getting tested - Addison's Disease Message Board

rbarnhill · 10-17-2002, 10:32 AM

My daughter was tested on Monday for Addisons, all they did was draw blood. I thought I had read that they should have drawn blood and then injected her with cortisol, then 30 minutes later drawed blood again. She has all the systems for this problem. Her BP was 90/60 laying down Monday in the doctors office. I am about ready to go to Childrens Hospital. My daughter looks bad. Please advise.

[This message has been edited by rbarnhill (edited 10-18-2002).]

orion · 10-19-2002, 11:49 PM

You can't diagnose Addisons with a single blood draw. There are several ways to do it, but the usual way is to inject ATCH and then draw blood over a few hours to watch and see if the adrenal glands produce cortisol. Even if the adrenals do produce cortisol, it doesn't rule out secondary Addisons caused by a failure of the pituitary gland.

One sign of adrenal insufficiency is a drop of blood pressure upon standing. Did they at least do that test?

rbarnhill · 10-21-2002, 08:25 AM

no, the only time the BP has been checked is when she was lying down. It was 90/60 lying down, we are not from this area, we are from a larger town with more doctors. I am thinking about taking her to a endocrinologist who I know and let him look at her and test her. I am a diabetic and have seen him and he also found a growth on my wife's thyroid when no one else could find it. what do you think?

orion · 10-23-2002, 10:57 PM

Can't hurt...go to the endo and see if he can help. Be prepared though, adrenal insufficiency is very difficult to prove in its early stages.