Dear Chris D

I’m so glad to see that your son’s Endo brought that up. Overly-giddy, that’s a good way to describe it. It’s not a bad thing but in some social or work situations it is cause for concern. Generally, I have a very upbeat personality anyway and the euphoric feeling adds to it. Better though to call it goofy because that even describes it better. We get really, really, really excited about things. I’ve been extremely over joyed about work supplies, it’s weird.

Yep, I do notice a difference when I’m on a higher dose. I tend to get aggressive and quicker to anger, OK just plain mean when the prednisone dose is more. I notice feeling more anxious which is annoying to me. I never was much of a crier  unless it included a ranting rage at a targeted person. I would delight in seeing their jaw drop to the floor. Favorite target, Endos that would down play the emotional effect of prednisone. Also, my appetite would increase. On the other side of the coin, If I’m not taking enough pred, my face gets a dusky pallor to it and I have a lingering headache, nausea, start sweating, and then barfing.

Isn’t it great when you finally get a doctor that acknowledges the relationship between the cortisones and moods?

To much pred is a bad thing and to little pred is too :) One Endo compared it to getting a thermostat just right.  I’ve never been moody or depressed , I’ve quizzed my Mom on that one. The only thing that I am is  angry about being subjected to a clitoridectomy. I don’t feel that way all the time but it is something that I deal with.  Society doesn’t want people born like me and I have to live with that truth. This society would justify, better to be butchered in a clitoridectomy then be like I was born . A little anger, yes. Depression, no.  Like I stated in the first post 95 % o the time, it’s happy go-lucky but the other 5 % accounts for trying to rationalize the genital surgery.   If it wasn’t for the genital butchering, I would forget that I have CAH. 

A buddy with cerebral palsy has the coolest attitude, he doesn’t think his condition is a problem but he refers to it as an "inconvenience" and thats how I try to deal with what those early surgeries did to me. So in a way it’s also what Danny was getting at in his post.  Mind over matter:) a positive attitude goes a long way. It doesn’t always work but I try :)   

Aimee