Dear Pennie:

I was diagnosed with late on-set CAH @ 32yrs. Looking back my symptoms started slowly. I grew normally and had my first period at 12yrs.  I was a little hairly on the legs, I started shaving at 10yrs. I had acne-like things on my upper arms and back severly until my late twenties.  I gained weight at puberty 30 lbs quickly. I started seeing more hair growth on my arms, fingers, toes, mustach and legs at about 19yrs. This continued anlong with the apperance of black and white heads on my face. At about 25 I gained another 30lbs quickly for no reason. I starved them off with diet pills and they stayed off for about 2yrs. Then I gained 80lbs. in 1yr. I could not stop gaining plus I was bloated all the time, tired, sleeping 13hrs a day. Went to Gyno who gave me diet pills and said to get a personal trainer. Then to an eminent endocronologist who performed so many blood, urine, fasting, with pills, without pills tests for 1yr. After ruling out Cushing’s she told me to go on a diet and go to the gym. As a last result I went back to my Gyno and she suggested a reproductive endocronologist. At my first visit he looked at my medical history and said he was almost sure I had late on-set CAH.  This was over 2yrs ago and I am feeling and looking a lot better. I hope my story helps.

Lynn