A Simple Test, A Life-Changing Diagnosis: The Cortisol Connection

Sorry, but your browser does not support the video tag. var bptVideoPlayer = document.getElementById(“bptVideoPlayer”); if (bptVideoPlayer) { var cssText = “width: 100%;”; cssText += ” background: url(‘” + bptVideoPlayer.getAttribute(“poster”) + “‘);”; cssText += ” -webkit-background-size: cover;”; cssText += ” -moz-background-size: cover;”; cssText += ” -o-background-size: cover;”; cssText += ” background-size: cover;”; bptVideoPlayer.style.cssText = cssText; var bptVideoPlayerContainer = document.getElementById(“bptVideoPlayerContainer”); if (bptVideoPlayerContainer) { setTimeout(function () { bptVideoPlayerContainer.style.cssText = “display: block; position: relative; margin-bottom: 10px;”; var isIE = navigator.userAgent.match(/ MSIE(([0 – 9] +)(\.[0 – 9] +) ?) /); var isEdge = navigator.userAgent.indexOf(“Edge”) > -1 || navigator.userAgent.indexOf(“Trident”) > -1; if (isIE || isEdge) { fixVideoPoster(); } }, 1000); } var bptVideoPlayButton = document.getElementById(“bptVideoPlayButton”); if (bptVideoPlayButton) { bptVideoPlayButton.addEventListener(“click”, function () { bptVideoPlayer.play(); }, false); bptVideoPlayer.addEventListener(“play”, function () { bptVideoPlayButton.style.cssText = “display: none;”; }, false); } var mainImage = document.getElementById(“mainImageImgContainer_sm”); if (mainImage) { mainImage.style.cssText = “display: none;”; } var mainImage = document.getElementById(“photo-noresize”); if (mainImage) { mainImage.style.cssText = “display: none;”; } var assetGallery = document.getElementsByClassName(“asset_gallery”)[0]; if (assetGallery) { assetGallery.style.cssText = “display: none;”; } var assetGallery = document.getElementsByClassName(“trb_article_leadart”)[0]; if (assetGallery) { assetGallery.style.cssText = “display: none;”; } var assetGallery = document.querySelectorAll(“[src=’https://d372qxeqh8y72i.cloudfront.net/eee82939-bfc9-427e-91ed-ca7f81809766_web.jpg’]”)[0]; if (assetGallery) { assetGallery.style.cssText = “display: none;”; } } function fixVideoPoster() { var videoPlayer = document.getElementById(“bptVideoPlayer”); var videoPoster = document.getElementById(“bptVideoPoster”); fixVideoPosterPosition(videoPlayer, videoPoster, true); window.onresize = function() { fixVideoPosterPosition(videoPlayer, videoPoster); }; videoPoster.onclick = function() { videoPlayer.play(); videoPoster.style.display = “none”; }; videoPlayer.onplay = function() { videoPoster.style.display = “none”; }; } function fixVideoPosterPosition(videoPlayer, videoPoster, display) { setTimeout(function () { var videoPosition = videoPlayer.getBoundingClientRect(); videoPoster.style.position = “absolute”; videoPoster.style.top = “0”; videoPoster.style.left = “0”; videoPoster.style.width = videoPlayer.offsetWidth + “px”; videoPoster.style.height = (videoPlayer.offsetHeight + 20) + “px”; if (display) { videoPoster.style.display = “inline”; } }, 1010); } (BPT) – When Ed was first diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, he wasn’t too worried. As a career law enforcement officer who rose from deputy sheriff to lieutenant, he was in his early forties, strong and fit, standing 5 foot 10 inches tall and weighing 180 pounds. He did worry that years of grabbing quick fast-food meals while on street patrol had taken a toll on his health. Yet, once his diabetes diagnosis was confirmed, he was confident he could handle anything that came his way.”My first thought was, ‘how bad can it be?'” he recalls, remembering the challenges he faced as a police officer. “I didn’t understand what it was and figured I could just take a little pill.”Ed’s treatment did begin with a little pill, but soon, oral medications failed to bring his blood sugar to acceptable levels. His healthcare provider switched him to an insulin pump, but over time, Ed needed more and more insulin.”My unit dosage per day kept getting bigger and bigger,” he says. “I would be using a reservoir of insulin in the pump, and it would last me a day and a half. It wasn’t having the impact on my body that it should have, and I was going through buckets of insulin.”As his need for insulin accelerated, both Ed and his physician became very concerned. Ed was also experiencing significant weight gain. His weight eventually reached a peak of 331 pounds.Married to his wife Dana for 49 years and a father to three, family has always been Ed’s top priority. He was looking forward to retiring from law enforcement and doing what he wanted — and when he wanted. Mostly, that meant spending time with his grandkids. But his plans for an active, carefree retirement disappeared. “I was too heavy. I wasn’t physically able to do the things that a grandpa would like to do with his grandchildren,” he says.A Life-Changing Diagnosis: The Cortisol ConnectionAs Ed’s condition worsened, his healthcare provider looked for answers. She suspected Ed might have a condition known as hypercortisolism and suggested he get tested. Hypercortisolism, also known as Cushing’s syndrome, is caused by excessive activity of the hormone cortisol. Persistently high or dysregulated cortisol activity can lead to serious symptoms like hypertension, central obesity, elevated blood sugar, and can be the underlying cause of difficult-to-control type 2 diabetes. It can be lethal if not treated effectively, yet it is often overlooked and undiagnosed.Once Ed’s blood test (known as a dexamethasone suppression test or DST) came back, his physician’s suspicion was confirmed — he had hypercortisolism. Now he had answers and understood his need for heavy doses of insulin, why he had gained so much weight, and why his energy levels were so low. Working with his care team, Ed could now receive treatment for his hypercortisolism to get his cortisol — and his quality of life — back on track.”Fortunately for me, my healthcare professional was a real pro,” says Ed. “For anyone who has difficult-to-control type 2 diabetes, I’d say talk to your doctor about checking your cortisol.”Ed is now enjoying the family-focused retirement he had always envisioned. “I feel better, I have more energy, and I might have given myself more time that I can spend with my children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren,” he says with a smile. “Isn’t that the most precious thing of all?”If you suspect you may have hypercortisolism or Cushing’s syndrome, talk to your doctor.For more information on speaking to your doctor or to find a specialist near you, go to: https://www.cortisolincontrol.com/locate-a-specialist.This article is the experience of one person and is not medical advice. Consult a medical professional for medical advice, diagnoses, or treatment.