Columns

Dealing with Cushing’s disease can be hard, and recently I’ve had more bad days than good ones. My goal is to maintain a positive attitude, no matter how frustrating life gets. Recently, I’ve been working on routines for the days when my cortisol is low, which makes me…

Emotional scarring from Cushing’s disease wasn’t something I predicted, but everywhere I turn, I discover residual feelings from that experience. I’m 13 weeks postpartum with my first baby, and I hadn’t realized until I gave birth the extent of emotional and psychological turmoil Cushing’s put me through before…

I recently had to lower my dosage of ketoconazole, one of the medications I take to treat my Cushing’s disease, because of liver problems. It always takes me some time to adjust to changes in medication, especially when it comes to my Cushing’s treatment. Since my…

Hello! I hope this column finds you doing well. My name is Jessica, and I was diagnosed with Cushing’s disease at the age of 30. A year after that, I had transsphenoidal pituitary resection surgery to remove a 3 mm pituitary tumor. Having Cushing’s disease is not…

I’m not sure if this experience is universal, but my Cushing’s disease symptoms change with the weather. Maybe I’m not so alone in that; Georgetown University Medical System, for instance, lists heat and cold intolerance among possible symptoms. I’ve learned over the years to manage most of these…

Cushing’s disease can often feel isolating. When I received my diagnosis in 2020, I couldn’t find any communities online. As I went through my diagnosis, surgery, and recurrence, I almost always felt alone. Because of this pattern, I’ve worked consistently to chat with people, help them reach…

Before my Cushing’s disease diagnosis two years ago, I was not only fit, but also quite active. It felt so good to move my body. I worked out at a gym three to five times a week and loved it. I also took walks around the neighborhood and went…

I’m out in public, trying to take public transportation. There aren’t any accessible stations nearby, so I decide to brave the stairs with my cane. As time goes by, my legs begin to ache, my knees start to twist, and my ankles feel like they’re giving out. By…

I was diagnosed with Cushing’s disease two years ago, at age 30. Last year, I had surgery to remove a 3 mm pituitary tumor. The tumor was causing a host of symptoms, including weight gain, moon face, buffalo hump, muscle weakness, bone pain, fatigue, and…

Summer is a time of celebration and contemplation for me. June is LGBTQIA+ Pride month, and July is Disability Pride Month. These are two identities I’m proud of, two communities I love dearly, but being queer and disabled has made my life very different from what I expected.