Up to this point I had full trust in my doctors, and no reason to doubt what this endiot had just told me.   I just couldn’t wrap my head around a dramatic, rapid health change with no cause.  I refused to buy into it.

I read all that I could on the Cushings-help board and vowed to learn from the experiences of those who had gone before me.  The key lesson at this stage was:  Cushing’s syndrome could not be ruled in or ruled out with only a couple lab tests, it would take multiple tests in the 3 areas that cortisol is tested in, which are blood (serum), saliva, and urine.  Not everyone ‘spills’ cortisol in all three areas, so it’s recommended to test in them all initially.  Thankfully my PCP is in my corner and agrees to write out labs orders for me, I asked for midnight cortisols, cortisols at 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. on same day, and 24 hr urine UFC (urinary free cortisol) with 17 OCHS (hydroxycorticosteroids).  He wrote this for 4 times each.  Now the gamble….I had to get them done on days which I felt ‘high’ to show the imbalance.

Spiritually I had to ‘Let go and Let God”…..I had to find peace in this chaos.  My daily prayers was “Lord, guide me in the direction to correctly figure this out and give me the strength to follow your guidance”