In some cases, psychological problems can be severe, even being diagnosed as a nervous breakdown. You may have noticed that your face tends to be rounder and redder than it was before. You may have higher blood pressure than before and could have mild diabetes. Some people notice a tendency to easy bruising and red stretch marks can sometimes appear on the abdomen, similar to those which occur during pregnancy, but more pronounced. Some women have irregular periods or stop having them altogether, and they have more hair growth on their body and face than before.
Men can experience decreased fertility, and reduction or absence of sex drive.
Cushing's affects many parts of the body and may affect different people in different ways. Because Cushing's progresses slowly and gradually in most cases, it can go unrecognised for some time. There are two steps in the diagnosis of Cushing's - first to establish that it is present and secondly to find the cause. You will initially be given a tablet called dexamethasone. This suppresses the production of the hormone cortisol in people who do not have Cushing's.