Health Issues

[Baptist Believer]

All:

I've been suffering from unexplained health issues for the last decade including chronic exhaustion, weight gain with the inability to lose it, water retention, heart palpitations (this is only within the last two years), lack of stamina, slow nerve response, weakness in the arms and legs, etc. I am also now pre-diabetic and I don't want to go down that road, but I'm doing everything I'm supposed to do regarding diet and it isn't making any difference.

I've been told to just get out there and exercise, but I physically can't do it effectively. It has gotten to the point that the cocktail of medications I have been taking since the heart issues have popped up are losing effectiveness.

I went to the doctor a few weeks ago and she decided to test my testosterone level. Men generally test (no matter what health and age) between 350-1,200. I tested 69. That explains most of my symptoms. However, my doctor and I want to know why the level is so low, she she has done more testing, this time checking some other hormones. I have some usually high readings for hormones secreted by the pituitary gland, and that means that I likely have a tumor on the gland that is secreting excess hormones in an uncontrolled way that is suppressing production of testosterone and who knows what else.

We are waiting another two weeks to confirm the levels are still abnormal with a second test, and then I'll probably have an MRI of my head to see what's going on in there. There is a possibility of managing it with medication, but a very real chance of surgery to excise the tumor in the near future.

It looks like 2014 is going to be full of specialists, health expenses and possibly surgery, but I have to get this sorted out because this is wreaking havoc on my body.

I would appreciate your prayers in this matter, especially for my wife. I'm not terribly worried about it (I'm more relieved because there's now an explanation), but she is extremely concerned.

 

[SaggyWoman]

In my prayers...

 

[SolaSaint]

Prayin Brother, I also had a bad 2013, but we must trust God.

 

[Revmitchell]

You betchya

 

[Baptist Believer]

Scheduled for an MRI tomorrow at Valley Ranch (the Dallas Cowboys facility). I need an MRI large enough to handle an NFL lineman. :laugh:

We are hoping to find a moderate-sized tumor, not too small where it is hard to remove, and not too large where it is wrapped around the optic nerves or infiltrating other structures.

If there is no tumor, I probably have something much worse.

If God decides to make the tumor go away, I'm good with that too.

 

[Benjamin]

I've been told to just get out there and exercise, but I physically can't do it effectively.

If I may suggest, what you need to do is get on a regular exercise schedule (everyday) doing what you can do. Be creative and find those exercises, in time you will be able to do more. Staying, or possibly in your case "getting" into motion is key as far as the exercise goes. Of course a serious commitment to diet, no sugar and only minimal good fats as a priority (not easy to do!) along with the exercise will get results and results should be a motivator.

It has gotten to the point that the cocktail of medications I have been taking since the heart issues have popped up are losing effectiveness.

Remember the meds are treating the symptoms not the cause.

I went to the doctor a few weeks ago and she decided to test my testosterone level. Men generally test (no matter what health and age) between 350-1,200. I tested 69.

Definitely low, but as I would typically explain, the low level is NOT due to lack of hormone treatment it is due to the condition of your body. Treating the cause is better than treating the symptoms. Pep-talk, go after the cause! Get you some!

That explains most of my symptoms.

I'll tell you this, when I get into a rigorous workout routine I literally begin feeling the testosterone increase, IOWs I can get a bit cocky, other drives increase, and I do more physically active things because I feel that need and energy.

You have my prayers. raying:

 

[Baptist Believer]

You have my prayers. raying:

Thank you for that, but I have ignored the rest of your advice.

This is a medical condition where my body is getting the wrong signals from my pituitary gland which is causing it to malfunction so that I cannot gain muscle mass, cannot properly metabolize sugars (fuel), retaining up to 40 pounds of water, have numbness in the extremities, etc.

For instance, my prolactin level (the hormone that tells the body to make breast milk to nurse a baby) is high, even for a woman who had just given birth! Since I am a man, my body is very confused about those signals. My testosterone is at the level of a woman. There are issues with other hormones that control growth and the heart.

This is not an instance of being lazy or sedentary, but a body malfunction related to what is almost certainly a tumor.

When I get exercise, my heartbeats get irregular and my body does not get enough oxygen to function properly because the circulation becomes extremely inefficient. It's tough to work out when you are gasping for breath and about to pass out.

I appreciate your willingness to help, but you're not being helpful. I'll let the doctors/neurosurgeons sort it out. I had my MRI this morning and the tech said they got some really good imagery, so I should know something tomorrow or Thursday.

 

[Benjamin]

I should know something tomorrow or Thursday.

Best wishes raying:

 

[Baptist Believer]

It's a tumor.

Fortunately it's not very large where it is in danger of affecting my vision or infiltrating my brain or other nearby structures.

I'm being referred to an endocrinologist to develop a plan of treatment.

It will probably be drug therapy to balance out the hormones to manage the tumor, but if that's unsuccessful, they may go in after it.

I would appreciate your continued prayer for my healing and recovery. I am actually quite relieved it is a pituitary tumor because the alternatives are much worse. This is treatable in most cases and is almost certainly not cancerous.

