Friday, October 19, 2012

Lightbulb Moment........

So, I saw an endocrinologist 2 weeks ago for the tumor on my Pituitary gland, and he drew a TON of blood. He is a very nice doctor, about my age, and he took a lot of time talking to me, and my sister Kelly about what has been going on with me over the past few months. Yesterday, I had my follow-up to go over my lab work. He was going over my lab with me, and he asks me the question, "Have you ever had to take a HUGE amount of steroids for anything?" I said, "Yes I have. When I was 17yo I was diagnosed with Discoid Lupus and was given Plaquenil which gave me Steven Johnson's Syndrome which nearly killed me, and I was put in the hospital for about a month. I was put on super high doses of steroids at that time." He then nodded his head and told me that that explained my lab work completely. He then went on to say that those super high doses of steroids had basically destroyed my pituitary gland and it's ability to produce the supplemental hormones that my body needs like cortisol and my thyroid hormones. He told me that I have to take one more test next week to confirm it, but he wrote the replacement medication for me already. Cortisol basically controls your energy level. He says that is one reason that I feel the uncontrollable need to sleep all of the time, and why we cannot get my thyroid levels regulated. It is hard to look at that bottle of medication in the cabinet knowing that it could give me ENERGY, but I have to wait until next week. So wait I will. After all, I've been waiting for 23yrs......

4 comments:

  1. YAY YAY YAY YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    That is great news!

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  2. Thanks Brook. I totally agree. Hopefully the pain that I am in will be more tolerable if I have more energy to deal with it.

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  3. Wow! Now that really IS something. I sincerely hope that the tests confirm that the medication is the right answer for you... Prayers continue for you!

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  4. It will be a partial answer Judy. I've also gotten a good Rheumatologist finally as well. I'm cautiously optimistic. Thank you for the prayers and for just thinking about me. I really do appreciate you.

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