Natalie Stokes was always the curvy one in her group of friends. But when she started putting on more and more weight despite cutting down to only 1,000 calories a day and maintaining and active lifestyle, she knew something more was wrong.
Natalie went to her doctor in the U.K., but he just accused her of being a secret binge-eater. She was referred to dietitians but only started piling weight on even faster. Every time Natalie would go back to her doctor, he would only insist that only Natalie could help herself – by restraining from her supposed “binge eating.”
Finally, after years of not being believed and suffering, Natalie was referred for an MRI scan. It turned out that this scan saved her life. Doctors found a 12mm growth on her pituitary gland, and while benign in nature, this tumor is the initial symptom of Cushing’s disease.
Cushing’s disease is a rare disorder that results in the body producing excess of the hormone cortisol. This in turn leads to huge fat storage in the body, as well as a weakened immune system and elevated blood pressure. To learn more about Cushing’s, click here.
Natalie underwent a series of additional tests after the tumor was found, and Cushing’s disease was finally confirmed. Shortly thereafter, Natalie was able to undergo an operation to remove her tumor.
The operation was a success, and although Natalie still experiences nausea and emotional problems, she is finally experiencing tremendous weight loss! She is speaking out to help others that may have Cushing’s disease, those that have just been written off as “lazy” and “fat.”
To learn more about Natalie’s story from U.K. Daily Mail, click here.
