Chronically Yours— Noura Costany

Dear Noura, I know how scared you feel right now after being diagnosed with Cushing’s disease. I know you hid in the bathroom night after night and cried yourself to sleep. You thought your life was over and that nothing would be OK again. Since getting sick, so many…

I’ve always known that I wanted kids. I was a nanny for several years and fell in love with every child I worked with. When I got married at 25, I assembled a timeline: We’d pursue our careers, buy a home, and have kids around the time I turned 30.

I’m sure many of us have experienced doctor’s appointment anxiety, especially ahead of a diagnosis. I’ve found myself staring blankly at doctors when they’ve asked me what my symptoms are. It’s not that I don’t have any; it’s that I was so desperate to be diagnosed and…

Cushing’s disease, which falls under the umbrella of Cushing’s syndrome, is caused by a tumor in the pituitary gland. Its patients have excess cortisol, which is often referred to as the stress hormone. It affects our immune system, blood pressure, and emotional processing. Many people with Cushing’s,…

Cushing’s disease is known to cause weight gain, among other symptoms. While dealing with my first pituitary tumor, which was surgically removed in 2020, I gained 70 pounds. In the first few months after my second tumor developed, I gained 50 pounds. My body changed, warped,…

This column describes the author’s own experiences with some alternative therapies. Not everyone will have the same response to treatment. Consult your doctor before starting or stopping a therapy. “Alternative medicine” is a bit of a buzz-term. Acupuncture, tai chi, herbs, and meditation, diverse as they are, have all…

As a Cushing’s disease survivor, I rely on my friends and family more than I would like to. There are days when I need help cooking, showering, or getting other simple tasks done. It can be frustrating and a little humiliating to rely on others for things that healthy…

I’ve been there a thousand times. Since I’m open about my illness online, people are acutely aware that I’m sick with cyclic Cushing’s disease. When I haven’t seen someone for a long time, they cock their head at me, their eyes fill with pity, and they ask in a…

Living with Cushing’s disease can feel very different from living a healthy life. With Cushing’s, we patients often have flare-ups, which are moments when our condition acts up and we experience more symptoms. For me, these symptoms include leg pain, migraines, sensitivity to light and…

Note: This column describes the author’s own experiences with ketoconazole, spironolactone, tirzepatide, and several supplements. Not everyone will have the same response to treatment. Consult your doctor before starting or stopping a therapy. Cushing’s disease has multiple treatment options. During my first occurrence in 2020,…

This column is dedicated to something that most Cushing’s disease patients have experienced: the dreaded MRI. I’d almost forgotten what an anxiety-inducing experience it can be until I had another scan done last week. Cushing’s disease is typically caused by a tumor in the pituitary gland, which…

Note: This column describes the author’s own experiences with ketoconazole, Mounjaro (tirzepatide), spironolactone, and supplements. Not everyone will have the same response to treatment. Consult your doctor before starting or stopping a therapy. I was diagnosed with Cushing’s disease three years ago. Since then, it has…