Cushing’s Syndrome? Go on a Diet.

“Nancy” writes…

I was sick with steroid-caused Cushing’s Syndrome. Another doctor had overdosed me with Flovent (an inhaled steroid), and I developed this disease. I saw Dr. H. very early in my illness. Cushing’s Syndrome causes muscle to turn to fat, especially in certain areas (face, back of shoulders, etc). I was a classic case. Dr. H. noted that I looked like I had Cushing’s. He sent me off for tests. But since my case was caused by a drug, and not by a tumor, the tests didn’t come back the way he expected. FYI, I was 5 feet, 8.5 inches tall and weighed 165lbs. I had shot up from 130lbs.

He refused to call me with my test results. I was so sick, I couldn’t walk to my classes at school and had to take medical leave (from muscle wasting). I got a letter in the mail telling me that there was nothing wrong with me, and I needed to see a dietitian. He even provided me with the number of the dietitian in his clinic.

There was no mention of my symptoms. I had dizziness, migraines, severe fatigue (muscle wasting), etc. Yes, I had gained a sudden amount of weight, with no changes in my diet. And with my height, I wasn’t even considered medically overweight.

I called his nurse when I got the letter and rudely told her that I was sick, not fat, and was going to see a real doctor that would address my symptoms.

I shudder what would happen if someone saw him with a real medical problem that was overweight.

I ended up seeing 8 other doctors in my area who couldn’t diagnose me. But at least they never called me fat.

I ended up going to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN to get diagnosed. The delay in treatment caused great damage to my body – brain damage, severe muscle wasting, scaring over most of my body from connective tissue breakdown, and my marriage ended from the emotional stress.

Posted by Kate Harding on July 17, 2007

https://fathealth.wordpress.com/2007/07/17/cushings-disease-go-on-a-diet/