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MelissaG

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MelissaG last won the day on November 19 2021

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About MelissaG

  • Birthday 04/04/1968

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    Evans, NY

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  1. EVERYTHING CAME BACK NORMAL All my labs were fine and my MRI came back as follows.. FINDINGS: The pituitary gland appears of normal size and configuration. Homogenous enhancement of the pituitary parenchyma after the administration of the IV contrast medium; Mo definite focal mass could be identified. The pituitary stalk appears central. The optic chiasm is unremarkable. What is seen of the brain is unremarkable for significant intracranial abnormality. Small mucus retention cyst seen in the left aspect of the sphenoid sinus. IMPRESSION: No radiological evidence to suggest pituitary mass lesion or pathological enhancement. >> So I guess I am back to square one. On the plus side, my appointment was with not only the Endo, but the neurosurgeon was also there. They were both wonderful! I have to say, I was very upset because I saw the PA first, and she was the one who told me that everything was normal and there was no reason for me to be there (yeah, she was a real pill!) and that she didn?t see any reason for me to continue testing. OH! And I had brought pictures and she wouldn?t look at them! She just said ?well I?m sure there WOULD be significant changes in you appearance after you gained 80lbs?. However, then she left the room and said the Endo would be in shortly. I was very surprised when the Endo & the Neurosurgeon walked about 5 minutes later with 4 other people! The Nuerosurgeon spoke 1st and said ?I have some good news for you?. At this point I told him, ?yes I heard, and I am sorry that I have apparently wasted everyone?s time?. Then he said, hold on a minute, we are not done with you just yet. He then went on to tell me that although the MRI did not show anything, that there was a possibility that it was just too small to be seen and the the Endo chimed in and said that they want to continue testing because it was possible that the tumor was not secreting hormones all the time and I could have been tested during a non-secretion period. They ordered 3 more midnight salivary tests!!! The Endo seemed very concerned about the headaches I have been getting especially the one I mentioned I had during orgasm. (Bummer, I know?I was having such a good time that night too!) She also asked me if I ever got hand trembles after or during the headaches? (I have!) She started rattling off something to her assistant about a bunch of other testing she wanted to do (sorry, I was so frazzled at this point that I can?t even remember what she said). I do remember that what she said she was going to test for was rare and that some of my other symptoms didn?t point to it, but that she wanted to cover all possible bases. I just realized that she never gave me another lab slip for the additional testing when I left, but they are supposed to call me to set up another appointment so perhaps they will mail it to me. I know she said something about having to look something up. Anyway, sorry this is so long, but I think that all things considered, the appointment went pretty well. It sucks that everything came back ?normal? but at least they seem very committed to finding out what is going on with me. I feel like I was actually believed for once.
  2. heleu from the netherlands:)

    thank you for adding me to your friendlist.

    and first to fill up your empty comment space:)

  3. Ok..so I am soooo excited right now!!! There is a Cushing's Clinic in Rochester, NY (not too far from where I live) but I couldn't get in because my Endo hasn't done a complete Cushing's workup or MRI yet. (By the way, my Endo STILL wont return my calls to discuss my labs or the possiblity of ordering more tests and/or an MRI!) Anyway.... My Cushie friend just emailed me and said that she just spoke with someone at the clinic (she goes there) and explained my situation and that I cant seem to get any help, that she is certain that I have cushings, and they said that they would speak to the doctor and........THEY WILL CALL ME TOMORROW!!! I am so happy...trying not to get my hopes up, but SO HAPPY!!! I'll let you know what happens!
  4. MelissaG

