Did anyone get checked for Cushing's before being diagnosed with PCOS??

FluffyBurgerSniffer · 11-10-2005, 11:00 PM

My doctor wants to check to see if I have cushing's disease because the symptoms of PCOS are the same as Cushing's. I have cysts on my ovaries and I don't ovulate that's why I'm confused why he would think that I have Cushing's and not PCOS. I'm confused. Any advice?

newfiecyster · 11-10-2005, 11:07 PM

I was check for crushing as my dr wanted to rule that out before dx me with pcos.

FluffyBurgerSniffer · 11-10-2005, 11:50 PM

I guess they're very close with symptoms...can you have cysts on you ovaries and not ovulate if you have Cushing's?

innkeepermommy · 11-11-2005, 01:07 AM

I was also checked. I believe Cushings has to do with the adrenal glands and can cause some hormone imbalances that may look like PCOS.

shades of grey · 11-11-2005, 03:02 AM

cushings is far more rare than PCOS

sweetgal2002 · 11-11-2005, 05:36 AM

i also got checked for cushings before i got DX with pocs

Eva37 · 11-11-2005, 11:11 AM

Hi

I got dx with pcos first. Then I had the tests for Cushings, but ended with locah - late inset congenital adenal hyperplasia. Which is an adrenal gland thing.

Eva

linni · 11-11-2005, 03:33 PM

I think that most doctors usually test your cortisol levels/ for cushings to rule that out before a definite diagnosis of PCOS can be made. Yes the symptoms are a lot alike. I'd say your doc is on the right track

Salty · 11-11-2005, 03:51 PM

I was diagnosed with Pcos early on and then recently I was checked for Cushings because the symtoms are similiar and I had characteristics. I also had done a 24 hr urine collection and my cortisol was elevated which can raise insulin and influence the PCOS symptoms. But once they did a suppression test, where you take a pill at 11pm and have blood work on a fast done at 8:00am, it was normal. Dr. says that cortisol raises with stress and that I just have PCOS and need to watch my stress. I'd much rather have PCOS but then I use to think I'd much rather have Cushings because they can treat that with surgery or medicine, PCOS is far more complex than that. Cushings would have been simpler until you start thinking about surgery. It looks like I will have to continue the hard way.

FluffyBurgerSniffer · 11-11-2005, 04:37 PM

Well, I'm glad my GYNO never check me with Cushing's before telling me that I have PCOS...I'm a little annoyed now...he should have checked me for this, but didn't, so now I have my thyroid doctor checking me for this. I'm soooo confused why doctors don't check for what they're supposed to

PookahGirl · 11-11-2005, 04:42 PM

I never was tested for anything. I went to the OBGYN for my yearly checkup and thanks to my Crappy insurance I had to yet again switch docs. Well he saw me on Monday and did the pap and a transvaginal and then right after the appointment when we were discussing things he said we need to do surgery. I was in surgery that Friday (yes 5 days later) and when I came out he was like I was right on my thoughts. You have PCOS and endometriosis.
He then stuck me on BCP and left me there for a year or so and never did anything else other than transvaginal every visit. I soon got creeped out by him and left.
My new OBGYN did some routine lab work and left my diagnosis as what the other doc did.

More later. Story long and I just got a call for a job..YEAH!!!

Okay well the newer OBGYN just went along with the old one and gave me a rx for Clomid 50mg and I did 1 unmonitored cycle with it. Since then I have went to a RE and he did a transvaginal and said my ovaries were relatively normal looking and not at all looking like that of someone with PCOS. He left it at that and scheduled me for a HSG.

I think I am going to request the 24 hour urine collection and testing next time I go to my regualr endo here in town. She is like my primary care doctor and I think she will request it. So here is to hoping that they get you straightened out and hopefully not another dx.

tiggerlily5278 · 11-12-2005, 05:32 AM

How do they test for Cushings? It was never mentioned to me before, so I don't think they tested me for it.

JanelleMarie · 11-12-2005, 06:16 AM

I was never tested for it, my doctor never mentioned it.

I take it the symptoms are fairly similar? What makes it different?

Is it just bloodwork to get tested? If so I might ask my doctor.

Jashobeam · 11-13-2005, 02:48 AM

I'm pretty sure it's a blood test they do when they run the battery of tests. I was checked for all kinds of things with one blood draw including glucose and cholesterol. I'm trying to think if the doc said I was tested for Cushings, I think he said yes. However, around the same time we had the dog's blood tests and she wasnt' tested for it, which I think we are going to need to do next year if things don't improve after her recent surgery.

disco75 · 11-13-2005, 08:41 PM

I was tested for Cushings. My doctor first ran a blood test which was normal. But then I read that doing a blood test is not good enough, because your levels of cortisol change throughout the day. So I did the 24 hour urine test. This test is better because your whole day's cortisol levels can be tested. It's easy, they give you a bottle & every time you go, you collect it. Keep it in the fridge when you're not using it. Someone mentioned the suppression test, Ithink that's a good one. My levels were a little high, so next time I might request it.