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Site Blog, moving material from external site

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It came Back

I am a very late entry. Shortly after my 5th anniversary post surgery 2005, in the 6th year, I knew something was "different". That old sense of dread returned. At the 6th anniversary checkup, I popped a "high" on urine cortisol. But it was a one time thing, not repeated in a "sequential lab". Over the next two years, my blood sugar went haywire, not controlled by higher and higher doses of metformin.  My weight began creeping up from 150# to just over 180# when the blood labs confirmed in the 8

FerolV

FerolV

January 2011

To all my Cushie sisters (and brothers!), "Peace Be With You", as we say in our church tradition. Whether you believe or not, there is a "Higher Power" who can support us when we are down. How many lonely nights before the internet, "social networks" and forum boards, did so many of us suffer alone? In agony and torment we cried out in the night (and day - beating fists on steering wheel), saying "Why ME, Lord, Why ME?" Still some inner strength kept us going, when all seemed lost to us. Some me

FerolV

FerolV

December 2010 Update

I had to call the endo's office to get the lab report review from the last UFC test returned after Thanksgiving. Thankfully, on review, the results were within "normal range". It may be that stress from most recent job change caused some elevation in the prior 24hr UFC from October. So next semi annual visit is scheduled for April 2011.   We have enjoyed our first snowfall of the winter, and I am ready for it to be gone! I did get some cute pictures of my Pepper playing in it.    

FerolV

FerolV

December 2010

Sept 30, 2010 was the 5th anniversary of my life after Cushing's Tumor, or so I thought. During my fall maintenance appointment with endocrinologist, the routine lab tests turned up an elevated cortisol level. I had to do another collection and turned it in earlier this week. Results are pending.   For quite some time, my average weight was holding between 150-154 pounds, but since this fall, has been creeping up again, now hovering around 158-160. This takes me back to 2002, when the creep u

FerolV

FerolV

November 25, 2009

I am back on METFORMIN again, after about 2 years without. My initial period did not go so well, as the endo had me start out at a FULL dose of 2 tabs a day, rather than reintroduce gradually. I never took that much before. After I got ill 3 days into the 2 tab a day dose, I stopped, got better, and then tried the more gradual approach, with only 1/2 tab for several days. After a few weeks, I am up to 2 tabs a day.   Funny thing, now my fasting blood sugar is running higher than before, but I

FerolV

FerolV

October 13, 2009

Lab reports from my last follow-up visit for CUSHING's indicate that my blood sugar has continued to "creep up" since 08-25-06, when it reached the lowest point of 5.6 for A1c. Since then my 6 month maintenance visits show that I held around 5.9 to 6.0 for a couple of years, then I was back up to 6.3 with my last visit in September.   I was prescribed METFORMIN again, starting out with a whopping 2 pills a day, 1 AM and 1 PM. I quickly felt bad at this level, and within a few days, believe I w

FerolV

FerolV

April 5, 2009

Spring in the Carolinas... Flowers blooming, sun shining, pollen on the breeze....   Many days I hope I am really past all the Cushings issues, when I wonder if some new ailment may or may not be related. Add the Scoliosis to that, and it is no wonder I hurt most of the time from something. Then... I am no spring chicken either. Stuff just falls apart when you are older. Recovery is slower, if at all.   I take my pleasures in the simple things. A good night's sleep, a blushing rose on the

FerolV

FerolV

January 23, 2009

Christmas in the Carolinas, complete with a trip to the Blue Ridge mountains. Of course we had to stop and visit husband's favorite fishing hole along the way. It was a bit too cold to stay for long.   Cushings? 3 years + post surgery, I am still on "hormone therapy" for my monthly cycle, and in early February I have a round of doctor appointments scheduled for annual and semi-annual visits. My sugar level seems to be under better control, with my latest problem - chronic proctitis, under some

FerolV

FerolV

September 2008 Lab Results

I have received copies of my latest lab results, and in my unexpert opinion, they look pretty good. My endocrinologist seemed to be satisfied with the findings as well.   Vitamin D 25-OH Total 61 ng/mL (20-100 ref range) I have been taking 50K unit supplements weekly since last April. My February reading was < 7.   Glucose 100 (70-99 ref range)   Hgb A1c 5.9 (4.4-6.4)   Urine creatinine 141   Urine Microalb <3.0 (0.0-23.0)   Urine Cortisol 16.6 (4.0-50.0)    

