:confused:

I posted a detailed please help earlier this morning but haven't heard anything yet...I'm really praying some of you experts can help me...I see my endocrinologist next Monday...

Just had an MRI and ACTH stimulation test. I have abundant symptoms of both Cushings and Addisons.

ACTH results:
am: 1.7 ug cortisol
one hour: 24 ug cortisol
1 1/2 hours: 27.5 ug cortisol


Please Please Please HELP

Thanks, Julie:wave:

Sorry you didn't get a response sooner. I don't get on here very often. Your stim test highly suggests you have secondary adrenal insufficiency. Secondaries will double or more from a low base number. For 9am I look for upper 20's for women's base cortisol. A base am cortisol of 15 is a very common number I see on the net. Going up by a factor of 14 in an hour is the the highest percentage increase I've seen yet. The preivous was a stim that started at 2 and went to 20. Your adrenals can work, but is likely not getting the acth signal. Ask for ACTH serum test. Most likely that will be at the low end of the range (almost no secondary AI falls below range on acth serum test). The acth stim does not tell if cyclical Cushing's or not. You can ask for ASI test and that can show the highs and lows through out the day or if you are low all day.

Hormoneman,

Thank you SO MUCH for your reply. I was hoping I would hear from YOU. I've read your posts and find your information highly reliable...you sound extremely intelligent.

My pcp couldn't read the results. I see an endocrinologist this Friday and am looking forward to finding out what's wrong with me and starting on a road to recovery.

Could these levels (so far as we know AND I WILL ask for the other test-the all day one) cause the extreme muscle pain and the dizziness I've been experiencing? I notice that it's always worse the time of the month I would menstruate (I had an endometrial ablasion a year ago so it's hard to tell), and my hormones are so low the docs think I'm starting menopause as well. Is there any corolation between the cortisol level and estrogen levels being low?

Thanks so much for answering me. You made my day, my week, my month. Yours is the FIRST real answer I have gotten and I appreciate it so much. That includes most of my doctors. Thank you so very much!

Sincerely, Love, Julie

Your so welcome. I forgot to mention that you will have the best luck with an osteopath. As a group they know the ranges are flawed and put symptoms above lab numbers. If first osteopath doesn't work out, try another. I've never heard anyone say they had to try more than 3 osteopaths. You might have to go to over 100 endos to find one that can help you.