Kathryn G

You are truly a Cushing! Wow! That is very neat that you have been able to trace back your roots and also find that you are related to the man who discovered this disease. Kate G

I hear ya. I was the same, Jill. Would this happen to us in the States? Most likely not because we would have travelled to a specialist trained in Cushing's. I don't think it is our healthcare system though. I just think there are very few really good Cushing's doctors or pituitary centers. Some doctors claim to be a "cushing's specialist." It happens in the States too but people in the States have a choice ( if their coverage allows them). Hang in there, Jill. Something has to give soon. Kate G

There are some real advantages to our healthcare in Canada. We don't pay a dime ( unless you have extended health via work) and everyone is entitled to medical. We don't have people being denied seeing a doctor, rich or poor. It isn't perfect though. We do have very long waits if your condition is not deemed an emergency. If you have a heart attack, stroke, cancer, ect. you will be seen right away. This lady, Shona Holmes, situation is slightly different than you would think. I have talked with her before. She did have high cortisol but it was coming from her adrenal glands from what I recall and she has had a BLA. I *think* more the problem isn't with the healthcare system, but very conservative doctors. In the States, you have a choice and you will still have the choice. In Canada, we are very limited and most endos seem very conservative. You have the same issues with some endos being very conservative in the States. We also go by old values often and that doesn't help. You won't have that issue. We are just slightly backwards and not up on the latest and greatest. We don't have mass. spec. urine tests. We didn't have saliva testing until very recently. I have a "yearly" MRI booked for July 2011. It will be two years between my MRIs for my yearly MRI. That is were I notice a huge backlog. Just waiting for a scan. I still do like our healthcare system but it isn't perfect. Kate

I am not sure what you are leaming, Jessica. Are you meaning people in chat putting down other people? What is the chat box and how can people use it and abuse it? Kate G

Judy, How exciting! I hope they get some answers and quickly. Keep us posted. Kate G

Ami, Thanks for reminding us of these rules and thanks for reminding me. I can only think of two times since I have joined the boards that I have made a comment that I later regretted. I joined the boards three years ago, and for the most part, I have found lots of support and I hope I have offered support, too. The two times that I have opened my big trap, I later regretted it terribly. This just happened the other day and I am feeling so guilty about what I said. The person starting the thread meant well and I like her. I just was trying to point out that there could be a better way of saying what she was trying to say. I didn't mean to hurt her feelings at all but I should have said nothing in hindsight. I want to say how deeply sorry I am to this person. Thanks for this thread. It comes at a time when I personally needed to read theses rules again. Kate

That is very interesting, Mary. Thanks for sharing with us. Kate G

Great interview. I am planning on showing your interview to my whole family. It is very informative. Thanks for sharing! You look wonderful and did an amazing job. Kate G

MaryO, Thanks for posting this. I know that from articles I have read that treating hyperplasia is much more difficult. Hopefully more knowledge is gained down the road and other people do not need to suffer. Kate G

Thanks for sharing that article, Mary. Kate G

I wanted to add something about this article. I was thinking and it might not work but they mentioned if you change something that triggers the hyperplasia it can die off. So, when people who are breast feeding, they might have hyperplasia cells to do with prolactin but when they stop breast feeding, those cells go back to the way they should have been. People who have thyroid stimulating hyperplasia and they add thyroid meds. that hyperplasia could die off. For ACTH they said that there is too much estrogen to begin with. Dopamine is lowered for some reason. They feel that the combination could trigger ACTH hyperplasia. So, what is you took some estrogen lowering drugs or natural products that lower estrogen ( like DMI). Plus someone takes a dopamine supplement or something that raises dopamine like St. Johns Wart. Could the two combinations kill off ACTH hyperplasia? It probably wouldn't work but what if they tried to cut off the chain of events that cause hyperplasia, could the tumor die off? I know that this is just speculation since they don't know exactly what causes hyperplasia but they do feel that certain triggers cause it and can possibly correct the problem. Mind you, at the end of the article it did mention that Cushing's hyperplasia is still harder to treat and remission isn't always possible after surgery. Kate G P.S. Cindy, those photos are from a doctor here in Canada. I have seen that same article she wrote. Her name is Dr. Asa. My pathology is being sent to her. She is a leading pathologist and happens to be married to Dr. Ezzat, an endo in Canada. Thanks for adding those photos!

Sorry you are feeling so yucky, Robin. Hopefully you are able to get some well needed rest this weekend. I did read that some hyperplasia can be treated if the source is taken away. For instance, if someone is breast feeding, they might have more prolactin cells that are hyperplasia and once they stop feeding, the hyperplasia will cease. There seem to be some hyperplasia that can be treated once the source is removed. At the end of the article it did mention that some ACTH hyperplasia can not be treated. Someone mentioned Crooke's, that was mentioned in the artilce too. The pathologist in Canada that will be reviewing my pathology basis a fair amount on Crooke's. Dr. F. passed this along this info, that Dr. Asa does base a fair amount of Crooke's. Dr.F. feels that Crooke's does not happen with mild Cushing's, he believes it happens with advanced Cushing's. I was trying to find info on Crooke's and I found a little bit. I still don't totally understand what Crooke's is. This article mentioned Crooke's and someone who replied to this thread mentioned they had Crooke's. Kate G