 

[Revmitchell]

Sorry to hear that. Will be in prayer

 

[Benjamin]

It's a tumor.

Fortunately it's not very large where it is in danger of affecting my vision or infiltrating my brain or other nearby structures.

I'm being referred to an endocrinologist to develop a plan of treatment.

It will probably be drug therapy to balance out the hormones to manage the tumor, but if that's unsuccessful, they may go in after it.

I would appreciate your continued prayer for my healing and recovery. I am actually quite relieved it is a pituitary tumor because the alternatives are much worse. This is treatable in most cases and is almost certainly not cancerous.

I’m not looking for debate in the prayer forum and won’t go there, but would like to clarify my point which you’ve quickly written off and referred to as “not helpful”. A view btw, which comes from learning about the natural treatments offered by physical therapist and which are effective whereby the body heals itself for such issues rather than the main focus “only” being on pharmaceutical methods of artificially balancing hormones which neglect the cause.

Simply put, the “cause” of the abnormal cell growth which formed this type of tumor, 99% of the time, is due to stresses pertaining to the physical condition of your body, lifestyle, etc., period. Medical doctors are not trained to treat naturally but by medication, period. Medical doctors treat with meds and physical therapist treat with improved physical wellbeing which takes some training and further, I certainly understand that breathing problems, heart rate and irregularities, etc., are factors (I hear it all the time…) and these are exactly the types of things physical therapist help others to get past so that they break the chronic cycles which lead to such conditions.

Granted, the easier fix/or better said from my perspective, easier cover-up, is through meds and if that is your preferred choice, so be it. You then would be in the vast majority today who has no interest in the more difficult alternatives. I would only ask that you consider the possibility that others can and do greatly benefit from putting into motion the lifestyle changes necessary to improve hormonal imbalances naturally. Believe or not I have seen it time and again that result in people getting off of such hormonal treatments as their physical condition improves and the fact that the natural methods and are not easy and seem impossible only goes to show the need of the physical therapist profession.

I was merely offering the suggestion that there are alternative methods of treatment. I’d be the first to suggest consulting your physician before beginning any exercise programs and to at least begin through the guidance of a Physical Therapist. IMO, upon consultation with a competent Doctor he/she would encourage a patient showing interest in such a treatment plan to do so, although admittedly many can’t see past traditional medicinal practices.

Thanks for hearing me out...

Again, you have my best wishes and continued prayers.

 

[Baptist Believer]

Simply put, the “cause” of the abnormal cell growth which formed this type of tumor, 99% of the time, is due to stresses pertaining to the physical condition of your body, lifestyle, etc., period.

Even if I grant your assertion you have made here (although I would like to see some medical evidence for this assertion), I was in very good physical condition when these symptoms began more than a decade ago. I was not obese, ate healthy food in moderate quantities (still do), and was physically active.

Medical doctors are not trained to treat naturally but by medication, period. Medical doctors treat with meds and physical therapist treat with improved physical wellbeing which takes some training and further, I certainly understand that breathing problems, heart rate and irregularities, etc., are factors (I hear it all the time…) and these are exactly the types of things physical therapist help others to get past so that they break the chronic cycles which lead to such conditions.

Yes, that was my first thing I tried. I went to a physical therapist for about six months. Did not improve, but got worse.

You are presuming quite a bit about me and my lifestyle for someone who has never met me.

Granted, the easier fix/or better said from my perspective, easier cover-up, is through meds and if that is your preferred choice, so be it. You then would be in the vast majority today who has no interest in the more difficult alternatives.

That’s quite an audacious judgment/condemnation.

I would only ask that you consider the possibility that others can and do greatly benefit from putting into motion the lifestyle changes necessary to improve hormonal imbalances naturally. Believe or not I have seen it time and again that result in people getting off of such hormonal treatments as their physical condition improves and the fact that the natural methods and are not easy and seem impossible only goes to show the need of the physical therapist profession.

So you’re okay if people use hormonal treatments for a time to get into good physical condition? Would you at least grant me the grace to do that without assuming I have “no interest in the more difficult alternatives?”

I was merely offering the suggestion that there are alternative methods of treatment. I’d be the first to suggest consulting your physician before beginning any exercise programs and to at least begin through the guidance of a Physical Therapist.

Been there, done that. I hope you don’t mind that I am following the doctor’s advice. Furthermore, if the doctor had been more aggressive half a dozen years ago instead of telling me to just “lose weight” and not put together all of the physical symptoms (many more than I listed), I would likely not be in as poor of health as I am today.

IMO, upon consultation with a competent Doctor he/she would encourage a patient showing interest in such a treatment plan to do so, although admittedly many can’t see past traditional medicinal practices.

I not only “showed interest,” but I followed through on it.

Thanks for hearing me out...

May I suggest not practicing medicine over the internet - especially when you have no idea of someone’s medical history or what they have previously attempted?

Again, you have my best wishes and continued prayers.

Thank you.

 

[Benjamin]

Thank you.

You're welcome, to the rest, hopefully someone else will find the suggestions helpful who don't feel they have the need to take offense toward them. I assure you these ideas are commonly neglected, but you're obviously above such suggestions, sorry for bringing it up.

