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415867 tn?1323365503

Please read. Cushings????

Since December I have had 26pounds of unexplained weight gain.  Along with the unexplained weight gain I have been having horrible night sweats.  I have always worn many clothes and many blankets to bed until a few months ago when i've only used a single blanket and barely wear clothes if any and I sweat like crazy. I'm just drenched at night!! Not normal for me!!! My primary provider put me on gabapentin which has taken my night sweats away but I still have other issues.

My other symptoms besides the weight gain is fatigue (thought it was originally associated with my heavy menses and low iron but have been on iron supplements now and its back in normal range but i'm still tired all the time),  I also have achy knee joints, dry itchy skin (more so than normal), generalized weakness, more frequent headaches, my vision is a little more blurry (i already have bad eyes with a script at 7.5), also I've always had irreg. menses (some heavy , some light, some every month some not).  

I saw an endocrinologist today and he ruled out my thyroid (TSH and T4 is within normal range)  but he said it could be a few things.
First he said it could be that i just need to exercise more which is crazy to me b/c the last 2months I've been exercising WAY more than I ever had and I still continue to gain.  I'm past the point of gaining weight b/c its muscle.  
Second he said it could be b/c I was on steroids for a sinus issue but thats been months and I spoke to a doc who I work with and she said the steroids would be out of my system by now since it was months ago and i was only on a week pack.
Third he said it could be an adrenal issue.  He is having me do a 24hr urine to test my cortisol levels.  If they come back high I will need a CT scan but he said that he doubts it is that b/c it happens in less than 5% of patients.  He mentioned Cushings and an adrenal mass?

Thoughts? Input? Any ideas would be much appreciated!
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Avatar universal
Dang, my comment did not post yesterday...

A CT is not appropriate for pituitary issues. Your doctor is NOT skilled in pituitary issues. Please get copies of the tests you have and find another. You need a dynamic pituitary MRI to find a potential pituitary issue as well as a boatload of hormone testing and the testing has to be done correctly.

TSH and T4 alone do not really cover the thyroid - antibody testing and Free T3 and Free T4 really tell what the thyroid is doing. TSH is a pituitary test. I hope at least the lab used the newer range - .3 to 3.0.

Cushing's can be caused more likely by pituitary (most common) then adrenal then ectopic (tumor anywhere in the body) so again, then endo is not guiding you correctly. Steroid use is the most common if not a tumor. You have to find the source and treat it - and it can be tricky. I had the disease myself.

I also had PCOS - there is a lot of overlap. Having one does not preclude the other.
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1756321 tn?1547095325
"What are the symptoms of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)?

The principal signs and symptoms of PCOS are related to menstrual disturbances and elevated levels of male hormones (androgens). Menstrual disturbances can include delay of normal menstruation (primary amenorrhea), the presence of fewer than normal menstrual periods (oligomenorrhea), or the absence of menstruation for more than three months (secondary amenorrhea). Menstrual cycles may not be associated with ovulation (anovulatory cycles) and may result in heavy bleeding.

Symptoms related to elevated androgen levels include acne, excess hair growth on the body (hirsutism), and male-pattern hair loss.

Other signs and symptoms of PCOS include:

obesity and weight gain,
elevated insulin levels and insulin resistance,
oily skin,
dandruff,
infertility,
skin discolorations,
high cholesterol levels,
elevated blood pressure, and
multiple, small cysts in the ovaries.

Any of the above symptoms and signs may be absent in PCOS, with the exception of irregular or no menstrual periods. All women with PCOS will have irregular or no menstrual periods. Women who have PCOS do not regularly ovulate; that is, they do not release an egg every month. This is why they do not have regular periods and typically have difficulty conceiving."

Excerpt from MedicineNet - Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome
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