Just wanted to let you know that I had an ACTH test last week. Went to the endo. Dr. today. He said that my level was up to 31 (whatever that means, normal, I think). He said that my body is healing itself, and beginning to work again!!!!! Thank goodness. Have to still take the cortef 20 mg. in the morning, but he is going to have me do another ACTH test in four months. If my levels are good, and no other problems, he is going to begin weaning me from the cortef.
So, I guess, your body can heal itself from longterm doses of Prednisone, and other steroids, which can cause the insuffiency. This is such great news.
By the way, I am feeling soooooooooo much better lately. My heart is behaving itself, the hypoglycemia is under control, and all of the other symptoms seem to be behaving!!!!!
You were so kind to me when I was having a lot of problems, that I wanted to share this Dr. visit with you.

Hope that Travis continues to heal also.......

Thanks again for all of your advise and concern.

Sage

I am SOOOOOOOO happy for you! Glad there has been such a change for the better.

Travis has been doing his daily walks, as instructed by his physical therapist and going to the YMCA. He seems to be slowly feeling a bit better. He is off all meds, but takes salt pills, lots of water and Gatorade, and vitamin D and calcium. His heart still over reacts to exercise, and sometimes he doesn't feel well afterward. But he is supposed to take it slow.

He also had an MRI of his little head the other day, as at the Mayo they spotted some sort of bright spot they termed a hyperintense area. They did this second MRI three mos. down the line. Nothing had changed, so the doctor ordered it to be done again in August.

You take care, and continue along the pattern you are in!! ;)

Thanks for writing, :wave: Tracy

Thanks Kearly,

Glad to hear that Travis is progressing in a good way. Wow, that's scary about the head....but, if it hasn't changed in anyway, that is a good thing. Sometimes we have things that will never cause harm, they are just there, and don't do anything, but, they show up on MRI's CT scans...and then we have to investigate. Still scary, but don't worry....no change is a good thing.

I am doing so much better, but have been having a bit of problem with the hypoglycemia again. Out of no where....it is running low again. Darn. Maybe I am not eating enough....and I have been really careful about not having sugar....maybe my body is saying, hey, it's ok now to have a little bit of sugar!! (I was low the other day, thought it was medications for my back that was making me feel headachy and upset stomach....so I tried just a little ice cream (such a penalty) and guess what, I felt better.....so I guess it was the hypoglycemia...crazy how that can just pop up again.

Still working on the back issues, they are doing another MRI and x-rays in June up at the Mayo...(the others were only 6 months old...but there had been a change in pain levels, so they said they needed new ones) My PM dr. said they seem to take new ones for everyone.... Hope that they can find out what is the major problem and fix it...I know that sounds drastic, but enough is enough....I will do most anything....but they want to do diagnostic injections .....whatever they may be....but with the adrenal insuffiency, they can't....my endo. Dr. said if they use short acting steroids, don't take my cortef for a day....if they use long acting stuff, don't take it for approx. 10 days.....now that scares me...... I've had so many epidurals, that is what helped throw my adrenals over the edge.....don't want anymore of them. But, if they want to try something different, well, that may be another story....

thanks for the note....take care

Sage

Hi!

Sorry about your back problems, and the involvement with steroids to help it! :eek:

For the hypoglycemia, you probably already know all of the right diet hints, but I'll put my two cents in because of our other son's Type I Diabetes, and what we have began to learn for him. If you want long lasting crutching of your blood sugar, try items that are slower to make it rise, but work longer, especially those things that contain a certain amount of fat. In other words, drink milk with a bit of Ovaltine in it or eat fruit instead of candy. Even juice raises Jesse's BS quickly, but doesn't keep him up like the Ovaltine or even just a glass of milk. The fat makes the sugar burn slower. Eat a cookie instead of a candy bar. A recent study I read about bananas make them sound like a good idea. Possibly yogurt with minimal sugar in it would be nice, or a sugary item along WITH a protein or fat. I think granola bars work fairly well. A potato or roll is high carb (raises blood sugar) but doesn't give you that quick rise and drop that candy would. Your ice cream choice was probably a fairly good one, as the fat in it stayed the sugar from digesting all at once and then leaving you low later.

I'm just beginning to see what works. Thought I'd share what little I know at this point!

Take care, :wave: Tracy