and less chance that my tumor will grow back. I have never lost all the weight I gained and I still have the hair on my chin but most of my other symptoms are gone. I am still and always tired and need a nap most days. I do not, however, still need to take whole days off just to sleep.

I consider myself very lucky that I was treated before I got as bad as some of the others on my floor at NIH but think it is crazy that these symptoms are not taken seriously by doctors.

My story goes on and if you’re interested some is on this blog and some is here:

Forbes Magazine | MaryO’s bio | Cushing’s and Cancer Blog | Guest Speakers | Interview Archive  1/3/08 | Cushing’s Awareness Day Testimonial Archive |

Because of this experience in getting a Cushing’s diagnosis – and later, a prescription for growth hormone – I was concerned that there were probably other people not being diagnosed with Cushing’s. When I searched online for Cushing’s, all the sites that came up were for dogs and horses with Cushing’s.  Not what I was looking for!

In July of 2000, I was talking with my dear friend Alice, who runs a wonderful menopause site, Power Surge, wondering why there weren’t many support groups online (OR off!) for Cushing’s.  This thought percolated through my mind for a few hours and I realized that maybe this was my calling.  Maybe I should be the one to start a network of support for other “Cushies” to help them empower themselves.

I wanted to educate others about the awful disease that took doctors years of my life to diagnose and treat – even after I gave them the information to diagnose me.  I didn’t want anyone else to suffer for years like I did.  I wanted doctors to pay more attention to Cushing’s disease.

The first website (http://www.cushings-help.com) went “live” July 21, 2000.  It was just a single page of information. The message boards began September 30, 2000 with a simple message board which then led to a larger one, and a larger.  Today, in 2010, we have over 7 thousand members.  Some “rare disease”!

The message boards are now very active and we have weekly online text chats, weekly live interviews, local meetings, conferences, email newsletters, a clothing exchange, a Cushing’s Awareness Day Forum, podcasts, phone support and much more. Because I wanted to spread the word to others not on “the boards” we have extended out to social networking sites – twitter groups, facebook groups, twines, friendfeeds, newsletters, websites, chat groups, multiply.com, and much, much more.

People are becoming more empowered and participating in their own diagnoses, testing and treatment.  This have changed a lot since 1983!

When I had my Cushing’s over 20 years ago, I never thought that I would meet another Cushing’s patient in real life or online. Back then, I’d never even been aware that there was anything like an “online”. I’m so glad that people struggling with Cushing’s today don’t have to suffer anymore thinking that they’re the only one who deals with this.

Because of my work on the websites – and, believe me it is a ton of work! – I have had the honor of meeting over a hundred other Cushies personally at local meetings, conferences, at NIH (the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, MD where I had my final diagnosis and surgery). It occurred to me once that this is probably more than most endocrinologists will ever see in their entire career. I’ve also talked to countless others on the phone. Amazing for a “rare” disease!

I don’t know what pushed me in 1983, how I got the confidence and self-empowerment to challenge these doctors and their non-diagnoses over the years.  I’m glad that I didn’t suffer any longer than I did and I’m glad that I have a role in helping others to find the medical help that they need.

What do *YOU* think?  How are you becoming empowered?

 

Filed under: Cushing's, pituitary | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments »

Cushing’s Tips

Posted on June 14, 2011 by MaryO

Things I’ve learned and wanted to share

By LindaP, with a little help from other Cushing’s Message Board members. This is a continuing list, if you want to share.

I have learned so much on this Cushing’s journey, much of it from all of you and this site. I wanted to share those learnings, in the event that it helps anyone else.

Obviously – my own opinions here!

My best wishes to everyone on their Cushing’s journey.

Linda

**********************************************

1. Trust your instincts.

2. Trust your instincts some more.

3. Do your research – read everything you can, talk to people, use this website and the message boards. Slog through research papers. Not all of it will make sense, but it is amazing how much you can learn, and how much it will help you on your diagnostic journey.

4. Not everyone will have every one of the “typically described” symptoms of the hump, moon face, straie, and central obesity. Some people get them all, some people get some, and others don’t develop these signs.

5. While substantial weight gain is very common with Cushings, there are some people who have only mild or moderate weight gain. What seems to be the common thread, however, is the inability to lose it in spite of diet and exercise.

6. You don’t need to test positive on every single test, or test positive on every type of test, to have Cushings. There is substantial variation in how we present with the disease, and in which tests will identify the excess cortisol in our bodies. Do not let a single negative result on any one test, or negative results on a particular type of test, prevent you from aggressively pursuing a Cushings diagnosis if there is strong suspicion. For example, it is possible for an individual to have proven Cushings without ever having a positive on a ufc or dex suppression test.

7. Do not waste time, energy and financial resources on unhelpful doctors.

8. Whenever possible, get to a true Cushings expert as soon as the disease is suspected.

9. When seeing a new endocrinologist, don’t be afraid to ask:

a. What is your opinion on cyclic or intermittent Cushings?b. When and how might you diagnose a mild or early case of Cushings? Do you recommend treatment in those cases?

c. Do you believe it is possible for someone to have Cushings without all or some of the commonly associated stigmata (straie, hump, moon face, substantial weight gain)?

d. What is your diagnostic criteria for Cushings?

i. Lab tests

ii. Physical symptoms

iii. Imaging

e. How many patients have you diagnosed with Cushings?

f. What surgeon(s) do you recommend and work with for your patients with tumors that are causing Cushings?

g. If Cushings is suspected, how can we work together to maximize testing to give us answers as quickly as possible? How can I most easily get my test results from your office?