    My 1st Blog

    Thanks for visiting my blog! Wow, I was reading your story and I have to comment on how strong you are! I have felt many times that I just want to give up, but reading people's stories, such as yours, gives me the strenght to just keep pushing. Good luck to you, I will keep reading your blog to see how you are coming along.
  5. Ok, so I finally got a message from the Endo on my machine at home saying that she has my lab results and thinks I have Metabolic Syndrome because my insulin level was elevated. (it was 103). The thing I don?t get is that Metabolic syndrome is a group of conditions including ? High blood pressure (ok, this shoots up every once in a while lately, but mostly it is normal) ? High blood sugar levels (103 isn't really that high!) ? High levels of triglycerides (mine were 148, which is within the normal range) ? Low levels of HDL, the good cholesterol, in your blood (mine was 50 which is fine) ? Too much fat around your waist (YES I KNOW I'M FAT!) What I don't get is how she (the Endo) can diagnose me as having Metabolic syndrome when the only thing showing even slightly elevated was the Glucose done as part of the Metabolic panel? The Insulin Serum was 12 (normal is less than 17). I have every symptom, why won't she even consider Cushing's and do some testing????? Am I crazy? Oh! And get this... I had told her at my appointment that I have been having Gallbladder attacks and that the hospital and my doctor told me that I should probably have it out soon because they are getting worse. You know what the Endo told me? She said, "now hold on there, don't do anything just yet! If you change the way you eat, that problem will resolve itself". Can you believe it?? This is after I TOLD her that I don't eat badly, that I understand nutrition, that I am NOT a snacker, eat very few processed or high fat foods and eat a lot of fruit and vegetables. She just totally ignored me and basically made me feel like all of my health problems are because I am an unhealthy eater! She didn't even listen to me, barely glanced at my pictures or my list of symptoms and said the hump on my neck/back "can be caused by gaining weight". She didn't even look at my stretch marks! (By the way, mine aren?t dark purple like some peoples, they are mostly just pink). I called her back yesterday. How do I convincingly explain to her that she needs to do more testing for Cushing?s? That a Cortisol level of 5.6 (at 10:45 in the morning) is NOT considered normal? When the endo calls me back (I left a message), I plan to tell her... "Ok, so you think it's metabolic syndrome? Cant that be a symptom itself of a more serious problem such as Cushing's? Metabolic syndrome itself doesn?t explain away the missed/irregular periods, the forgetfulness, the low (let face it, gone!) sex drive, the acne, the buffalo hump, the mustache, etc...." I need her to do a COMPLETE Cushing's workup!!!
  6. I will probably need one before my journey is over. My husband hates me, of this I am convinced. I don't know what else to say about it. I know I sound crazy but I HOPE THEY FIND A TUMOR!!! Then maybe my husband will feel bad enough to start acting like the man I fell in love with. Because hey..you cant be mean to someone with a brain tumor right?????
  7. Ok so now I am feeling just awful! Yester day at about 2pm, I started to feel so awful that I had to go home early from work. So at about 3pm I told my boss I didnt feel good and left. I could barely drive home, i felt like I was going to fall asleep at any second. I actually did for a second while stopped at a red light! (sorry to the guy behind me who had to beep at me) Anyway, I got home and layed down instantly on the couch and was asleep in seconds and ended up sleeping for 4 hours. My husband said I was dead to the world, he couldn't even wake me up. So I wake up about 8pm and was still tired, but tucked the kids into bed and sat with them for a while. Then I went to bed at about 10pm and slept all night (ok woke up 2x but only for a few minutes, then fell back asleep) So...after all this rest, you would think I would be well rested right? NO, I am just as tired today and everything feels swollen and hurts! Also I have more pimples today than I think I have ever had in my life! its like they came overnight! Am I in a low cortisol cycle? I'm just learning about these things so any advice is more than welcome! This past weekend I think I was in a high cyclew because I was not able to sleep and was irritated at everything and felt like I was going to junp out of my skin! When are those tests going to come back!!!!
  8. So, I had some blood work done yesterday. I wish I knew how long it would take to get the results back! (I forgot to ask). These are the tests that my Endo ordered; ? Comp Metabolic Panel ? Cortisol (this was a blood test) ? Hemoglobin A1C ? Insulin Serum ? Lipid Panel ? TSH & T4, Free ? Prolactin Serum ? FSH, Serum ? Estradol Can I just complain for a minute? I did not feel that this Endo was listening to me and I am concerned that she so easily dismissed the possiblility of Cushing's (because it's rare). I really resent the lecture (again) about eating healthy and excercise! I wonder if she is getting a kick back from the "South Beach Diet" people? because she couldn't stop going on and on about it! Please, please, please let them find something wrong with my bloodwork! (I know, sounds crazy right??) I just want to get better and I can't take much more of the condesending and dismissive attitutes from Doctors and friends/family! Give me strength!
  9. Hello to any of you out there reading this. I never thought I would blog, but then again, never say never right? Here is a quick background about me. I am 41 years old, married and have 3 children who are the light of my life! Aproximatelly 10 years ago after the birth of my 2nd daughter I went to my doctor because I kept getting sick all the time with respiratory infections and I was exhausted. I asked him at the time if I could possibly have an immune disorder because I was noticing that every time I tried to exercise I would end up weak, rundown and catch a cold or something. I would get so run down and ill that I felt like death for a week! Needless to say, they did some tests, and told me I was fine. It was up and down like that for a few years, then I had my 3rd child and the weight never went away and just got worse, (I was about 150 at the time but I was always under 120 before) Then I was 170, then 175?then the migraines started, OMG did they ever!! They got so bad that I begged my doctor to please put me on an everyday drug to prevent them! I started taking Topamax which helped AND I lost 30 lbs! Unfortunately it didn?t last long?after about a year my body got used to the drug and the weight came back with a vengeance! I gained 30 lbs in about 2 months (did I mention that my eating habits never changed?) and then another 10 and another. I am now at about 194lbs, which at 5ft 2in is awful! I used to be cute and energetic and had a nice figure, now I am fat, and exhausted all the time! I tried severely reducing my calories, weight watchers, no luck. I lost 3lbs in 2 months eating 1200 calories and on weight watchers I lost 5 but then it came right back the following week. It was embarrassing! Now I have a hump on my back on top of everything else! I bruise very easily. My joints and muscles ache so bad sometimes that I cry, no sex drive, irregular periods (sometimes don?t get them for 5 -6 months at a time, then have it every 2 weeks), recent high blood pressure, slightly elevated blood sugar, mood swings (I was actually told once that I might be bi-polar!) Some hair growth on my face (but not a lot, getting a mustache), thiner legs and arms but very rounded belly, moon face, exhausted to the point sometimes where just washing my hair is too much, other times I am restless and irritated and unable to sleep well, anxiety, frequent infections (sinus & lung and seem to catch every cold possible), gall bladder attacks. I used to be a competitive figure skater when I was younger, I taught ice skating, I used to work for a Health Club, coached my kids soccer teams. I am not a lazy person who hates excersize, I actually like to work out. I NEVER eat fast food, I LOVE vegetables, never had a weight problem. I eat healthier than most people I know! Now I?m not saying I don?t ever eat pizza or anything ?bad?. I do, but an occasional piece of pizza, or a couple cookies is not responsible for the 75+ lbs I have gained! I love exercise, but I am so exhausted most of the time that I even gave up doing Tai Chi! So now, after years and years of being made to feel like a hypochondriac, my doctor has suggested Cushings. (He also thought PCOS but my Gyno rulled it out) WTH??? Cushing's??? So off I go to pee into a cup for 24 hours. Guess what? The tests came back "normal" UUGGHHH! Flash forward to 2 months later when I FINALLY get to see the Endocronologist and she tells me, "well I doubt very much that you have Cushing's because it is rare" (this was her only reasoning). She did however order a blood cortisol test and a Prolactin Serum test (among others). I guess we will just have to wait and see.....
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