Welcome to my blog! You can start by getting to know a bit more About me or for a more detailed explanation of how I was diagnosed, have a read of my posts The Journey to Cushing's Syndrome and Part II the saga continues. Bienvenue sur mon blog! Vous pouvez commencez par decouvrir Mon Histoire avec Cushing's

Tuesday 27 May 2014

Hormones, dating and other facts of life

Well the news since the last post regarding my health, is that I underwent the Insulin Stress Test (IST) and got my results. The IST is a test during which you are placed in hypoglycemia and blood samples are collected every 30 minutes for two hours, to check your body's hormonal response when placed under stress. It was a fairly unpleasant experience as anyone who has ever been hypoglycemic can relate to. The target was to get my blood glucose down to around 2.2 (Normal range 4-6) for the results to be valid. My blood sugar level dropped to 1.3!! No wonder I felt like shit!!

It appears that my cortisol levels lowered during the test, indicating that my body is unable to secrete cortisol in times of stress. This means that I still have cortisol deficiency and should keep taking my hydro (good news actually!). The report also states that there was no growth hormone secretion throughout the test and in fact, we already knew that my levels were low if not inexistent. What this means is that I will probably have to discuss growth hormone replacement as this might help alleviate the fatigue I've been feeling. Growth hormone is responsible for distribution of fat and brain functioning among other things. So don't think it's only important in kids, we ALL need it.

I'm hoping to discuss replacement but at the moment I don't have an appointment scheduled until September. So I'm waiting to hear back from my endo to see if she can squeeze me in earlier as I really think it would help if I went on it. I've been feeling very tired and low for the last few weeks and this would explain a lot. But in general I do feel much better than I did a few months ago. No question about that! I've lost a bit more weight, though that's slowing down a bit, and I've been able to socialise and date as I mentioned in my previous post.

The dating thing has been really hard though. I feel like maybe I need to start an anonymous blog just for that! I've been doing internet dating as that's how most things are done now in 2014 and it is brutal out there. Men can be very deceiving and shallow! I really should know this by now but I guess the eternal optimist (or idiot) in me just doesn't seem to get it. I am so trusting and naive about people's intentions... Good thing I am cautious though. Nothing serious has happened to me as I am always careful, but I have felt very hurt a few times. I don't understand why men feel the need to lead you on!? Saying they are interested in you, etc... and then not following through with dates or whatever it was they said they would do. Honestly I have no idea how people date nowadays! It seems everyone online is just after one thing (sex, in case that wasn't obvious :) and no one really bothers to get to know people properly anymore. Maybe I'm just an old school romantic, who knows. Either way, I'm in need of a shake up. I'm thinking I might step it up and attempt speed dating. Watch this space...

2 comments:

  1. Hi Steph, been following you eversince my diagnosis. It's been a year and I am currently tapering a bit. Still adrenal insufficient. Just want to say thanks for your blog it has been very honest and helpful to me. Good luck. And stay healthy.

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  2. I wonder if that's a kind of test I should take. Sounds awful. I have a friend whose diabetic and he's told me horror stories. I just got diagnosed with fibromyalgia and I hope that's the correct answer. I feel you on the dating. I haven't had much of a steady relationship since my Cushing's diagnosis. How do you end up taking that test?

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