My Experience with Cushing’s Recovery

Hello, everyone!

This week, I want to touch upon a topic I’m frequently asked about: my recovery.

I want to start by making something clear: Cushing’s disease recovery is different for everyone. My recovery differs from those of my two friends, and mine is different from yours. While many of the symptoms and emotions are similar, each recovery journey is unique.

For instance, one of my good friends is six months “ahead” of me in her recovery, and she is experiencing adrenal insufficiency. That is when the body’s cortisol levels become dangerously low. Another friend was on the path to recovery when her symptoms suddenly returned. She might have Cushing’s for life, but hers is an extreme and very rare case.

These examples demonstrate why you need to take each recovery story with a grain of salt. While it can be beneficial to hear other stories and outcomes, it can also lead your mind into negative thoughts. Unless that’s just me!

Now, let’s get into my recovery, shall we?

My recovery journey began on Jan. 27, 2017, the day of my surgery at Toronto Western Hospital. I spent five days in the hospital, where I experienced cortisol withdrawal symptoms. I was pale, shaking, breaking out in cold sweats, and felt like I was about to pass out. I also lost 11 pounds in water weight. Absolutely bonkers.

I was lucky that I didn’t have to stay longer. My cortisol levels had dropped, which is normal after surgery and is a positive future indicator for full recovery.

I was happy to be home. I was — finally — sleeping well, and the excessive sweating and overheating had stopped. I felt the cold and stayed under the covers. Showering was a bit of a struggle because of surgery to my nose, which restricted my head movements temporarily.

My next step was going back to Toronto to see my ENT surgeon. I had to get stents and stitches in my nose removed and get checked out for signs of infection. I would describe this part as one of the most unpleasant aspects of recovery.

If anything needs to be shoved that far up your nose, sedation should be obligatory! The feeling was so uncomfortable that I almost passed out. I had to lie down on a bed, where I sweated through the paper covering. How embarrassing!

With this experience over, it was time to focus on getting better.

Keep your eyes out for my next column, where I will describe the difficult parts of recovery after being in a hospital setting.

If you’re in recovery, how was your hospital stay and return home? Leave a comment below to let us know!

XOXO, Catarina

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Note: Cushing’s Disease News is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Cushing’s Disease News or its parent company, Bionews Services, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to Cushing’s disease.