Interview with Stephanie – PCOS, Possibly Cushing’s Patient

Posted on April 18, 2015 by MaryO

interview

The next interview on BlogTalk Radio will be Wednesday, April 22 at 6:00 PM eastern.  The Call-In number for questions or comments is (657) 383-0416.

Steph has a bio posted here: http://cushingsbios.com/2015/04/16/stephanie-steph-undiagnosed-bio/

The archived interview will be available after 7:00 PM Eastern through iTunes Podcasts (Cushie Chats) or BlogTalkRadio.  While you’re waiting, there are currently 82 other past interviews to listen to!

In her bio, Steph writes:

Hi. My name Steph, and this has been a long journey for me so far, and I see a long road ahead. Hopefully their will be a rainbow once all these clouds have melted away.

I just turned 33 years old (this month) and have been dealing with symptoms of Cushing’s since I was a pre-teen without even knowing it. I was diagnosed (or possibly mis-diagnosed) with PCOS when I was about 11. That’s when the irregular (to almost non-existent) menstrual cycles, hirutism (chin, upper lip, upper and lower thighs, fingers, toes, basically everywhere) and weight problems began. I was immediately put on birth control to regulate my periods, which only made my life a living nightmare. They forced on a fake (non-ovulating) period and made my moods a disaster. I went on to be on birth control until from the age of 11 until about 3 years ago when I just couldn’t take it anymore, and took myself off. I’ve been using herbal supplements for menstrual regulalation since then, and feel MUCH better.

Over the years I’ve always felt like there was something “more than PCOS” wrong with me. From the extreme inability to lose weight normally, and the ease to gain it, to the weak legs, vitamen d insuffeciency, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, extreme irritability, now non-existent cycle, shortness of breath (just from walking up 1 flight of stairs), slow healing, hoarse voice, high testosterone, male pattern baldness, blurry vision, EXTREME brain fog etc….. It has been very, very, very tough and emotional over the years. It has taken a toll on my personality, emotions, and those around me….

The way that I found out about cushing’s is rather unique. I was on a popular PCOS message board site called “soul cysters”, and I have always been EXTREMELY self conscience of my round puffy face, and was wondering if it could be a side effect of PCOS. So I searched Puffy face on the message board to see if others on the board had experienced it, and sure enough Cushing’s came up, and a suprising number of women either had both (cushing’s and PCOS) or had been mis-diagnosed, which apparently is very common with cushing’s. it was like a gigantic light bulb went off in my head when I started googling cushings symptoms. All these things that I have been experiencing almost my entire life started coming together. I’m really not crazy!! Everything is possibly related. Im almost 100% sure that this is it!!! I don’t know if this is a good or bad thing, as I see that cushing’s is curable in most cases, but it is also scary, and diagnosing it seems like hell!!

I have began my -already slow- journey to diagnosis. And, the the Dr.’s don’t seem to be all that well informed. However, I am DETERMINED. I am excited at the thought of possibly being able to get my life back through surgery or meds. I went to a well respected Endo in my area, and she is gonna test all of my hormones, including my cortisol level. Though she didn’t seem to be too informed on Cushing’s when I brought it up, along with my “dead ringer” symptoms. I’m going to a pulmonologist on the 29th as suggested by my GP (who also thinks I have cushings, but admits he’s not well informed enough or equipped to diagnose). I’m also going to an OBGYN soon (tried going to one today, and had to walk out because it was such a bad experience). But I am determined to get 2nd, 3rd, and however many opinions are needed until I am satisfied.

Also, on a side note, possibly having cushing’s, along with having PCOS, has made me look at the doctors and the medical profession as a whole in a different light. I feel like if you find a genuinely good doctor who listens, cares, takes you seriously, and is willing to test you without question, and work with you, your levels, and your symptoms, you are blessed!! I have had so many doctors try to push meds down my throat (for their own pockets/greed obviously) when it wasn’t needed or necessary without hesitation or question. And, then when I tell them that the medicine is affecting me adversely, they just tell me to keep taking it! It’s sad and ridiculous. I’ve had to learn to do my own research, know my own body well, and trust my own judgement…..

I will be praying for myself and everyone on this message board who has had to deal with this horrific symptoms over the years.

Updates coming…..

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Day 3 Coverage of ENDO 2015

Posted on March 7, 2015 by MaryO

ENDO_2015

 

OR24-Adrenal Tumors: Clinical Implications of the Recent Molecular and Genetic Findings

Long term follow-up of a pivotal phase 2 study of Ultratrace® Iobenguane I-131 (AZEDRA) in patients with malignant relapsed/refractory pheochromocytoma/paraganglioma
C Jimenez, DA Pryma, DC Sullivan, JK Schwarz, RB Noto, N Stambler, T Armor, JD Jensen, RJ Israel

OR27-Hyperandrogenic Ovarian Dysfunction — Winner: Outstanding Abstract Award

The neurokinin B receptor antagonist AZD4901 decreases LH and testosterone secretion in women with PCOS: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial
JT George, R Kakkar, J Marshall, ML Scott, R Finkelman, T Ho, S McIntosh, JD Veldhuis, RA Anderson, L Webber

