What is Cushing's Disease?

Dr. William Ludlam explains what Cushing's Disease is. When the tumor is in the pituitary, it is referred to as Cushing's Disease. There are symptoms such as a substantial amount of weight gain, stretch marks throughout the abdomen, acne, and for women, extra hair growth. Cushing's Disease is more common for women. It is also associated with other diseases such as: high blood pressure, diabetes, osteoporosis, recurrent infections, abnormal menstrual cycle, and acid reflux. For more information please visit the Swedish Medical website: http://www.swedish.org/Services/Neuroscience-Institute/Neuroscience-Services/....

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Dr. William Ludlam
• Swedish Medical Center
• Seattle
• Western Washington
• Pacific Northwest
• Patient
• Doctor
• Swedish Neuroscience Institute
• Neuroscience Institute
• Neuroscience
• Pituitary Tumors
• Tumors
• Pituitary
• Pituitary Gland
• high blood pressure
• diabetes
• osteoporosis
• recurrent infections
• abnormal menstrual cycle
• acid reflux
• cushing
• cushing's disease

[TheDayzgirl]

@mzmary25 I hear many complain about how difficult it was to get a confirmed diagnosis from a doctor...at least they were willing to test for it. Don't give up. I went w a y to long with this disease (15+ yrs) before being diagnosed. Symptoms can come and go. I know for fact. Docs don't understand that. Try to go to a 'cushing's doc'...like Seattle Pituitary Center or Dr Findling...it could be cyclical for now. Or get doc to test on days your really present symptoms...

[mzmary25]

@TheDayzgirl No I dont have it. I did blood work and I had to urinate in a container for 24 hours to test disease and everything tuned out fine. But sometimes I still think I have it because I'm still experiencing the symptoms and Im not trying to sound paranoid but Im a patient at kaiser and I think they alter test results sometimes. I dont know. I could be wrong but for now, tests say negative.

[TheDayzgirl]

@jrende71 Mine too! They are truly amazing...

[TheDayzgirl]

@funtimeslaugh they actually do not know what caused a small percentage of people (mostly women) to have a tumor that decides to crank out the 'stress' hormone in huge amounts. I had Cushing's (post op 2 yrs) but no one correctly diagnosed it until 2009 (38 yrs old). I know now looking back at my symptoms that I had this disease at least since my mid-20's but possibly as early as my pre-teens. It really manifest itself after I married to a high stress guys and owned my own business. Go figure

[TheDayzgirl]

@bostongirlsandy how are you doing? have you located the tumor and had it removed?

[TheDayzgirl]

@mzmary25 were you able to be tested? if the doc gives you crap and says stuff like 'there's no way you have it' (I, along with many others, had that happen to me about 5 yrs before I was finally diagnosed) just insist on getting the dexamethasone suppression test-very simple blood test. It's always better to know than not.

[TheDayzgirl]

I was FINALLY diagnosed with Cushing's Disease in 2009 and found Dr Ludlam in September of same year. I was poster child for this horrific disease. Him and staff were excellent and by end of October, 2009 I had the surgery to remove tumor-also had to remove about 1/2 of pituitary. Mayberg did the surgery. Life is not the same. I have a 'new norm' but it is good! I owe my life to these guys.

[mzmary25]

I think I have This disease. I have all the symptoms! Im scared, but I know I need to see my doctor and find out. I will make a appt. tomorrow. I pray I dont have it!!!!!

[ZacharySmith89]

@motorgirl85 He explicitly states that for any given patient it only may be true.

[motorgirl85]

I am sorry... but to say that you trade a really really bad disease for not as bad a disease is not true for many. I've had my adrenals out and it has been a struggle to get the damn dosage right. I can't hold a job and I can't go to College because this is a problem. Besides that this has been one of the best explainations I've seen.

Do you also have a vd on Addisons Disease? If not could you make one?