Hypercortisolism – The Overlooked Condition Behind “Uncontrollable” Diabetes

Hypercortisolism is often misunderstood, misdiagnosed, or missed entirely—and for many people, that means years of frustration with difficult-to-control diabetes, high blood pressure, fatigue, and other unexplained symptoms. In this episode, Dr. Steve Edelman sits down with Phil, a military veteran, and his wife Cherese to share their journey through years of unanswered questions before finally uncovering hypercortisolism as the underlying cause. Together, they highlight the warning signs, the challenges of getting diagnosed, and the relief that comes with the right treatment.

You’ll learn why hypercortisolism is more common than most people realize, how it can hide behind type 2 diabetes, and what tests and treatments can make a life-changing difference:

• Why hypercortisolism is so often overlooked: Symptoms overlap with diabetes, stress, and other common health issues.
• Phil’s story of resilience: From managing diabetes with multiple medications to discovering hypercortisolism as the root cause.
• The partner’s perspective: How Cherese noticed the warning signs and pushed for further testing.
• The Catalyst Study: Research shows that up to 1 in 4 people with hard-to-control type 2 diabetes may have hypercortisolism.
• Diagnosis explained: The 1 mg overnight dexamethasone suppression test and why it matters.
• Treatment and transformation: How targeted therapies improved Phil’s blood sugars, energy, sleep, and overall quality of life.
• Key takeaways: Be your own best advocate—if your numbers don’t add up, it’s worth asking why.

Important Links:
- Corcept’s patient hypercortisolism awareness campaign
- Corcept’s patient hypercortisolism disease education website

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