Thyroid or something else

[Alicia_W78]

I have had intense fatigue, hard to focus, weight gain, hair loss for years. I’ve been tested for thyroid, Lyme,and a whole bunch of other things. I’ve had excruciating thigh pain for no known cause.

I have a huge belly, male pattern baldness (female). I saw an endo about 15 yrs ago who tested cortisol. Said it was normal (I thought it was low?). I had a suspected autoimmune disease that was followed for 4-5 years but never had any further development so my rheumatologist referred me to an endo.

The endo examined me and took my history and thought I might have something going on for the weight, etc. He happened to be in the same practice as the one from 15 years before and pulled my file and said I had high cortisol originally.

He thought I might have Cushings.

He did a 24 hour cortisol test that did not come back high. I had low urine output (strange cuz I generally pee a LOT!).  They also did an early morning draw but the lab didn’t get me in until almost 10am despite having an appointment. I told him but he said it didn’t matter.

My face is fat/round (my hubby says he doesn’t recognize me) and the endo “thought” I might have fat accumulation on my upper back (I have fat everywhere!).

When the tests came back normal, he told me to lose weight.

I gave up trying to get help b/c no one will help me and only tells me to lose weight. I would if I could.

I feel exhausted mentally and emotionally.

I just gave up but the other day my hubby asked why my neck and chest were bright red. This happens somewhat frequently and sometimes I can identify a cause but not this time. I turn bright red 4-5x/week at least. My face also has gotten redder. I don’t know how else to explain it. Just occasionally goes bright red like I’m blushing but I’m not  

I also have this dark red-brown discoloration on my neck. My rheumatologist always looks at it but hasn’t said why.

Anyway, the flushing the other day was weird and so of course I googled the cause and Cushings came up as a possibility. I wouldn’t have thought twice about it if the endo hadn’t suggested it a couple of years ago.

The only other thing I have going on is this weird dizziness when I move my head/eyes too quickly and feel like I’m going to faint when falling asleep. I think it’s some type of positional vertigo. I had it several years ago but it went away when I did these movements to reset inner ear balance.

Anyway...what do you make of the flushing along with the weight, protruding belly, fatigue, etc. I have a pendulum abdomen and stretch marks, but they’re light white/purple shiny. And my arms and legs are kind of fat like the rest of me.

I’d just like to feel better but can’t get any help. I’m open to suggestions or any direction what to do next.

[Red_Star]

Spelt it wrong lol. It's acanthosis nigricans.

[Red_Star]

I thought I had Cushing's myself and my endo did numerous tests to rule it out. I had to research why I had these symptoms as my endo was perplexed to what was causing my very enlarged buffalo hump, moon face etc.

I first thought I might have cyclical Cushings which is hard to diagnose (see the website Cushings Moxie which is very informative) but in the end I found the cause was chronically high insulin (insulin resistance) and Hashimoto's thyroiditis. The buffalo hump from chronically high insulin and the moon face from hypothyroidism.

You mention a brown mark on your neck. I have acanthosis nigerians (AN) from insulin resistance. AN is on the back of my neck, armpits, and a few other places. My new endo diagnosed AN on the back of my neck as I had not noticed it but already knew I had the condition.

[gimel]

You certainly have a  lot going on and are not getting any understanding or help from your doctors.  As a start please post your thyroid related test results and reference ranges shown on the lab report.  Also if tested for Vitamin D, B12, and ferritin please post those as well.