How common is Cushing&#..

I typically don't watch medical programs and then compare myself to the patients. However, I have seen a couple of documentaries about Cushing's Syndrome and I have done minimal reading about the disease on the internet. Is Cushing's rare? I have several of the symptoms, but I realize that I might not have the disease, but many of the symptoms do fit. For example, I have menstrual cycle irregularity, extra skin/fat on back of neck, excess body hair, and diabetes runs in my family. If I have had blood work done at my past physicals, would they have checked for Cushing's?

Anyway, what kind of test needs to be done and how do I approach my doctor about seeking a test for Cushing's?

Thank you for your help. I feel like such a cybercondriac! Haha.

I'm not saying you don't have it - but chances are very good that you don't have it. It's possible, but not probable. I met a man once with Cushing's Disease, and from what I could see, there was seriously no doubt that he was very ill.

You might consider talking to your doctor and asking for a complete endocrine work-up, or even a referral to an endocrinologist. It's more likely that you have PCOS, polycystic ovarian syndrome, which causes menstrual irregularities, hormonal changes that commonly include facial hair or excess body hair, acne, and diabetes. It's associated with excess weight, and the question is: does fat cause PCOS or does PCOS make you fat?