Sarah, presents with symptoms like weight gain, high blood pressure, and mood swings. After a thorough examination and testing, the doctor diagnoses Sarah with Cushing’s syndrome, a condition caused by prolonged exposure to high levels of cortisol.
The course of treatment for Sarah would likely involve addressing the underlying cause of her elevated cortisol levels. If it’s due to a tumor in the pituitary gland, surgery may be necessary to remove it. If medication is causing the excess cortisol, her doctor might adjust her dosage or switch her to an alternative.
In addition to treating the underlying cause, Sarah may also need medications to manage her symptoms, such as blood pressure medications or medications to reduce cortisol production.
Prognosis for Cushing’s syndrome varies depending on the cause and how early it’s treated. With appropriate treatment, many people with Cushing’s syndrome can experience significant improvement in their symptoms and quality of life. However, if left untreated, it can lead to serious complications such as diabetes, osteoporosis, or cardiovascular disease, affecting long-term prognosis. Regular follow-up with healthcare providers is essential for monitoring progress and managing any ongoing symptoms or complications.
Ever since I was young my grandparents had type 2 diabetes. I would ask my mom what that meant and she just told me that they were sick and needed to check their blood everyday. I got curious one day and researched diabetes. I found that type 2 diabetes develops in a person whose body does not produce enough insulin to function. To get diagnosed they needed to get an A1C test which indicates a person’s average blood sugar over the last 2-3 months. The way that my grandparents have to manage their type 2 diabetes include healthy eating, insulin treatment, exercise, and blood sugar monitoring.
Every morning, I used to wake up and run. As the daughter of an athletic instructor, I’ve always been an active child, participating in every sport imaginable. I’ve maintained my athleticism as I entered into my adult years, but things have obviously changed. 9-5s have to be attended to, joints aren’t what they were. But, compared to my peers, my health was gradually deteriorating. I was 40 when it all began. Fatigue and slugginess plagued my days, my muscles were constantly sore, joints always stiff. I assumed it was simply time, but other, concerning symptoms developed. Following the hair loss and excessive swelling in my neck, I decided it was time to go to the doctors. First stepping into the examination room, my doctor immediately commented on my neck. I had described my complications, and he first requested a TSH test. These detect high levels of the thyroid stimulating hormone, TSH, which indicates an excessive command by the pituitary to increase thyroid hormone production if levels are too low in the bloodstream. As he expected, the test showed exactly that, confirming a development of hypothyroidism. This particular condition is essentially an underactive thyroid gland. But, just to be safe, the doctor then ordered an antibody test to confirm which disease, if any, had led to hypothyroidism. Turns out, I’ve grown resistant to thyroid peroxidase (TPO), a significant hormone in thyroid hormone production, in the blood. Based on this diagnosis, the doctor relayed the news that I have hashimoto’s disease, an autoimmune disorder affecting the thyroid gland. My body essentially creates immune-system cells to attack the thyroid’s hormone-producing cells, resulting in hypothyroidism. The cause here was entirely genetic, but other instances could occur because of radiation exposure and environmental triggers. Overall, I should be okay in the long run if treatment is successful. I’ll have to take medication to counter the hypothyroidism, as well as undergo T4 replacement therapy indefinitely. Through T4 replacement therapy, levothyroxine (a synthetic hormone) works similarly to T4, a hormone naturally produced by the thyroid. The goal here is to maintain ideal levels of T4 hormones and improve any symptoms of hypothyroidism.
Sarah, presents with symptoms like weight gain, high blood pressure, and mood swings. After a thorough examination and testing, the doctor diagnoses Sarah with Cushing’s syndrome, a condition caused by prolonged exposure to high levels of cortisol.
The course of treatment for Sarah would likely involve addressing the underlying cause of her elevated cortisol levels. If it’s due to a tumor in the pituitary gland, surgery may be necessary to remove it. If medication is causing the excess cortisol, her doctor might adjust her dosage or switch her to an alternative.
In addition to treating the underlying cause, Sarah may also need medications to manage her symptoms, such as blood pressure medications or medications to reduce cortisol production.
Prognosis for Cushing’s syndrome varies depending on the cause and how early it’s treated. With appropriate treatment, many people with Cushing’s syndrome can experience significant improvement in their symptoms and quality of life. However, if left untreated, it can lead to serious complications such as diabetes, osteoporosis, or cardiovascular disease, affecting long-term prognosis. Regular follow-up with healthcare providers is essential for monitoring progress and managing any ongoing symptoms or complications.
Ever since I was young my grandparents had type 2 diabetes. I would ask my mom what that meant and she just told me that they were sick and needed to check their blood everyday. I got curious one day and researched diabetes. I found that type 2 diabetes develops in a person whose body does not produce enough insulin to function. To get diagnosed they needed to get an A1C test which indicates a person’s average blood sugar over the last 2-3 months. The way that my grandparents have to manage their type 2 diabetes include healthy eating, insulin treatment, exercise, and blood sugar monitoring.
Every morning, I used to wake up and run. As the daughter of an athletic instructor, I’ve always been an active child, participating in every sport imaginable. I’ve maintained my athleticism as I entered into my adult years, but things have obviously changed. 9-5s have to be attended to, joints aren’t what they were. But, compared to my peers, my health was gradually deteriorating. I was 40 when it all began. Fatigue and slugginess plagued my days, my muscles were constantly sore, joints always stiff. I assumed it was simply time, but other, concerning symptoms developed. Following the hair loss and excessive swelling in my neck, I decided it was time to go to the doctors. First stepping into the examination room, my doctor immediately commented on my neck. I had described my complications, and he first requested a TSH test. These detect high levels of the thyroid stimulating hormone, TSH, which indicates an excessive command by the pituitary to increase thyroid hormone production if levels are too low in the bloodstream. As he expected, the test showed exactly that, confirming a development of hypothyroidism. This particular condition is essentially an underactive thyroid gland. But, just to be safe, the doctor then ordered an antibody test to confirm which disease, if any, had led to hypothyroidism. Turns out, I’ve grown resistant to thyroid peroxidase (TPO), a significant hormone in thyroid hormone production, in the blood. Based on this diagnosis, the doctor relayed the news that I have hashimoto’s disease, an autoimmune disorder affecting the thyroid gland. My body essentially creates immune-system cells to attack the thyroid’s hormone-producing cells, resulting in hypothyroidism. The cause here was entirely genetic, but other instances could occur because of radiation exposure and environmental triggers. Overall, I should be okay in the long run if treatment is successful. I’ll have to take medication to counter the hypothyroidism, as well as undergo T4 replacement therapy indefinitely. Through T4 replacement therapy, levothyroxine (a synthetic hormone) works similarly to T4, a hormone naturally produced by the thyroid. The goal here is to maintain ideal levels of T4 hormones and improve any symptoms of hypothyroidism.