My "breakthrough" day...

[bernmee]

Curlygrl..

Will you keep us updated as to what your course of treatment will be once you are done with your tests.

Thanks,

Bernadette

[curlygrl31]

Will do, Bernadette. Went in for a CT yesterday to rule out an adrenal gland tumor b/c of my elevated cortisol. I see the endocrinologist in the coming weeks for my first visit. I definitely do not feel right, so I'm ready to get to the root cause after a year of feeling like this.

Kathel, didn't know you also practiced dermatology. Interestingly enough, I went on Yasmin to combat hormonal acne on chin/jawline/face and my back (yick!). Now off of Yasmin for months, I still notice my back is very oily and have problems with acne again. I just feel like my whole body is out of hormonal balance. I'm using Finacea and went on another BC pill (orthocyclen), but still having some issues. Any thoughts on how to combat that w/out messing up my eyes further? Topicals don't seem to be doing the trick with the more cystic/hormonal acne. Well, and I also assume it will get better once my cortisol levels are back in check.

Nyer -- have you had any skin challenges? Just wondering since our stories are so similar.

Curly

[NYer]

Hi Curly,
Oh yes, big-time! While I was off the pill for 7 months, my face broke out terribly. I never broke out like that before. I'm pushing 50 and looked worse than I did when I was a teenager. I'm now back on the pill for the past 40 days. I'm taking Mircette and I'm doing 3-month cycles (only 4 periods per year, which is nice - but also it keeps your hormone level constant for 3 months instead of dropping off for a week every 4 weeks). It's made a dramatic difference in my skin. I'm still getting some little pimples on my chin but nothing like what I was getting. By the way, you can do the 3-month cycle with any B.C. pill that has a single level of hormone (you can't do it with the tri-phase pills). The one that is designed specifically for that is called "Seasonique". Each pack actually has three packs built into it.

Yasmin made a more complete improvement in my skin, but I still think that the fact that it has a diuretic quality to it is a negative for dry eyes. But Yasmin completely cleared up zits and prevented any unsightly facial hair (chin, lip).

I started taking a supplement called "Adrenal Support", but it's too soon to see any results. That's supposed to help the cortisol issues. I think it might be making me a little anxious, though. I didn't take any today. I'm going to take it again tomorrow and see if I feel anxious again.

Oh, by the way, I tried Finacea a while back and it didn't help. No reason not to try it but don't get your hopes up.

I'm really glad that your doctor ruled out a tumor. But I hope you do realize that a tumor would be a very rare reason for the elevated cortisol. Elevated cortisol and adrenal fatigue are actually rather common, it turns out, and usually is a result of stress in some way (keep in mind that stress is not necessarily just psychological - there are certainly many physical stressors that could cause it.).

-NYer

[curlygrl31]

Hi Girls,

Wow -- this article was an eye opener for me on the heels of my high cortisol news. Just passing along anything I find helpful!!

Endo appt in one week. Let's hope I am on the right track here.

Curly

[Rebecca Petris]

This is very interesting. I'm looking forward to hearing where you gals get with the adrenal business. I was diagnosed about 4 years ago with adrenal exhaustion by a really good naturopathic doc in Tampa. She put me on something compounded, I forget what. I never saw any difference at all from it and eventually kind of let it peter out and never followed up (bad habit). Never occurred to me that there might be any dry eye tie-in however.

[NYer]

Curly - where's the article?

[curlygrl31]

Nyer,

LOL -- well, my excuse for forgetting to post the article -- adrenal EXHAUSTION! Ha, ha! Maybe that can be my excuse for everything!

http://www.ei-resource.org/articles/...pidly-or-not!/

This is the article above -- what do you think?

Rebecca, I do feel like we are on to something, and noticed this posting from another girl recently:

http://www.dryeyezone.com/talk/showthread.php?t=7173

I also seem to remember a few months ago some poll about "dry eyers" and stress levels.

Curly

[NYer]

Very interesting and helpful article. Now if we could just find an article that tells us specifically what to take, how much, and when.

