cushings disease

[tonia]

Hello. Had some testing done that shows I have high cortisol levels. Could be a major player in my anxiety. Could also explain the acne, hair loss extreme fatigue and even some of my bowel issues. Further testing will be done for cushings. Just curious if anyone else has had their cortisol levels checked during/after c diff. Wondering if there could be a connection. Thanks.

P.s. Doctor has put me on a higher dose of extended release xanax, so if any posts sound "drunk" please forgive me. Will take a bit to adjust to this med and it is kicking my butt lol.

[Ashley20]

Anxiety raises cortisol levels, so it could just be your stress and not cushings

[georgina]

People with high levels of cortisol have difficulty adapting stress.And yes , i belive that explains everything that you are going through (especially extreme anxiety).Hopefully it's not Cushing.Oh , you poor thing,it's one after another for you!

[tonia]

Georgina...I hope it is not Cushings as well...BUT, if it is, I have hopes that if it is, they can "fix" it, which may help the anxiety which in turn MIGHT help some of the intestinal symptoms that I am still having....wishful thinking, and I DO NOT want to have yet another issue, but anything to stop this panicked feeling all the time would be a blessing in disguise

[Lisa33]

Tonia - I totally agree that you need to get the anxiety under control. It's very important to not live in constant panic and anxiety. Prolonged stress is not good on your physical being, and will definitely add to your gut issues. I hope you get some answers and relief soon. Hopefully the meds will bring you to a level of calm where you can learn how to deal with your anxiety.

Hugs,
Lisa

[justme]

Tonia: Anxiety was a major issue for me also. Over here (Hawaii) doctors don't prescribe medication unless recommended by a psychologist or psychiatrist who is familiar with issues arising from chronic disease. I did see someone and she recommended a mild anxiety mediation (low dose of Xanax). It does help, but makes me sleepy so I only take a 1/4 or a 1/2 if I get very anxious. I've recovered from C. Diff, but still have anxiety for other reasons so I've continued to take it. Anxiety itself can create other health issues, so you must get a handle on it. I am a prime example of someone who didn't face my stress issues (way before C. Diff) and ended up with a cardiac arrest and nearly died. Now I have an injured heart, brain damage, and take lots of pills. I was in great physical shape, ate right, and exercised all the time. But, stress is a emotional issue, not a physical one. The mind, emotions, and body are linked so they can affect each other. Seeing the psychologist helped me with the other issues besides C. Diff and I am very glad I went to see her. I've also found that purposely distracting yourself by whatever means you can - hobbies, reading, exercise, talking to friends, taking classes, working, whatever keeps your mind free of focusing on your physical self helps a lot. Take care and good luck. Remember, we are here to help whenever you need us.
Aloha,
Anne

[beth22]

Tonia - Have they checked your thyroid levels? Hyperthyroid can cause the symptoms you are describing as well. I have Hashimoto's thyroiditis, which is an auto-immune disorder, and it starts out with hyperthyroid. I remember feeling those same symptoms. I was tested for the cortisol and other things too, but it seems to be the thyroid that was causing it. My thyroid antibodies were sky high. If you have not had that checked, I would have it done as well. I hope you get some answers soon. I know too well what it is like to have doctors tell you "I don't know."

[Plum]

Looked up c diff and cortisol and so happy to find this website. My own experience is yes c. diff can affect cortisol b/c in my case. I had an extreme reaction. With really high fever, huge amount of adrenaline for a couple hours and black diarrhea for 2 weeks. In my case my adrenals went the other direction of Addisons or close to it. I had to figure this out myself b/c this has happened alot of years ago and I've been left never the same. I'm still trying to find the right doctor to help get my hormones back b/c it left me totally drained, no menstrual cycle for 3 years, insomnia that never resolved, and severe constipation. Hope this helps...I want to see Dr. Friedman (goodhormonehealth. com) in California....he's a specialist in Cushings and all adrenal problems.

P.S I didnt have hormone testing at the time. But just recently and shows I almost have no Cortisol or Acth production. I know taking the antibiotic caused my problem.

[NanciT]

Tonia

I agree with Beth, have a Thyroid work up also. If levels are above or below normal, they are often set off my CDIFF due to weight loss. My levels are still not in the normal range due to this. It often appears like various illnesses. I had thyroid cancer so my once normal levels went crazy with CDIFF and they are very slow to move into a normal range.
Talk with your MD about this, best would be to see an endocrinologist if you don't already have one
NanciT

[roy]

This is an old thread.