CAH Ignorance

[reillaway]

Is there a site that can offer me the answers to all the questions that I have. To be honest with you I'm very ignorant when it comes to CAH. I would like to feel like I have some sort of education or background when somebody asks me about myself. To be honest I can answer them at this point. Any help would be great. It's time to take control of my life.

Alex

[Sunshine1]

The site from John Hopkins University can tell you information about the endocrine condition of CAH. You also might enjoy the web page of the Intersex Society of North America.

We take cortisone medications because we lack the abitity to make cortisol which increases the amount of adrogens our bodies produce. Others with CAH also take a med to stop salt wasting it's called florinef (sp ?) The cortisone med in the form of Prednisone,Hydrocortisone or Dexamethazone replaces the cortisol that other people naturally make and thus surpressing the excessive androgens for women and men. People can die from lack of cortisol - it's called an adrenal crisis.

People with CAH have "standard chromosomes" both male and females can be born with CAH . Sometimes females with most types of CAH are born with external genitals that could pass as male with no testes and their internal reproductive organs are "normal" only ovaries and a uterus with no testes hence surgery to help us along with menstration and later sexual intercourse. Males born with most types of CAH have normal male genitals organs but they are rather well endowed due to the excessive androgens. Not really a bad thing when I think about it (wink, wink) A very rare form of CAH happens to some males where their external organs look female but they only have testes and the females are born with the external genital area looking like a "typical female" Equal opportunity with CAH. There are different forms of CAH in which we were all born without the ability of our adrenal glands to make some or any cortisol. The DIFFERENT TYPES OF CONGENITAL ADRENAL HYPERPLASIA are Salt Wasting, Simple Virilizing, Late Onset, and also different blocks on the metabolic pathway 21, 11, 17 Hydroxylase deficiency.

An endocrinologist does blood tests to determine if someone is born with CAH. This web page might also help you http://www.tdh.state.tx.us/newborn/hand_cah.htm

A.P. Smith-Morgan

[Sunshine1]

Dear Alex:

California dreaming here and was wondering if you're any closer to the answers that you are seeking?

Aimee