The Cushing’s symptoms that have crept in during my pregnancy

I’m currently about halfway through my pregnancy, which is an amazing and exciting feat. To ensure the baby’s safety, I am currently off most of my medications for Cushing’s disease.

I am currently taking the following medications and supplements:

• Synthroid (levothyroxine)
• Prenatal vitamins
• Vitamin D
• Iron
• Vitamin B (new for pregnancy)
• Low-dose aspirin (new for pregnancy)

Until the baby is born, I’m taking a break from:

• Ketoconazole
• Spironolactone
• Tirzepatide

For the most part, I’ve been doing well. My lab work has been pretty normal, and I’ve been pushing through. However, at around 18 weeks of gestation, I started to experience some of my Cushing’s symptoms again.

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Some Cushing’s symptoms return

The first was high blood pressure, which my OB-GYN expected and warned me about. I’m taking a low dose of aspirin to hopefully prevent preeclampsia, a complication of pregnancy involving high blood pressure and high levels of protein in the urine. To ensure my safety, we’re setting up a blood pressure machine at my home and making sure it aligns with the one at the hospital. This will enable me to measure my blood pressure regularly and alert my doctors about any issues.

The second symptom is bone pain. This is one of my least favorite symptoms because it’s excruciating. I handle it by taking pain medication that my doctor recommends, taking a warm bath (at a safe temperature for pregnancy), and using ice packs and Tiger Balm. I’m not sure if the latter actually helps with pain relief, but it does distract me.

Mental health struggles

Lastly, I’ve been experiencing some anxiety and depression. It can be hard to distinguish pregnancy-related mental health symptoms from Cushing’s-related ones, but here’s how I try to do so.

For me, pregnancy sadness feels a little silly. I’ve cried because dug-up grass can’t experience rain and because some dinosaurs died in “Jurassic World.”

But I’ve also had days when I feel hopeless and broken. I wonder if my career was worth it, if my books will ever be published, and if I’m good enough to be a parent. These dark feelings and thoughts are ones I’ve experienced a lot with Cushing’s.

I do want to mention that many people experience very real depression during pregnancy, and I’m in no way minimizing that. However, for me at least, there seems to be a Cushing’s “switch” that causes me to go from somewhat sad to cripplingly depressed. I am in a support group and plan on starting therapy again soon.

I have 20 more weeks, so I’ll see how Cushing’s disease continues to affect my pregnancy. If you’re going through something similar, please don’t be afraid to reach out for help. Pregnancy is overwhelming on its own, let alone if you’re chronically ill. Sending love to anyone going through a similar experience. We’ve got this!

You can also follow my journey on TikTok and YouTube.

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, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to Cushing’s.