for rumpled--about cushings

[kevieb]

i couldn't find a separate forum for cushings--so I came back to the AI site--plus, I know this is your area of specialty.   There is a gal I know who is diabetic and when she had her baby two year ago, she had a horrible time.  She had to have a c-section, her mother is a nurse so she was checking to make sure they gave her a glucose solution during surgery--but when she came out of surgery, the bag on the IV was not a glucose solution.

Her daughter had major problems after the delivery.  I think she lost alot of blood and she had no reflexes for a long time.  She would sometimes just fall down, and her lip kind of dropped on one side.  She did not have a stroke.  It took a while, and some research on the internet, and a visit with a neuro-something-or-other specialist to figure out what she had.  i can't remember the name--but it was pseudo-something--basically, she had too much cerebral fluid.

It is controlled by medication, but she has not had a period for quite a long time---not sure if she has had one since her baby, actually.

When I was telling she and her mom about my doctor visit and what I was doing, we got talking about what her body was doing.  She is getting a moon shaped face, she is getting a fat hump on her back and when I asked her about what her weight was like around the middle--she said she is putting weight on in that area.  I told her it sounded like cushings.  I don't think any of her doctors has considered that diagnosis.

Since we don't have a decent endo anywhere near here, she will either have to travel, or find someone local to do the right testing.  What testing does she need to start with?

She would really like to have another baby--she is the same age as my oldest son---29 yrs.  i asked her if she had sheehan's syndrome---she said they checked for it but didn't think she had it.

[kevieb]

pseudo-tumor cerebri is right--you're pretty good!!   I'll pass the info on to her.  i know she did alot of research and actually had figured out what she thought she had before she got the results back from the doctor---the doctor told her she was right.

I'll pass the testing info on to her--I told her i knew someone online to ask---I figured you'd know what she needed to have tested.

[rumpled]

I think it is psuedo-tumor cerebri or something like that?

It does sound like a case for Sheehans - if they cannot diagnose a decent case of Cushing's then they would miss a more complex disorder like that (which can be a mix of many things!).

Baseline testing is a 24 hour urinary free cortisol - as many as she can get (3-4 is best), 8am serum cortisol tests, 8am ACTH, and comprehensive metabolic panel. It would also be good to get thyroids, and other hormones done as well.