After his first day of classes in his senior year of college, Doug Lindsay collapsed at home. The biology major, who was attending school at Rockhurst University in Kansas City, knew something was very wrong. He had seen the same thing happen to both his mother and his aunt. (1, 2)

It Runs In The Family

Growing up, Lindsay watched his mother and aunt suffer from chronic pain and muscle rigidity. Both were very weak. His mother was unable to open the front door, and his aunt couldn’t tie her own shoes. (2)

Lindsay quickly began experiencing the same symptoms as his mother and aunt. He was bedridden for most of the day, only getting up to eat or use the bathroom. And he could walk only 50 feet at a time. (1)

Bedridden For 11 Years

The 21-year-old, who hoped to become a biology professor, had to drop out of school. He moved home to St. Louis, MO and began to see doctors and undergo testing. After 11 years, doctors were still baffled by Lindsay’s condition. They were unable to give him any answers, and he remained bedridden, rarely leaving home. (1)

But Lindsay refused to believe that there wasn’t a cure for his condition. He began to study medical textbooks, using his science background to look for answers. At first, he concentrated on the thyroid, but his focus changed to the adrenal glands. He believed that he had an autonomic nervous system disorder that was attacking his heart rate, blood pressure, metabolism, and digestion. But he couldn’t convince any doctors of what his research was telling him. (3)

Enlarged Adrenal Glands

Eventually, Lindsay connected with Dr. H. Cecil Coghlan, who was a medical professor at the University of Alabama-Birmingham. He suspected that Lindsay’s adrenal glands were affected by a tumor. However, an adrenal scan showed that was not the case. Although Lindsay didn’t have a tumor, the medullas, which are inside the adrenal glands, were enlarged. This caused his adrenal glands to produce far too much adrenaline. Coghlan diagnosed Lindsay with bilateral adrenal medullary hyperplasia. (1)

Although it was a relief to finally have a diagnosis, Lindsay still didn’t have a solution to his issues. After more research, he believed that surgery to remove the medulla would cure him. (1)

It took a while, but Lindsay found a doctor to perform the surgery on his enlarged adrenal glands. He had the medulla from one adrenal gland removed, and his condition improved markedly. Eventually, he was able to have the other one removed, and his quality of life got even better. (1)

Paying It Forward

Lindsay was able to return to college and complete his biology degree. Today, he is a nationally recognized speaker who has been featured at TEDx and Stanford Medicine X. He is also a personal medical consultant who advocates for families that are unable to get answers from the medical system. (2)

Lindsay’s health isn’t perfect, but his quality of life has improved remarkably. “Where I am now is more like somebody who is more healthy than I was. I still have struggles, but a lot of people do,” Lindsay says. Because of his determination and his experience advocating for himself, he is now able to help others with challenging medical conditions. (3)