[fed up kate]

hey everyone

just read all these posts and i think im the same well i was on yasmin for just over a year but it made me really bad tempered and i was really depressed on it but i started gettin dry eye when i was on it so i came off it thinking it was that but 6 months down the line there still dry and not getting anybetter so now im even more depressed.

so could yasmin have triggered the dry eye but if so after 6 months wouldnt it of gone by now if it was.

about the cortisol tests,im very lathargic(cant spell it lol) all the time and iev always had trouble with my weight and doesnt mater how much i eat i dont gain anything so im always a 6-8 but i think ive had a test for diabetes and dont have that.

would anyoone suggest having more blood tests as i went to my doc couple days ago and he said there are no tests that can be done so im really confused

[NYer]

You have to go to an "Alternative" or "Complementary" Physician or Health Care Providor, like a Naturopath. Regular MD's are clueless about testing for Cortisol and Adrenal Fatigue issues.

[curlygrl31]

My primary care referred me into an endocrinologist for hormone testing (DHEA, cortisol, etc.). I have had lots of bloodwork, a 24 hour cortisol test, dexamethasone test, etc. I go back for results tomorrow with the endo. doc, so perhaps this will reveal something.

Sorry, but I remain very suspicious about Yasmin! I have heard this story many times over. I think once your levels are thrown off it takes much longer for your body to rebalance. Will keep you posted if anything comes back abnormal. It's crazy when you WANT them to find something wrong, just to give you some direction.

Curly

[Meebo]

wow!

My primary care referred me into an endocrinologist for hormone testing (DHEA, cortisol, etc.). I have had lots of bloodwork, a 24 hour cortisol test, dexamethasone test, etc. I go back for results tomorrow with the endo. doc, so perhaps this will reveal something.

Sorry, but I remain very suspicious about Yasmin! I have heard this story many times over. I think once your levels are thrown off it takes much longer for your body to rebalance. Will keep you posted if anything comes back abnormal. It's crazy when you WANT them to find something wrong, just to give you some direction.

Curly

I am very excited to hear about you guys making headway. As some of you know, since we spoke briefly on the boards, I have ocular rosacea according to Dr. L, went to a dermo and he said I have slight rosacea on the left side of my face. Interesting enough, my left eye is the one that bothers me the most. I have MGD and have been taking azasite. It has been working, but when i decreased the dose it flared up again. I then increased dose again.

I am going to try acetylcysteine. You guys should ask your doctors about it. I read a lot of positive things about it but I do not know if it is a definite cure. There is someone on this board that said it cured them.

While I am a male, it would be interesting to have a full blood analysis done by an endo. I agree with all of you; seems like there is something more to it.

[Julie1]

Hi CurlyGrl,

I was just thinking of you today and wondering if you had any further updates on your testing with the endocrinologist.

I hope you're doing well!!

-Julie

[curlygrl31]

Hi girls,

Hate to tell you, but I reached an end on the endo path! I had two cortisol bloodtests that were off, but then my 24-hour cortisol test was fine. The endo didn't feel there was a link.

Back to square one for me. I've been on compounded cyclosporine, but then also battled an eye infection that caused burning for about 4 months (eye doctor missed it!!!). Intermittent redness and soreness continues...

Curly

[NYer]

Oh Curly...that just stinks. I mean, I'm glad that your cortisol is OK but the rest of it stinks. My cortisol is "normal" in the morning and then just drops. I've been getting B-12 shots weekly for the past 5 weeks, too, because my B-12 was low, too. It has no bearing on my eyes, but I do think my energy level is better than it was so some degree.

There is no question in my mind that what we both have is something systemic that is causing lots of things, including the dry eye. But it looks like we have to look at every component of our systems to figure out what it is.

I'm still peeing a lot, too, from the B.C. pills and I'm sure that loss of fluid doesn't help my eyes any. But that said, my eyes are definitely better ON the pill than off the pill. So hormones still are a factor.