Chronically Yours— Noura Costany

Lately, I’ve been getting my period every two weeks. While I work on getting that back to normal, I’m losing a lot of blood, and my body is especially fatigued because I lack iron.

Another year has come and gone. 2024 was a big year for me. I went through several medication changes and increases in dosages, an egg-freezing cycle, started a new job, and made a…

“How are you feeling?” “Me? Oh, a bit better.” During the holiday season, I have a version of this conversation repeatedly. My family and friends have seen me at my worst, bedridden and throwing…

Slow-healing wounds are one of the Cushing’s disease symptoms that most annoy me. In the time that a regular person heals from a wound, my healing journey has barely scratched the surface. For…

Cushing’s disease can exacerbate any stress I have. It can get overwhelming, especially when it seems to be piling on — as happened during the recent election season. Many people with Cushing’s experience…

Halloween was just the start of the holiday season. I’m now looking forward to Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s, as well as my wedding anniversary and several birthdays. While I adore this time of…

Because of major muscle and bone issues caused by my Cushing’s disease, I’ve been an ambulatory wheelchair user, which means I can sometimes move independently but use my wheelchair when I feel I…

Getting diagnosed with Cushing’s disease in 2020 changed my life — and my career path. I’d been out of college for only a year when I became sick and had to quit my job.

Some of the most difficult symptoms I deal with from chronic illness are vision problems. It’s something I haven’t talked about publicly before. Four years ago, around the time I was diagnosed…

In early October, I traveled alone for the first time in a while. Usually I travel with friends, family, or my…

I cannot emphasize enough the importance of community. I adore my friends and family, and I’m so grateful for all their help and support. I didn’t spend my entire life sick, but became ill…