what does high cortisol and DHEA mean?

[miller01]

I am wondering if anyone can tell me what high coritsol and DHEAS saliva readings mean.

I am hypothyroid and taking .075 levoxyl, but not getting relief. I know that my TSH has gone up and the last time I did an increase in my thyroid med it caused me to have palps, nausea, and burning hands and feet. I am wondering if there is some relation here to adrenals.

My endo has done two tests for blood cortisol and urine 24 hr cortisol. One test the blood was high and urine normal. The next test the blood was normal and urine high. Explain that one!

I have appt with endo next week and I NEED to know what to suggest to her. I don't think that this is just thyroid related.

One note: I also had my female hormones tested and the progesterone was low. Any thoughts there?

Thanks!

[miller01]

Thanks for your reply.

My saliva tests were:

DHEAS 15.8 (3-10)*
Cortisol 13.1 (3-8) AM*
Cortisol 2.8 (2-4) Noon
Cortisol .3 (1-2) Late Afternoon*
Cortisol 1.3 (.5-1.5) Nightime

Blood/Urine Tests:

2-10-04 Cortisol 12.2 (4.0-22.0) AM
DHEAS 325 (52-400) AM

7-14-03 Cortisol, Free 38.4 (4.0-50.0) 24 Hr Urine
Cortisol 26.5 (4-0-22.0) AM

4-14-03 Cortisol, Free 80.2 (2.9-34.0) 24 Hr Urine*
Cortisol 21.2 (4.0-22.0) AM Blood

Thyroid:

10-22-04 New Lab today...find out next week.

5-28-04 TSH 4.30 (.4-5.50)
T4 Free 1.6 (.8-1.8)
T3 Uptake 34 (22-35)%

2-10-04 TSH 3.13 (.4-5.50)
T4 Free 1.5 (.8-1.8)
T3 Free 381 (230-420)

9-10-03 TSH 1.97 (.4-5.50)
T4 Free 1.3 (.8-1.8)
T3 Free 333 (230-420)

7-14-03 TSH 4.63 (.4-5.50)
T4 Free 1.3 (.8-1.8)

6-23-03 TSH 4.37


Do you see anything?

[miller01]

Thanks Chris for the info.

As far as the doses at the times that I had tests...I didn't keep a record of that. My bad, huh?

What exactly is the stim test? What do they do? How does it feel?

[kgent]

I'm having the same problem of figuring out which came first the chicken or the egg on this. I have high Cortisol levels and DHEA levels as well. Not sure if the hypothryodism is causing this or something else.

I'm a male, but have the same problem as you. My endo is doing further testing to rule out cushing's disease or some other chronic illness causing the high cortisol and DHEA levels. Have you found out any additional info from your doctor. Mine is going to run a 2-day dex suppression test followed by CRH stimulation.

Were you switching your dosage during the high cortisol level results. Reason I ask is that I have always had a hard time tolerating thyroid med increases and think it causes my adrenals to overstimulate thus result in the high levels. I have been making med increases since Feb this year, and that may be causing the high levels. But, I also heard that undermedicated hypo causes cortisol levels to be high to compensate for lack of hormone.

All I know I is that I don't want to go to end up down the Cushing's disease path. The stories from those folks are beyond frightening compared to thyroid disease.

Here are my test results:

Cortisol, Salivary

12:00 AM 690 NG/ML Range 50-250 NG/ML
8:00 AM 1903 NG/ML Range 200-1600 NG/ML
4:00 PM 1098 NG/ML Range 100-600 NG/ML

ACTH Plasma test done the same day and results:
ACTH, Plasma 11 PG/ML <5.0 - 60.0

Cortisol, Free Urine 116 H (range 20-90)

And other tests supporting an adrenal/hormonal problem:

Renin, Plasma Activity 4.6 H (range 0.2 – 3.0)
DHEA Sulfate 663 H (range 59-452)
Cortisol, Total AM 17.7 (range 4 – 22) Note that lower than upper limit but Endo said that this is still a very high morning level. Said he doesn’t see it that high very often.

Kind Regards,

-Hashigent

[irys]

Originally Posted by Hashigent

And other tests supporting an adrenal/hormonal problem:

Renin, Plasma Activity 4.6 H (range 0.2 – 3.0)
DHEA Sulfate 663 H (range 59-452)
Cortisol, Total AM 17.7 (range 4 – 22) Note that lower than upper limit but Endo said that this is still a very high morning level. Said he doesn’t see it that high very often.

Kind Regards,

-Hashigent

I don't mean to hijack this old thread, but I was doing a search for high cortisol, and Hashigent - what does your doc have you doing for the high AM Cortisol? Did they point you to Cushings Disease? How often are they monitoring this for you??

My morning cortisol (with the same lab range as yours here..) was 26 in March, but my doc didn't seem overly concerned about it. Me? I'm concerned.. because I feel like crap. (I am also hypo..)