Thursday, September 26, 2013

Prince George’s woman works to raise awareness about rare disease

Lanham resident to speak at Patient Education Day event about Cushing’s disease

By Sophie Petit Staff Writer
stacy
Greg Dohler/The Gazette
Lanham resident Stacey L. Hardy, a survivor of Cushing’s disease, will speak about her experience with the pituitary disorder at an upcoming event at Johns Hopkins Hospital.
Stacy L. Hardy of Lanham described herself as athletic, which is why she became concerned when in 1996 she mysteriously gained 240 pounds that took five doctors 14 years to determine she had a potentially fatal disease.
Now Hardy said she wants to raise awareness among others who may unknowingly have Cushing’s disease, but are unaware of the symptoms and treatment.
It wasn’t until 2010 that Hardy, now 43, was diagnosed with the disease, a rare disorder that causes the body to release too much cortisol, the body’s stress or “fight or flight” hormone, said Gary Wand, a pituitary gland specialist at The Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore.
Excess cortisol causes weight gain, especially in the stomach, extreme fatigue, muscle aches, anxiety and depression, he said.
“I didn’t even know what Cushing’s was. I was ready to just live with [the symptoms],” Hardy said, adding that by the time she was diagnosed she felt so tired she could barely move.
At 5 feet, 4 inches tall, Hardy said she reached 365 pounds during her struggle with the disease.
“We knew something for a while wasn’t right, but I never thought it would be something like that,” said Hardy’s daughter, Paij Hardy, 21, a student at Baltimore City Community College.
Just three out of every one million people are diagnosed with Cushing’s each year, said Wand, who estimates he sees 30 patients per year worldwide.
In 2011, Hardy underwent 16 hours of surgery at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore to remove four tumors from her pituitary gland, located at the base of the brain that controls the release of cortisol.
Today, she is 100 pounds lighter, with the weight still rapidly coming off, and said she is determined to serve as a lifelong support and education source for her fellow “cushies” — others with Cushing’s disease.
Hardy will speak Saturday at the Johns Hopkins Pituitary Gland Center’s fifth annual Patient Education Day, an event to raise awareness about the disease, Wand said.
Since the pituitary gland is the size of a kidney bean, Hardy underwent several brain scans before doctors, who previously suggested she might have leukemia or needed to diet and exercise more, could tell there were tumors on her gland, she said.
Hardy’s experience with delayed diagnosis and misdiagnosis is not unique, Wand said.
Cushing’s is a “subtle” disease, which is difficult to diagnose, and not everyone exhibits the same symptoms, he said.
If left untreated for more than a decade, the disease is fatal, but removing the pituitary gland tumors has proved extremely successful, Wand said.
“I’m evidence that there’s help out there,” Hardy said. “I can move. I can almost run. I can bend over and pick up a box. Oh my goodness, I can dance.”

Thursday, September 12, 2013

Enzyme linked to obesity

Researchers find that increased levels of an enzyme in fat cells lead to dangerous levels of abdominal obesity.
Previous studies have shown that the stress hormone cortisol can lead to an accumulation of fat round the abdomen. For instance, people with Cushing’s disease – where there’s excess cortisol in the blood – have too much abdominal fat. It’s bad for health to have fat in this area – it’s linked to diabetes and heart disease. That’s why it’s healthier to be a ‘pear shape’ rather than an ‘apple shape’. The distribution of fat in your body really does matter.
Researchers in Scotland and the US have now focussed upon an enzyme that produces cortisol to see what effect it has on abdominal fat. Working on mice genetically-modified to produce the enzyme – and therefore cortisol – in fat cells, they find that even a small increase in levels produces dramatic effects. The mice, compared with normal animals, gained fat in the abdominal area even on a low fat diet. They developed diabetes, high blood pressure, and also tended to eat more. It opens up the possibility of further studies on human obesity, and also perhaps could lead to therapies that block this enzyme and so reduce fat accumulation.

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Hormonal disorder may make weight loss more challenging

(HealthDay News) -- Losing weight is never a piece of cake, but there are some medical conditions that may make it even more difficult.

The American Academy of Family Physicians says these conditions may make weight loss more of a challenge:
  • Hormonal disorders, such as diabetes, hypothyroidism, Cushing's disease and polycystic ovary syndrome.
  • Cardiovascular problems, including heart-valve disorders and congestive heart failure.
  • Disorders affecting sleep, including obstructive sleep apnea and upper airway resistance syndrome.
  • Eating disorders, such as bulimia and carbohydrate craving syndrome.