Get well soon.

 

[Baptist Believer]

...hopefully someone else will find the suggestions helpful who don't feel they have the need to take offense toward them. I assure you these ideas are commonly neglected, but you're obviously above such suggestions, sorry for bringing it up.

I didn't mean to come across so crossly, but I've had people falsely judging me for more than a decade, telling me to lose weight, not overeat and stop being a lazy bum. That gets really irritating because I don't overeat, I'm far from lazy, and I have worked very hard to lose weight with diet and exercise over the years.

I am NOT above such suggestions. You just assumed that I had not tried them. The assumption that disease only happens to people who don't take care of themselves is harmful to people who are afflicted.

My father died of lung cancer (mesothelioma) from exposure to asbestos and I don't know how many people assumed that it was self-inflicted from smoking. He literally had asbestos fibers in the tumors that filled his lungs.

My grandfather died a horrible death from malignant melanoma and people, who thought they were being helpful, told me that my grandfather wouldn't have had melanoma if he had used sunscreen. What they didn't know if that the melanoma first developed on a part of his body that was never exposed to the sun. It was likely caused by the chemicals he used in his profession.

You just don't have enough information to make the call. Since you don't, don't say things like, "You then would be in the vast majority today who has no interest in the more difficult alternatives."

That's condescending, condemning and irresponsible.

 

[Benjamin]

Baptist Believer,

I just spent 4 years of my life in one of the best and toughest PT programs in the country learning about the importance of keeping the body in motion and how to go about training and encouraging others to maintain motion. The American Physical Therapy Association’s moto is “Move Forward. Physical Therapy Brings Motion to Life”. The detrimental effects of losing mobility are indisputable. The measurements regarding mobility pertaining to the longevity of one’s life are referred to as the 6Th vital sign and have been proven to be more accurate than any other test available. So when I read this:

All:

I've been suffering from unexplained health issues for the last decade including chronic exhaustion, weight gain with the inability to lose it, water retention, heart palpitations (this is only within the last two years), lack of stamina, slow nerve response, weakness in the arms and legs, etc. I am also now pre-diabetic and I don't want to go down that road, but I'm doing everything I'm supposed to do regarding diet and it isn't making any difference.

I've been told to just get out there and exercise, but I physically can't do it effectively.

…I hear a serious loss of mobility and bell and whistles went off and my heart went out to you BECAUSE I KNOW the importance of staying in motion and the complete hopelessness and downfall of failing to do so. Note how I began addressing this issue:

If I may suggest, what you need to do is get on a regular exercise schedule (everyday) doing what you can do. Be creative and find those exercises, in time you will be able to do more. Staying, or possibly in your case "getting" into motion is key as far as the exercise goes.

The fact that I was immediately put on the defensive is something I hoped wouldn’t happen but it is of no surprise to me as the typical response, as I was taught it would be, from the person being told they “HAVE” TO KEEP MOVING is for them to go on the offensive.

Where I went wrong is trying to discuss this over the internet and thinking I might avoid the kind of debate that can happen on the internet that would be much much easier to deal with in person. For that I apologize for and again am sorry I brought it up. I suppose I could of or maybe should have just offered my prayer and shut up but I went with my heart instead and will accept the responsibility for the consequences. You are wrong if you think I was trying to put you down, think what you want, but it is water under the bridge and you can take it or leave it. I’ve had my say.

God bless you.

 

[Baptist Believer]

It has been a while since I updated this thread.

I went to an endocrinologist and he was initially dismissive of me but ran some tests.

I am waiting on the results of two final tests (one is blood work to ensure that the previous lab work was good) and the other is a urine analysis to ensure that it is the tumor on my pituitary gland causing the problems, not a tumor somewhere else in my body.

I definitely have Cushing's Syndrome, and probably Cushing's Disease. It is rare, and exceptionally rare in men.

When the tests come back and confirm Cushing's Disease, I will go see a neurosurgeon to arrange to have the tumor removed.

I'll update later this week when the final tests come in.

I would appreciate everyone's continued prayer for my recovery.

 

[Baptist Believer]

It's official. After an extensive battery of tests, the endocrinologist has determined I have Cushing's disease and will need to have neurosurgery in the coming weeks to remove the tumor.

 

[Revmitchell]

It's official. After an extensive battery of tests, the endocrinologist has determined I have Cushing's disease and will need to have neurosurgery in the coming weeks to remove the tumor.

Wow! give us a date of the surgery so we can be praying that day.

 

[annsni]

It's official. After an extensive battery of tests, the endocrinologist has determined I have Cushing's disease and will need to have neurosurgery in the coming weeks to remove the tumor.

Wow!! You know what's weird - I know the signs of Cushings in a horse.

I do pray that you will be getting the best of care and that this will help you get on the road to health!!! As Rev said, please let us know when you will be going in so we can pray for you!

 

[jilphn1022]

We will be praying to the God of MIracles.
Is God able to do the impossible? Yes,
We are claiming His promises and God
may use surgery to perform your miracle!