FerolV

FerolV

August 23rd, A Cushings Analogy

A recent Cushings Board post, I kind of like the analogy, so I am sharing here:   The problem lies "in the nature of the beast". I love the Michigan Frog analogy I read yesterday, where the frog performs when no one is LOOKING. In my 16 years from initial symptom, it was rarely the same symptom twice. Even when there were multiple symptoms, you couldn't tell when they would be consistantly active.   Our little beast, will lie dormant for a long while, then awake & growl, take a turn out

FerolV

FerolV

April 15, 2008

Surgery was 09-30-05. The following are copied from messages sent to family and friends at the time, providing updates on my post surgery condition:   October 3rd   Flip was in good spirits today and enjoyed the visitors. She got an IV of antibiotics that the doctor ordered. Funny thing is after her dinner tonight she began to run a fever, although a mild one of 100.5. Needless to say ANY fever concerns me so please continue to pray for her. I do not see her coming home until at least Wednes

FerolV

FerolV

Surgery Story, pt 2

I realized after reading through the old blogs, I never finished the Surgery Story.       I went home after an overnight stay for the bleed one week post-surgery. I was so afraid to leave. With my oxygen content low due to extreme loss of blood, I was rather fragile. My blood pressure was still borderline low, even with all the saline they have put in me. But send me home they did? At home I did VERY little for the next few days. I chose not to continue the blood pressure medication, becaus

FerolV

FerolV

March 2008

The photo in background in from about 1995, I almost resemble my "old self". I have been more active recently on the Cushings Help Board and have elected to link this blog to that site. If anyone drops by, please leave a message. Especially those in the Carolinas. I would like to see us start planning meetings on a quarterly basis, to enable those that can, to come together to share their story - up close and personal - and get a hug too! I dropped a line on the Cushings board, that maybe June

FerolV

FerolV

June 23, 2007

Ferol, Jon, Grandma Doris (Harold's Mom), Grandpa Dave (Flip's Dad)       Jon graduated from junior college in Georgia June 2nd. He was also Commissioned as a 2LT in U. S. Army Reserve on June 1st.    

FerolV

FerolV

March 12, 2007

A view from my Back door... At times it can be peaceful and relaxing. I can go out and sit on the deck, listen to the birds and frogs singing, the whisper of the soft breeze. Early in the day, or late in the evening, I take my solitude.   But then, the neighbor's kids start hollering and the local dogs start their "song". Quickly I retire to the kitchen, and continue to enjoy the view....    

FerolV

FerolV

What is Cushings? & My experience with it

What is Cushing's Syndrome? Cushing's syndrome refers to the physical and emotional difficulties caused by an elevated cortisol level. Features of excess cortisol include weight gain , especially centrally, fatigue , easy bruisability , excess hair growth (termed hirsutism ), susceptibility to infection, depression, menstrual irregularities in women , decreased libido and erectile dysfunction in men, high blood pressure , diabetes , and weak and brittle bones (osteoporosis). Many of these are no

FerolV

FerolV

Surgery Story, pt 1

Back to topic... Surgery was September 30, 2005. It was a day mixed with fear, and hopeful expectation. I had been miserable for so long with escalating symptoms, I was hoping for some kind of miracle that would restore me to the person I used to be. The fear comes in, because of the nature of the surgery. The Pituitary gland is located in the center of the head, under the hypothalamus, which is situated right under the brain. No slips, guys, no slips. To make it more complicated, my tumor was p

FerolV

FerolV

January 28th 2007

Vacation 2002 In my late 20's I began to experience ailments that could not be contributed to my age, or other extenuating circumstance, continuing through my mid-40's. I began experiencing nights sweats; sporadic tenderness in certain unmentionable locations; hair loss increased (by the brushful daily); and in time female dryness and irritation; unexplained weight gain & water retention; hypertension; hair growth in non-female areas (hirsutism); Type II Diabetes; with the onset of the weig

FerolV

FerolV

January 27th 2007

My grown family from the period of our 25th anniversary. I thought it would be a good time to update the family photo. We celebrated a few times. Here in Charlotte with family that came in for the event, and 20+ years of friends and associates. Then we traveled up to Tidewater, to again celebrate with family and OLD friends. Then down the coast to Nags Head, to extend our stay in the coastal area and get in some deep water fishing. Harold likes to tell this story: We had planned this deep sea tr

FerolV

FerolV

Blog Construction in Progress

I intend to copy from TWO external blog sites (thanks to IP mergers) my prior text and set up the ONE Cushings blog here. Construction Zone ahead...

FerolV

FerolV

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