Chronically Yours— Noura Costany

I’m a huge believer in listening to my body’s cues. Whether I’m hungry, tired, thirsty, or bored, I love to hear my body out and give it what it needs. However, it’s not always that simple. While I want to trust my body, Cushing’s disease can wreak havoc, resulting…

As someone with Cushing’s disease, I respond incredibly poorly to heat. I can handle it in short bursts, but when the temperature is in the 80s or 90s F for weeks on end, I have a hard time regulating my body. Overheating is not only uncomfortable; it also leads…

Moving is always challenging, and getting used to a new neighborhood or city can be a little overwhelming. I’m writing this column while sprawled out in bed two weeks after I moved from New York to Michigan. Due to Cushing’s disease, my use of mobility aids, and the cost…

I’m currently in the process of frozen embryo transfer, which is usually the second half of an in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycle. Because I have both Cushing’s disease and polycystic ovary syndrome, having children naturally would’ve been a huge struggle, so my husband and I leaned into IVF. We…

I love the summer because June is Pride Month for the LGBTQ+ community and July is Disability Pride Month, two huge parts of who I am. For those of you who don’t know, I’m pansexual and genderqueer, with a preference for they/them pronouns. Cushing’s disease changed my body entirely.

Last week, my husband and I sent all of our stuff away in a pod. A few days later, he packed up our car with all of our belongings, kissed me goodbye, and drove off to Michigan to close on our new house and start a new job. I’m staying…

I’m not fantastic at asking for help. I pride myself on my capabilities and have always struggled with feeling like a burden because of my Cushing’s disease. However, my husband and I are in the midst of a move from New York City to Chelsea, Michigan, and on top…

I’ve been open about my experience going through in vitro fertilization. I have Cushing’s disease and polycystic ovary syndrome, and they each come with their own brand of fertility issues. My husband and I did an egg retrieval procedure last year, and we hope to do a frozen embryo…

My husband and I figured out a while ago that we can’t live in New York City forever. As much as I adore this city, my illness and disability make it impossible for me to take the subway, which is a major travel limitation. On top of that, the city…

When I was diagnosed with Cushing’s disease, I felt completely alone, like I was on an island surrounded by raging waves I couldn’t possibly swim through. In response, I built a community of understanding people, via this column and on social media, as well as by meeting up with…

My white blood cell count was high during my first tumor with Cushing’s disease, back in 2020. Now, with my second tumor, it’s happening all over again. For that reason, I’ve added a hematologist to my doctor rotation to make sure there isn’t any cancer and that Cushing’s is…

I have Cushing’s disease and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), both of which cause fertility issues. With Cushing’s, my periods stopped entirely and my hormones are obviously completely messed up. With PCOS, I had cysts and calcified fibroids on my ovaries. I was told I had a chance to…