Shauna

If you're looking for phrases I think we could come up with some good ones.

Off the top of my head I can think of:

Tenacity

Knowledge is Power

Support

Friendship

Survivor

I'm sure there are more creative people than me. I'm lame at this stuff.

I don't have any hard and fast answers, but my gut says that you'd probably have to tought it out - kinda like hubs is doing now. I'd think that it would be a bad idea to replace with steroids, which could cause permanent AI. I think this is what they call being between a rock and hard place

Char, sometimes things happen that are just a pure and simple blessing. Your finding this article is one. My husband has been having severe problems for about a month. He's had blood tests out the wazoo, and since his doctor is my doctor, the doc thinks there's no way he could have Addison's and says that I'm paranoid (which I sorta am). But every time hubby describes his problems, how he feels, I tell him that's how I am every day and I can totally relate.

Anyway, he is seeing a rheumy tomorrow. He also has some skin problems (dermoid lupus, rosacea) and has been using a rx 2.5% hydrocortisone cream on his face, topical. So you can imagine I read this article with much, much interest.

How amazing is it that this could be hubby's problem? And that if it was some person on the board I'd be able to figure out the problem, but not when the problem is attached to someone I live with. I printed the article and this will be going with him to the doctor tomorrow.

So thank you - there are little miracles in every day. I'll keep you updated if this is the problem but it sure fits. What a total blessing that this came up right before his appointment.

I doubt there's a lawsuit - the basic tenant behind any lawsuit is 'have you been harmed? If so, what are your damages?' We have no damages, even though the commercial ticks us off, it hasn't really hurt us, other than wounding our pride.

Mary, I love each and every one of those ideas. Almost all are totally doable by even those of us who are sick. I will step up my helping as of now.

Ha! They'd probably dx him with Syndrome X.

I'd love a copy too, please - shaunanelson@gmail.com

I got my shot a few weeks ago. If the pharmacy doesn't know what Cushing's is (or the person giving the shot) just say that you're on long term high dose steroids - close enough, in my book.

I'm going to dig up my CUSH hat and send it along - let's all do it and put pituitary Cushing's on it!  Maybe more people will realize that even if our tumor is not technicall IN the brain it's awfully darn near!

I think we should bring this test (or create one!) to prospective endos.  If they pass, we'll see them.  If not, we're outta there.  

100% here too.  Also took an endocrinology test on the OHSU pit sight today, scored 100% there, too.

I'm on 7 on the click thing - sorry, I've yet to figure out exactly the dose.  I'm using Genentech's stuff.  

If I sound at all loopy today it's because I've been sleeping ALL DAY LONG.  I think I've been awake for maybe a half hour total.  What is wrong with me?!  I know, wrong thread.

Not too restrictive - that's for sure!

I noticed with my GH (and my doc had warned me) that my middle fat would find a shape.  And it did - the sides of my waist area is very firm now. I also think that is why I've finally stopped losing weight.  I haven't lost much weight in the last four months (mayyybe 10 pounds, if that much).  

I swear GH is a miracle.

That's what I thought too - can you imagine getting the wrong meds?  We'd be crawling on the floor wondering what WE did wrong.

SACRAMENTO, California (AP) -- Thousands of patients may have received the wrong prescription drugs last week due to a power outage at a hospital chain's computer center, hospital officials said Monday.

There were no reports Monday of patients suffering from adverse reactions because of the prescription mix-up.

About 4,700 patients from Fresno to the Oregon border were affected after a power loss at Kaiser Permanente's computer center in Southern California knocked the pharmacy's labeling system out of sync, said hospital spokeswoman Lea Rubio. It's unclear what caused the power outage.

Patients who had their prescriptions filled Thursday at one of the 108 Kaiser-Permanente-owned pharmacies in Northern California could have received the wrong drug even if the information printed on the bottle was correct, Rubio said.

The error also affects patients who ordered their prescriptions by telephone.

Hospital officials discovered the mistake late Friday and tried over the weekend to contact patients who could have been affected by the labeling error to warn them not to take the drugs, even sending workers to patients' homes, Rubio said.

But by Monday afternoon, 152 patients who could have received mislabeled drugs still had not been contacted, in some cases because they listed a post office box as their address, Rubio said.

This is awesome!  I'm listening to the webcast right now.  This is my Dr. Cook and his nurse/wife that I love so dearly.  Thanks for showing us this, Mary!

What new book?  I must've missed it!  

I don't know a thing about cookies, or I'd help - hope it gets fixed up soon, Sue.

I'm so against this type of surgery and the promotion of it.  First we heard of Carney Wilson's miraculous weight loss, then Al Roker, and now Ann Wilson.

Congratulations to them for losing weight, but why are they being hailed in the media????  How about hailing someone with Cushing's who LIVED through it.  This is an easy way out, that has so many complications.  And to see it advertised as an easy way to lose weight is just wrong.  

Many of us have to deal with being heavy or obese - yet, somehow, by some miracle of God, we are able to work through it and still see ourselves as WONDERFUL human beings.  I think anytime you become more focused on how you look than what your soul is doing, you're headed in the wrong direction.  

Our mindset about heavy people needs to change and having bariatric surgery is not going to do it.  These people have the power to help society change, yet they chose not to do it - shame on them.

I bought my in-laws some cooking related stuff at cooking.com through igive.  Really cool stuff too!  It's nice to buy and do something right, at the same time.

