>From:    [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Adrenal Surgery
>
>Lily, 4 y.o., recently went through two adrenal surgeries.  The last surgery
>was 5 weeks ago.  My concern is that her vulva is still swollen, not nearly
>as much as before, but definitely still swollen....
>I've read that recovery from the second adrenal surgery is much longer than
>the first but how long is that?  At what point should I panic?
 
Hi Katharine.  I wouldn't panic yet.  It can take a month or more for the
vulva to go down.  As you know, though, surgery isn't always curative for
adrenal disease.  But don't panic.  Our Wally has been on Lysodren
(inoperable adrenal tumor - huge!) for about three months.  You would never
know that once he was nearly bald.  His hair growth is lush and complete.,
including a beautifully thick, fluffy tail!  (Often hair regrowth, after
adrenal surgery or therapy, isn't complete or as lush) Another friends
fuzzy, Oreo, had three surgeries and recurring high estradial levels, and
symptoms.  She has been on Lysodren for four or so months and is doing
great.  Another friends fuzzy is on Lupron (leuprolide acetate) only, and
has good hair regrowth, normal urination (he was at high risk of blockage),
lowered estradial reading and higher glucose and better blood counts so at
lesser risk for anemia!  All three fuzzies are energetic and seem pain-free.
 
Their recovery is being tracked through the U.  Tennessee's estradial test
($25-45 depending on your vet).  It is a good test to get as soon as you
think you have an adrenal fuzzy, so that treatment and recovery can be
measured against this baseline test.  If you have lots of money, get the
whole panel, but estradial is is usually elevated, according to my info
though I can't reference this, in adrenal disease.
 
Lysodren kills off adrenal tissue and Lupron somehow gets in between the
pituatary/hypothalamic feedback loop to stop the pituatary's tirade on the
adrenal gland.  Three fuzzies in New Jersey that didn't do so well on
Lysodren are doing really well on both Lysodren and Lupron.  As far as I've
heard Lupron does not have ongoing or bad side effects.  Wally will be going
on the combo Lysodren/Lupron treatment so that we'll be, hopefully,
addressing a couple aspects of the disease.  I'm more hopeful than I have
ever been that adrenl disease is manageable!
 
Ferrets have had difficulties handling Lysodren's toxicity.  So Wally is on
a shorter dose regimen than that most commenly used, as is Oreo and Todd's
Seldon.  He was on three days on, two days off.  Now he's no Mon.-Wed.  or
Thurs, and off for Friday and the weekend - much easier to remember and more
consistent.  He's had three toxic reactions (the Lysodren builds up in the
system) during which he got a prednisone tablet (or two or three in one
case, every other day) and was taken of Lysodren for an extra day or two --
he sprang right back.
 
I lost my beloved Percy to adrenal disease.  I heard so many different
approaches to treatment I was thoroughly confused, and scared.  So, I
started an adrenal group list.  We now talk about insulinoma, too, since
that often can go hand in hand with adrenal disease.  If you'd like to join
the list, or anyone would, just write me and ask to join.
 
Thanks for being there FML!
 
Lynn Mc.
[Posted in FML issue 2130]