Key points from today’s guests:
Dominique Christenson, treated for Cushing’s disease
- In 2017, Dominique was working out regularly, but was gaining weight. After having two children, she weighed more than when she was pregnant.
- She didn’t feel right and decided to see a doctor about it, which led to a diagnosis of Cushing’s disease.
- She had a minimally invasive procedure that went through her nasal cavity to reach her pituitary gland and remove a small tumor.
- The recovery took about three months for her to not feel nausea and she credits her family and her co-workers for helping her get back to normal during that period.
- She recommends that patients be their own advocates to make sure they get the right care they need.
Dr. Rudi Karnchanasorn, endocrinologist, The University of Kansas Health System
- The pituitary gland is like a master gland in the body as it regulates the target glands elsewhere.
- Cushing’s disease is when you have a pituitary tumor that secreted too much of a hormone called ACTH. ACTH is the hormone that controls production of cortisol in the glands. Cortisol is one of the stress hormones we cannot live without.
- The disease affects mood and muscles, causing fatigue for even the most basic of daily tasks.
- It is very difficult to diagnose. It is three times more common in women and the typical age is 20 to 50.
- The testing procedure for Cushing’s disease is very complicated with three different types of tests.
Tuesday, July 9 at 8 a.m. is the next Open Mics with Dr. Stites. Wrongly diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer, one patient sought a second opinion at The University of Kansas Cancer Center and it changed the trajectory of her treatment.
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