Zoe By My Side- Our Journey with Cushings

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Originally Posted by labblab

Yes, you can stop giving Lysodren at any time if Zoe were to react negatively. It's just that if Zoe were to have a negative response to having her cortisol lowered, under typical circumstances it takes a longer time for her body to rebound after having been treated with Lysodren than with trilostane (days rather than hours). During the time period that you would be waiting for her adrenal glands to regenerate from the Lysodren, you would need to give her prednisone to compensate for the lowered cortisol.

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I'm sorry if I've continued to confuse the issue. By my earlier answer, I did not mean to imply that you would want to be starting and stopping Lysodren on an ongoing basis. I thought your concern related to whether or not you could stop Lysodren FOR GOOD in the event that Zoe was reacting negatively to the effects of the medication. And in that case, the answer is "yes" -- you do not have to keep giving Lysodren forever if you've established that it is not the medication that you are wishing to use to treat Zoe.

In relation to "starting and stopping trilostane," perhaps you're referring to the manufacturer's instructions as to how to handle dosing changes in the event that cortisol is being oversuppressed per ACTH testing? In that case, the recommendation is to stop the trilostane for a period of time, and then to start back again at a reduced dose. However, really, the same would also be true of Lysodren in the event that it is determined through ACTH monitoring that a change should be made to a dog's Lysodren maintenance dosing regimen.

Marianne

P.S. Addy, I see we were typing at the same time -- I'm glad that things are straightened out for you now!

Hurrahh!!!!

I am to forward Zoe's test results to Dr. Peterson, we will have our consultation next week!!!!!!


His office was very reasurring!!!!!:)

YES!!!!!!!

Addy

Yippee!!!!!

Way to go, Addy! :D I am getting excited about Zoe starting treatment and am so hoping she has no problems whatsoever with it!

Hugs,
Leslie and the gang

You are getting there. Ya!!!!:D
Hugs Sonja and Apollo

Yeah!!! Another thing to check off the list that never ends!!!:D:D

Next week cannot come fast enough for you and me!!! HeHe!!:)

Hi Addy-
Congrats on the consult! :D:cool: What exactly do you hope to get out of the consult? (Maybe I need to read back further.)
I don't think I realized how Zoe's condition has progressed. I am so sorry for your struggle.
With Peaches (Pome-poo) she lived to 17.25 yrs. She had no disease, thankfully. She had lost most of her sight and started having seizures. I looked at her one day and realized her tail, which usually curled up and around, was almost always down. She'd have about 10 minutes each morning and each evening when she was really enjoying life. At the other times I think she was content.
When the seizures started (we had a total of 3) it was too hard on her. That was when we realized we needed to take action.
I'm not at all suggesting you are there with Zoe. I am suggesting that I think you will know when it is the right time. You never feel like it at the time, but being such dog lovers as we are, I find you just know. We realized not to take action on Peaches, at that point, was a very selfish thing to do. She had had a great life, a very long life, a mostly healthy life. She adapted pretty well to the sight issue as it developed. But when the seizures started it was just very obvious that they were something no one should have to go through. It was not anything for which there was a medication that would help. And each morning I kind of quietly hoped she would not wake up. I didn't want to have to take that action. That was not to be.
Regarding the Trilostane, I know you've gotten great information, just as I did with Palmer. Palmer started out on 10 and got up to 30mgs. We never had a problem with the Trilostane. No side effects, no negative reactions. It was a tough decision, Trilo vs, Lyso, but I feel for us we made the right choice.
However further forward you travels take you and Zoe, you will have tons of support from people who have been there and walked that path.
Try to enjoy the moments you have when you can. Stay in the "now" if you can. :)
Take care, sweetheart.

Love,
Susan

Is it Friday Yet?????

I cannot seem to get out the BLUES--maybe I need to go on medication:eek::eek: I have "Happy Camper" Pills, but they are just herbs and do not seem to put the happy or motivation back in the life.

I am really excited for you to finally see if treating the regular Cushings helps Miss Zoe. As much as I didn't want to have to use Lysodren it made Maddie's life much better. I think she didn't have to think about food all the time--it calmed her in that way. :o

Have a wonderful day!!! :)

I'm so glad that you'll be able to start treating Zoe soon. I'm keeping everything crossed that everything goes well once you start the treatment.

Thank you all for stopping by. I'm late in posting, trying to get Zoe's tests in order to send to Dr. Peterson, visits from the kids, etc been a busy week.;)

What to do I hope to glean from Dr. Peterson?

I hope to draw on his vast knowledge and experience:
Review Zoe's blood work and get reassured it is not unusual for a dog with such high cortisol to have normal blood work and to see if he sees a path to Cushing in it.

Reassure me that although I now know her tests were not done in an optimal way, I do not need any more tests prior to starting treatment.

His opinion on the best way to go about treating her with the colitis

His opinion and experience with dogs with her high cortisol, would a low dose of Trilostane even do anything?

Would a low dose load of lysodren be worthless with her high cortisol?

How do we address her reaction to past drugs? Am I putting to much emphasis on what happened with the heartworm medicine, rimadyl, panacur and high doses of flagyl? Maybe her reactions are common place.

Have him help put the pieces to the puzzle together.

Hope I am not expecting too much.:eek::rolleyes:

Have a wonderful Thursday and thank you all for checking on us.

Love you all,
Addy, Zoe and little Koko too!!