Hello,
My name is Annalise, I am 18 and from Australia....(woohoo go the Aussies!) apart from those defining things I also have salt-wasting (classic/21-hydroxylase) CAH. I've had it since birth. It can be a bummer, but most of the time other people make too much of a big deal about it. Especially to do with the gender issues. Sometimes I feel like hiding under a rock, but doctors won't let me.
I admire the guts that it takes to want to find answers, to want to find a place to 'fit' and if researching into this condition does make you feel 'a little more at home with who you believe you are', then that is wonderful. I know that at your age, sometimes finding answers is what we need in order to feel accepted by our peers - I was going through a similar stage not that long ago. I understand that sometimes we need to find ways to cope with who we are or who other people want us to believe, so if answers in the form of friends is what you need, feel free to email me (I have MSN).
You sound like a very intelligent person. You obviously know how the body works - but keep in mind, it can be dangerous! I have a tendency to 'diagnose' myself, because I know what's going on better than some of my doctors do, and it almost cost me my life since I was to ignorant to go and find proper help. With that said, high blood pressure isn't a symptom of untreated CAH. Infact individuals with untreated CAH, more normally than not have low blood pressure because of the increased rate at which they expel sodium. (sodium is hydrophilic, meaning that it attracts water, so when sodium is the blood stream it attracts a certain amount of water molecules - i think it is per one mol of sodium, it attracts three mol of water - thus keeping the body hydtrated. Yet this also increases the volume of blood that we have pumping around our body; therefore, if you are well hydrated you will have more blood/water/oxygen to pump around the body to replenish cells, but to also remove wastes...So simply speaking, if you are dehydrated, since you can't retain sodium and hence water, you will have low blood pressure.)
I hope all ^^^that^^^ made sense, and I am sorry if it came across as nerdy-ish. I am a nerd, I am proud of it. But you came across as though this type of information interests you (since you have a good grasp on it already).
I wouldn't completely rule out CAH. There are different forms, some rarer than others. But to me, it doesn't sound as though you have the classic/salt wasting form. Generally it would have been picked up by now; especially since you've had surgery. (by that I mean, with CAH the adrenals don't make cortisol which is a 'coping' hormone. With the physical stress put on your body by anasthetic and surgery itself, you would probably have experienced an "adrenal crisis" which is life threatening.
LOL wikipedia is entertaining - some of the stuff that is on there is so incoherent, and virtually impossible to understand. Perhaps, if you want, I can explain CAH in lamens terms...believe me, I know to much - and it is somewhat fun getting it out of my system every now and then!
Well I hope you do find the answers that you need. I am more often than not visiting here is you have more questions; but here is my email if you'd rather correspond that way
anna_bryant89@hotmail.com
Keep smiling
Annalise