WHO doesn't think dental issues isn't an important forum?  Just because it's not the most heavily posted in forum, doesn't mean it doesn't matter.

I've seen people post the same question in several forums - sometimes the question is pertinant to the topic, sometimes not.  Does that mean we should get rid of those ones that aren't pertinant?

Things are good as is, and I think we should be thankful that we have all the options we do have.

Man, I chose the wrong profession!  Free house??  I was happy with a company car.  I'm upping my ante.

License plate frame - I love that idea.

Had to laugh about the thong.  Perhaps we could wear those and model for the calendar.  You know that'd REALLY spread the word about cush!!

I have this and several of us have wondered if it's all related.  Research:

Study suggests common immune system condition underlies range of allergic,

autoimmune, hormonal ills

     Sept. 26 ?  Women with endometriosis ? a leading cause of infertility in which tissue from the womb lining grows elsewhere in the body ? are much more likely to suffer from rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia and allergies, new research has found. The discovery suggests these conditions may be connected by an underlying immune system abnormality, experts say.    

       THE STUDY, published this week in the journal Human Reproduction, is the first to document something that has been noticed by many women with the painful disorder, which afflicts about 10 percent of women of childbearing age.

      These findings ?suggest a strong association between endometriosis and autoimmune disorders and indicate the need to consider the co-existence of other conditions in women with endometriosis,? said study author Ninet Sinaii of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.

      The cause of endometriosis, as well as of the other diseases, remains unknown.

      ?What is the underlying factor, the commonality, between all of these diseases? If we can find out what the one factor is, or group of factors, we can target that and hopefully come up with a way to treat not only the endometriosis, but also some of the other diseases,? said Warren Nothnick, a University of Kansas professor of obstetrics and gynecology who was not connected with the study.

IMMUNE SYSTEM CHEMICALS MAY BE LINK

      His own work, as well as that of other scientists, suggests that the malfunctioning of certain immune system chemicals called cytokines may be a common link.  

       Assuming endometriosis occurs before the other diseases, it may also be possible one day to spare women with endometriosis from developing some of the additional diseases, Nothnick said.

      The study, conducted by scientists at National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, George Washington University and the Endometriosis Association, involved 3,680 women with endometriosis.

      The scientists found that 20 percent of the women had more than one other disease. A third of the women who had other diseases had fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome, and some of those women also had other autoimmune or hormone diseases.

      Chronic fatigue syndrome was more than 100 times more common than among the general U.S. female population.

      Hypothyroidism, which involves an underactive thyroid gland and causes mental and physical slowing, was seven times more common.  

        Fibromyalgia, which is characterized by widespread body pain and tiredness, was twice as common among the women with endometriosis.

      Autoimmune inflammatory diseases ? systemic lupus, rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis ? also occurred more frequently than normal.

      Rates of allergic conditions were higher, too. While allergies occur in 18 percent of U.S. women, they occurred in 61 percent of the women with endometriosis. The rate climbed even higher if the women had additional diseases.

GAP IN DIAGNOSIS

      The study also confirmed previous findings that there is typically a lengthy gap between the time women first get the pelvic pain and the diagnosis of endometriosis.  

         ?As well as finding an increased prevalence of this wide range of diseases and conditions among women with endometriosis, we found that they reported significant pain and disability and, very worryingly, that there was typically a 10-year delay between the onset of pelvic pain and diagnosis,? Sinaii said.

      The scientists do not know whether endometriosis develops over time or whether it can occur when girls reach puberty. They are also unsure about whether early treatment can prevent chronic pain.

      Sinaii and her colleagues are urging doctors, particularly those who treat adolescents, to be aware that pelvic pain could mean endometriosis and that it is linked to other conditions.

      ?It is vital therefore that attempts should be made to diagnose and treat endometriosis in adolescents,? added Dr. Pamela Stratton, who worked on the research.

      The most common symptom of endometriosis is pain, especially excessive cramps during menstrual periods or pain during or after sex. Infertility occurs in about 30 to 40 percent of women with endometriosis.

      Two-thirds of the women reported having relatives with either confirmed or suspected endometriosis, suggesting it may run in families.

UNDERSTANDING ENDOMETRIOSIS

      Endometrial tissue outside the uterus responds to the menstrual cycle similarly to the way it responds in the uterus. At the end of every cycle, when hormones cause the uterus to shed its endometrial lining, endometrial tissue growing outside the uterus also breaks apart and bleeds.

      However, unlike menstrual fluid from the womb, which is flushed from the body during menstrual periods, blood from the misplaced tissue has no place to go. Tissues surrounding the area of endometriosis may become inflamed or swollen.

      It is one of the most complex and least understood gynecological diseases and, despite many theories, the cause remains unknown.

      One theory is that during menstruation some of the menstrual tissue backs up through the fallopian tubes into the abdomen, where it implants and grows.

That's so awesome that we're linked on that site.   I sent notice of his book to Kristy a week or so ago. I like how he describes the book!  

I heard that on CNN last week (week before?) and was very saddened.

I've heard good things about what Dr. F is actually doing - at least there's one doc on our side, huh?

Kristy,

I have her follow-up book, Secrets of the Shadow, if you want one.  Lemme know.  Actually I have about ten of these books so if you want several, let me know.  

I'd read them but can't get into it.  My mind doesn't focus so hot lately.