OR28-Lipids – Liver, Muscle, and Patient Bench to Bedside

Diagnosing familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) in the United States: Results from the CASCADE FH patient registry
Z Ahmad, C Newman, E O’Brien, P Shrader, EM deGoma, CD Ahmed, PM Moriarty, MRF Linton, MD Shapiro, PB Due, CM Ballantyne, WA Neal, D Duffy, L Hudgins, LC Hemphill, JA Underberg, KE Watson, SS Gidding, S Baum, K Wilemon, D Pickhardt, I Kindt, DJ Rader, M Roe, JW Knowles

OR30-Neuroendocrinology

Assessment of primary cancers in growth hormone-treated pediatric patients compared to population databases: An epidemiological analysis of a large, multinational, prospective observational study
CJ Child, AG Zimmermann, N Jia, LL Robison, JH Bramswig, WF Blum

Hypophysitis in the age of cancer immunotherapy: Experience in a large cancer center
MJoelle Pitteloud, R Dadu, ME Cabanillas, K Shah, MI-N Hu, MA Habra, SG Waguespack

OR34-Testosterone Replacement Therapy: Risks and Benefits

The association between testosterone use and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE): An exploratory retrospective cohort analysis of two large, contemporary, coronary heart disease clinical trials
S Janmohamed, G Cicconetti, CE Koro, RV Clark, E Tarka

Oral Presentations in Reproductive Science–Winner: Oral Abstract Award in Reproductive Science

Effects of androgens and estrogens on cardiometabolic parameters in young adult men
EW Yu, H Lee, S-AM Burnett-Bowie, SC Hirsch, G Abrishamian-Garcia, LF Borges, DW Goldstein, AP Taylor, KE Wulczyn, AF Moore, JS Finkelstein

PP27-Hyperandrogenic Ovarian Dysfunction

Role of insulin resistance and hyperandrogenemia in early vascular dysfunction in adolescents with PCOS
SK Bartz, MC Caldas, R Krishnamurthy, R Krishnamurthy, FF Bacha

SAT 379-412-Cushing’s Syndrome

Does a normal urine free cortisol result rule out Cushing’s syndrome?
ST Sharma, LK Nieman

SAT 418-443-Biochemical, Genetic and Pharmacological Studies of the Pituitary and Hypothalamus

Clinical and molecular differences between invasive and non-invasive pituitary adenomas
DA Cano, M Mendez-Muros, E Venegas, N Gros, E Dios, N Garcia-Hernandez, A Madrazo-Atutxa, I Martin-Scheffer, E Cardenas, A Kaen, F Roldan, A Soto-Moreno

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Case study shows chronic marijuana use associated with hypopituitarism

Posted on May 3, 2013 by MaryO

PHOENIX — Results of a case study presented here at the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists 22nd Scientific and Clinical Congress demonstrate that smoking marijuana may result in serious endocrine complications.

Hormone feedback cycles

Hormone feedback cycles (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

“We really feel that the evidence to-date shows this is a much more serious health problem than we’ve given credit to,” Pinsker said during a press conference. “Marijuana’s always been laughed off: ‘it’s a kid’s drug; they’ll outgrow it.’ In certain communities, it’s so common that people look at it as if they’re having a glass of beer. I think it’s time that physicians start having their antenna up for all the difficulties that come with this drug.”

The patient presented to the emergency department with dyspnea on exertion, increasing fatigue and loss of libido with no previous radiation exposure or head trauma. He had bibasilar rales, gynecomastia and bilateral atrophied testis.

His hormonal evaluation demonstrated low Luteinizing Hormone (0.2 mIU/mL); FSH (1.8 mIU/mL) and testosterone (22 ng/dL), as well as high prolactin (53.3 ng/mL).

Additionally, the patient had ACTH of 6 pg/mL and cortisol of 6.4 ug/dL at 0 minutes and 9.3 ug/dL at 60 minutes following cosyntropin administration.

Further labs revealed low total T3 (30 ng/dL); high T3 resin reuptake (49%); low total T4 (3.94 ng/dL); normal free T4 (0.97 ng/dL) and low TSH (0.22 uIU/mL). Growth hormone was within normal range (5.0 ng/mL) and IGF-I was low (75 ng/mL; Z-score of -1.3). An MRI revealed a slightly enlarged protuberant pituitary gland, but no identified mass lesion.

After being started on cortisone 25 mg in the morning and 12.5 mg at bedtime, as well as levothyroxine 25 mcg daily, the patient’s fatigue and edema improved significantly, according to the abstract.

In this case, severe hypopituitarism occurred from interference between THC, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana which has the ability to alter neural transmitters in the hypothalamus, and hypothalamic function.

Additionally, studies show that marijuana impairs the release of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRh), resulting in reduced production of testosterone.

Other symptoms seen with prolonged use include cognitive decline in school children and older people, according to Pinsker. “The public will become more attuned to looking for these things. We’re going to have what we call a surveillance bias and we’re going to start discovering that it’s a lot higher than we gave it credit for, both because of increased use and because we’re going to be looking for it.”

The authors conclude that, as many states consider the legalization of marijuana, more study should be conducted with regard to the effects of chronic use of the drug on the endocrine system.

“Of course this is one case report, but I think it should alert further research that needs to be done, “ said Pinsker. “Something prospectively should be done to map this out more scientifically, but this would be difficult in what, to-date, has been an illegal substance.”

For more information:

Pinsker R. Abstract #825. Presented at: the AACE Annual Scientific and Clinical Congress; May 1-5, 2013; Phoenix.

Disclosure: The authors report no relevant financial disclosures.

 From Healio.com

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