Advice of Cushings disease

My husky mix was a rescue so we don’t know her exact age but she’s around 7-8 and spayed, I recently took her to the vet and they said it’s most definitely Cushings but they want to run the test to confirm it, which I’m going to do but my problem comes with the decisions I have to make, they said it’s a manageable disease but she’d be on medication for the rest of her life and lists of vet check ups and blood work (which I can’t really afford, I can afford taking her to the vet when issues come up but this is something really pricey) so if I decide to go without treatment, is it gonna cause her pain? Is she already in pain? As much as I want her to keep living and have her around (she’s my best friend I’ve had her since I was 15) I’m worried that I’m just keeping her around for my needs and she’s slowly getting worse. I don’t know how to make such a hard decision and if any vets could give me any information or advice on what to do. If it’s best to put her down I just need to know that it’s for the best and doesn’t make me monster for not spending up to 10 thousand on something that can’t be cured. But by all means if she’ll be ok without treatment I’d love advice on that too and what future could look like or even if we do a little bit of treatment cause I’m willing to go absolutely broke if it means I get to keep her around a bit longer. Hopefully this all makes sense I’m sorry for the long read I’m just going through so much with this, thank you so much.

Oh my goodness I'd like to give you a hug; this sounds so hard.   Cushings disease can be caused by steroids but I assume that your dog isn't / wasn't on steroids.  In other cases, it can be caused by a tiny tumour in the brain or adrenal gland and there is generally a fair outlook for immediate survival / quality of life in the short term with treatment.  My understanding is that typically, dogs might survive between 14 and 30 months after diagnosis, depending on which sort of Cushings they have.  I feel that life can get quite uncomfortable and unpleasant for them if they have Cushings and are not on treatment; it feels like taking an overdose of steroids all the time and does impeed quality of life.  Your vet should not judge you or label you a 'monster' for asking questions about the long-term and finances.  They do, after all, deal with the harsh realites of private health-care on a daily basis.  I would strongly urge you to go and talk to them, so that you can address the options head-on for your own dogs' situation.  Indeed, I admire clients who don't shy away from difficult questions and hope that your vet will recognise this and make appropriate reccommendations for you.