10. Make sure your doctor is willing to support the amount of testing that may be necessary to allow you to begin to distinguish between high and low periods. Make sure your doctor is also willing to support multiple types of tests to appropriately rule in/out Cushings.

11. Create a binder and get copies of every single test. (Make additional copies of test results so that you have extra available to perhaps send in advance to a new doctor, or to be able to readily provide a copy during your appointment as necessary). Get copies of clinic notes as well. Organize them into the binder. My binder has the following tabs:

a. Spreadsheet that summarizes most relevant test resultsb. Current medical history/summary of symptoms

c. Imaging reports

d. Cortisol test results (serum, salivary, ufcS)

e. Other lab results (including EKGs and other relevant tests)

f. Eyes (visual field tests, letter from eye doctor, etc)

g. Clinic Notes

12. Research tests. It is not uncommon for a test to be ordered or interpreted incorrectly.

13. MRIs are only tools. They can be interpreted differently by different people and they may not accurately identify the extent or location of a tumor.

14. Create a spreadsheet, or use a journal, to track symptoms daily. Log test results so that you can begin to see patterns. Symptoms may be as subtle as canker sores, or cracked lips or skin, a single pimple, or may be more obvious such as severe swings in mood and energy levels, insomnia, bad acne, etc. Write it all down and track it.

15. Test whenever you feel different.

16. Symptoms of a high for you may or may not match what is typically described for a high. You may experience a high differently. For example, achiness is frequently described as a low symptom, but it may occur during a high in your case. Tracking symptoms and correlating test results help to identify patterns of a high.

17. Start testing your own blood sugar to identify any possible blood sugar problems and to look for possible correlation between episodes of high blood sugar and high cortisol levels. This won’t apply to everyone, and may not be useful in your case, but it was very helpful to me. A very good Walgreen’s brand glucometer is only $20.

18. Get a blood pressure cuff and start checking your own bp at home. Look for patterns there as well.

19. Summarize test results for your doctor (PCP, endocrinologist, or even surgeon). Create a simple table that shows your relevant test results over time.

20. Collect photos that illustrate how your physical appearance has changed.

21. When researching surgeons, learn as much as you can about the different techniques and approaches. Some may seem similar, but there are differences that are important to understand.

22. When interviewing surgeons, the following questions may be helpful (mostly pituitary focused):

a. How will you approach the tumor?

b. What instruments are used? Endoscope? Microscope? Both?

c. What incisions are made?

d. Do you need to clear any kind of path within the nasal or sinus area for your instruments? How will you do that?

e. What stitches will I have?

f. Do you use a “fat plug”?

g. Do you use a lumbar drain?

h. Will there be any nasal packing?

i. How will my head be immobilized during surgery? (Is a “halo” used?)

j. Do you use Doppler to localize the carotid arteries? (not necessary in fully endoscopic procedure as I understand it)

k. Describe your approach to locating any tumor seen on the MRI, and what you will do to find any other tumors that may be in, on, or around the gland.

l. Under what circumstances might you find it necessary to remove either part of the pituitary gland, or all of it?

m. How many of these procedures have you done?

n. How long have you been performing this particular procedure?

o. What are some typical complications that occur with this procedure? How do you manage those complications?

p. Based on my MRI, is there anything in particular that might suggest greater risk of diabetes insipidous or other long term complications with this surgery?

q. Tell me what to expect in terms of post-operative pain and how it will be managed.

r. Is an ICU stay typically necessary?

s. How long can I expect to stay in the hospital?

t. Do you give steroids intra-operatively?

u. When do you test post-op cortisol levels? What is the cortisol replacement therapy protocol? If my endocrinologist is out of state, who will be monitoring that part of my testing and prescribing cortisol replacement as necessary?

v. When can I travel to return home?

w. What restrictions will I have once discharged? (Lifting, noseblowing, how I sleep, driving, exercise, etc)

x. How do I contact you if I should have any problems or concerns once discharged?

y. How will you communicate with my endocrinologist regarding the results of my surgery?

z. What is your protocol for following up with patients post-operatively?

aa. What is your rate of post-operative sinus infection?

bb. What is your rate of post-operative diabetes insipidous, both temporary and long-term?

23. These questions for your endocrinologist may be helpful once surgery is planned:

a. How will you determine my post-op cortisol replacement needs?

b. At what point will you recommend that I begin tapering my dose? What are your guidelines for each step in the weaning process?

c. Based on my case and your experience with other Cushings patients, what might I experience during the recovery period? How long before I feel “better”? What restrictions will I have?

d. When and how will you determine if other pituitary functions should be tested post-op? How will you test other pituitary functions post-op?

e. Do you provide a prescription for emergency injectable hydrocortisone?

f. Do you provide written instructions I may carry for Emergency Room staff in the event that I have an adrenal crisis?

g. How long should I expect to be off work?

h. How will you follow up with me post-op?

i. What is the best way to reach you if I have any questions or concerns after surgery?

24. Participate on the Cushings Boards to support yourself and others through the Cushings diagnosis and treatment journey. (You’ll also make some new friends.)

Filed under: adrenal, Cushing's, pituitary | Tagged: , , , , , , , | 2 Comments »

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