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why am i swelling in my stomache, arms, ankles and gaining at least 5 lbs. a week?
It started 3 years ago with my left arm swelling over night then my upper abdomen then 2 months later my right arm started to swell it is still just alittle smaller then the left. my ankles are now huge. I have put on right at 100 lbs. since this started I have asthma and this extra weight is hard on me. Please help I have had numerous test and went to many doctors I have lost track.My upper belly is so big. I have 5 children, when I had my last baby I came home from hospital weighing 117 lbs. I had never weighed more then 134lbs. in my life till now i weigh 220lbs. Please help figure out what is wrong. Sincerely and depressate Sherry Mckisson
My heart goes out to you. I considered gastric bypass, and even had a neurologist tell me it was the only thing that would "fix" my symptoms. Turns out I had Cushing's symptoms caused by a pituitary tumor.
Please don't let them tell you that you have to wait for your tumor to get big enough. You may need to go find a good surgeon yourself - someone who takes your symptoms seriously. In any case, I would highly suggest contacting Sharmyn McGraw at the UCLA Pituitary Patient Support Group. She's wonderful, and full of accurate information and helpfulness. She can help you find a good doctor, too.
Her email is ***@****. You might let her know Ellen at Caring Counterparts told her about you.
All the best,
Ellen
Please don't let them tell you that you have to wait for your tumor to get big enough. You may need to go find a good surgeon yourself - someone who takes your symptoms seriously. In any case, I would highly suggest contacting Sharmyn McGraw at the UCLA Pituitary Patient Support Group. She's wonderful, and full of accurate information and helpfulness. She can help you find a good doctor, too.
Her email is ***@****. You might let her know Ellen at Caring Counterparts told her about you.
All the best,
Ellen
It sounds like edema (extreme water retention) is causing you much discomfort, including swelling and weight gain. You've also described symptoms associated with your pituitary. I would definitely suggest seeing a nephrologist (kidney doctor) and endocrinologist who specializes in pituitary testing (very important - many endocrinologists don't). They should definitely do a 24-hour urine free cortisol test for you.
Ellen
Ellen
Sorry everyone is having trouble also. and yes my periods are just a day and a half. My face is getting rounder. I also have little red spots all over me that look like blood.
I totally hate going out in public also. I have a family reunion coming up in June and I am scared to go...lol. Also when I see my ex-husband I feel weird around him, cause he knew me when I was skinny.
Does either of you have trouble typing? I'm noticed that lately when I type I press the wrong letter buttons, I have to keep going back and fixing things.
Wow fibromyalgia and cushings, so sorry! I hope everything works out for you.
Does either of you have trouble typing? I'm noticed that lately when I type I press the wrong letter buttons, I have to keep going back and fixing things.
Wow fibromyalgia and cushings, so sorry! I hope everything works out for you.
Hello to the both of you. First of all let me tell you I know exactly how you feel. I am going through the same type of problem as the both of you are. About 2 years ago I had gastric bypass surgery and lost 80 pounds, but since then I have been diagnosed with a pituitary tumor and cushings disease and have gained 120 pounds back. I am bigger now than I was before the gastric bypass because of the cushings disease, even though I still can not eat much. It has really taken a toll on me emotionally to say the least, but there is nothing I can do about it until they remove the tumor and they wont do that until it gets to a certain size. Crazy huh? I never knew a tumor had to be a certain size before they would remove it, but evidentally it does. I dont know about you two, but this has caused me to become very bitter and angry, not to mention I hate to go out into public now. I dont want anyone to see me because I am so embarrassed of the way I look. Especially when everyone knows that I had gastric bypass and I should not be this big!! I hate it I hate it I just absolutly hate it!!!
So to the both of you, it really does sound like cushings to me. Especially when one of you described the hump. Another thing to look for are stretch marks that you have never noticed before. Like around the tummy area or on the underneath of your upper arm, up towards the arm pit area. Your face will also kind of get rounded, and most of the weight you gain will be in the tummy area and in the upper to middle back area. Like the spare tire as some call it. Those are the places I have gained most of mine. I have hardly gained anything in my arms or legs, and yeah it looks kinda funny. Let me rephase that, not kinda...it does look funny.
On top of the cushings I also have fibromyalgia, and these 2 things combined can cause alot of body wide pain. I have done quite a bit of research on both of these so if you have any questions feel free to ask and I will try to help to the best of my ability.
So to the both of you, it really does sound like cushings to me. Especially when one of you described the hump. Another thing to look for are stretch marks that you have never noticed before. Like around the tummy area or on the underneath of your upper arm, up towards the arm pit area. Your face will also kind of get rounded, and most of the weight you gain will be in the tummy area and in the upper to middle back area. Like the spare tire as some call it. Those are the places I have gained most of mine. I have hardly gained anything in my arms or legs, and yeah it looks kinda funny. Let me rephase that, not kinda...it does look funny.
On top of the cushings I also have fibromyalgia, and these 2 things combined can cause alot of body wide pain. I have done quite a bit of research on both of these so if you have any questions feel free to ask and I will try to help to the best of my ability.
Get a 24 hr urine test for Cushings disease. Buffalo hump, belly
swelling,unintentional weight gain, hard to lose weight when really trying. Muscles weakening, arms & legs getting smaller. Google Cushings bring the symptoms page with you to the doctor if you thing that this is your problem. Thyroid, diabetes, fibromyalgia. Check your symptoms see what you match. Good luck And I KNOW how you feel, I have same problems & have fibromyalgia & thyroid disease; was checked for cushings but didn't have that.
swelling,unintentional weight gain, hard to lose weight when really trying. Muscles weakening, arms & legs getting smaller. Google Cushings bring the symptoms page with you to the doctor if you thing that this is your problem. Thyroid, diabetes, fibromyalgia. Check your symptoms see what you match. Good luck And I KNOW how you feel, I have same problems & have fibromyalgia & thyroid disease; was checked for cushings but didn't have that.
I know just how you feel. I have never been as big as I am either. I lost all my baby weight after my son was born (he is 3 1/2) and in the last two years I have put on about 50-55 pounds (10 just this year.) I don't eat more, I only eat twice a day and never late at night. I go walking with my kids frequently. When I exercise and diet, I still never loose weight. It is very frustrating. I am single and I want to start dating, but I feel so ugly right now. To add to the weight gain, I have a ugly buffalo hump (I think that is what it is.) I noticed it around the end of last year. So I always wear shirt with a collar or a hood. Also my stomach looks like I'm pregnant.
Its sucks because I have no heath insurance and my only income right now is child support. So I can't just go into the doctor for nothing. I have had a few people wonder if it is cushings. I wish I could talk to a doctor and find out if it really might be or if it is just due to getting older (lol...but I'm only 26) before I go in and have to pay.
Its sucks because I have no heath insurance and my only income right now is child support. So I can't just go into the doctor for nothing. I have had a few people wonder if it is cushings. I wish I could talk to a doctor and find out if it really might be or if it is just due to getting older (lol...but I'm only 26) before I go in and have to pay.
Have your physicians' checked your heart, thyroid, liver enzymes, an MRI of your brain or renal labs ? Also, is your face getting rounder and any other symptoms such as muscle weakness ? Have your periods stopped ?
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