Anyone ever had issues with Cortisol levels?

[AndBreathe]

Thanks that’s very helpful.

The consultant seemed concerned when she learnt of everything going on and said she was marking the tests urgent she just wants to sure how they were all been conducted.

I’ll keep you all informed I’m just glad she’s willing to investigate furthwr because the routine blood tests, hormone, testosterone and cortisol tests were all normal she said.

Mark - Was your cortisol testing one blood test and/or a 24 hour urine collection?

If that was the case, and it most often is, your Doc may want to do a series of tests over 24 hours, using blood or saliva. Cortisol follows a real circadian rhythm, so testing early morning, or later in the same day will likely return different results.

Alternatively they may want to do a test involving a couple of blood draws. One on arrival, then again after taking something to stimulate your adrenal glands, to see how they react.

When I was looking into my own cortisol performance, I found the reading pretty fascinating.

Good luck with it all.

 

[MarkGeordie]

Mark - Was your cortisol testing one blood test and/or a 24 hour urine collection?

If that was the case, and it most often is, your Doc may want to do a series of tests over 24 hours, using blood or saliva. Cortisol follows a real circadian rhythm, so testing early morning, or later in the same day will likely return different results.

Alternatively they may want to do a test involving a couple of blood draws. One on arrival, then again after taking something to stimulate your adrenal glands, to see how they react.

When I was looking into my own cortisol performance, I found the reading pretty fascinating.

Good luck with it all.

Thanks did that.

The test I had done was the 24 hour collection of urine which I then had to return to pathology at the hospital.

Not exactly sure what these new tests are but she’s contacted to say I will get information in the post with an appointment to attend the hospital soon for the bloods.

 

[AndBreathe]

Thanks did that.

The test I had done was the 24 hour collection of urine which I then had to return to pathology at the hospital.

Not exactly sure what these new tests are but she’s contacted to say I will get information in the post with an appointment to attend the hospital soon for the bloods.

Yes, trundling the containers (I had to abort one test and redo it as I created too much wee) in to the surgery for collection was a joyous experience. Thankfully, I had been give heavy weight ziplock blash sort of carrier bags for the containers. I was happy not to have to parade my wee around the place.

All fund and games.

 

[MarkGeordie]

Update:

Had a lengthy conversation with the consultant today after she spoke to the GP.

She said she didn’t want to scare me but she wants to test me for carcinoid syndrome/tumor.

They want me to not eat certain foods for three days, then on Sunday night fast and then bring in Monday mornings first urine sample and get my bloods done the same day.

They are testing, chromogranin A, gut hormones, TSH and 5-HIAA.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

She said she didn’t want to scare me but she wants to test me for carcinoid syndrome/tumor.

Hope your tests come back clear Mark

 

[MarkGeordie]

Hope your tests come back clear Mark

Thanks Mike.

I’m heading over to the hospital Monday and she said one of them is a specialised test so might take 3-4 weeks.

Hopefully the time won’t drag too much.

 

[MarkGeordie]

Getting quite anxious now. This week marks the four weeks since the tests I had done so the results should be coming in this week so I plan to try and get in touch with the consultant back end of the week if she hasn’t rang me.

Had further tests done on Thursday too at the request of the GP but those were some routine tests so they might be back by Monday/Tuesday too.

Desperate for answers.

 

[Flutterby]

Hi Mark, just read your post and wanted to say I am thinking about you. A member of my family is waiting for test results and its a difficult time isn't it. All the very best with your results.

 

[MarkGeordie]

Hi Mark, just read your post and wanted to say I am thinking about you. A member of my family is waiting for test results and its a difficult time isn't it. All the very best with your results.

Yes totally agree it’s a difficult time. It’s not nice experiencing symptoms and getting no where yet with an answer.

 

[MarkGeordie]

Well I have the hospital results, still waiting on the ones the GP ordered.

Im happy in some ways because the stuff they mentioned it could be turns out it isn’t and things are normal in that respect.

However she was very blunt and basically said go back to the GP she has done all she can do. She isn’t bothered about the list of symptoms, how I’m feeling, what I’m suffering and the impact it now seems to be having on my mental health.

I am happy to discuss it with the GP but all I seem to have gotten is a shrug shoulder off them, I’m going round in circles and I don’t know what to do anymore.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Well I have the hospital results, still waiting on the ones the GP ordered.

Im happy in some ways because the stuff they mentioned it could be turns out it isn’t and things are normal in that respect.

However she was very blunt and basically said go back to the GP she has done all she can do. She isn’t bothered about the list of symptoms, how I’m feeling, what I’m suffering and the impact it now seems to be having on my mental health.

I am happy to discuss it with the GP but all I seem to have gotten is a shrug shoulder off them, I’m going round in circles and I don’t know what to do anymore.

Ah how very frustrating for you Mark

Great news that you’ve got the all clear, but that doensn’t get you much further forward with finding out what it is does it!

Hope the GP has another plan of attack to do a little more investigating. Do be clear about the impact on your MH right away. It’s important for your GP to know how profoundly this is affecting you.

 

[MarkGeordie]

Ah how very frustrating for you Mark

Great news that you’ve got the all clear, but that doensn’t get you much further forward with finding out what it is does it!

Hope the GP has another plan of attack to do a little more investigating. Do be clear about the impact on your MH right away. It’s important for your GP to know how profoundly this is affecting you.

Yeah this has been going on for 18 months and it’s getting to the point where I just want to give up as so much has happened over the past few years that I can’t cope anymore.

Still waiting on the results from the tests the GP ordered they have asked me to call tomorrow to see if they are back. Once they are I’ll ask for another telephone consultation and hope they will listen to my concerns.

My friend was saying because the hospital doctor failed to look at my symptoms diaries and take a proper history that I should request a second opinion but in my eyes they have done the tests so surely another doctor will just come to the same conclusion in terms of those tests?

 

[Pumper_Sue]

Hi Mark it could be a case of it's not within the knowledge of an endocrinologist hence she has sent you back to your GP.
It might be more of a neurological problem so your GP would have to refer you to a dif dept.

 

[MarkGeordie]

Hi Mark it could be a case of it's not within the knowledge of an endocrinologist hence she has sent you back to your GP.
It might be more of a neurological problem so your GP would have to refer you to a dif dept.

Yeah that makes total sense as well, thanks for the reminder, I think the best thing to do is to wait for these other tests to be returned which hopefully will be tomorrow and then request to speak to the GP again.

 

[MarkGeordie]

Well I’ve had my telephone consultation with the GP. Didn’t go very well to be honest.

Basically got a, we can’t find anything wrong, there’s no reason we can find that is causing the symptoms.

I feel like I’m just expected to put up and shut up and cope with the symptoms now and that’s it.

I seriously don’t know how much more I can take. I’m in such a low place right now that I’m scared.

I don’t know what to do anymore.

 

[trophywench]

Well you said you would try and contact the consultant, re the tests they did, so have you done that?

And,what was your TSH result?

 

[MarkGeordie]

Well you said you would try and contact the consultant, re the tests they did, so have you done that?

And,what was your TSH result?

Yeah as I mentioned above they came back normal which is why she has sent me back to the GP but they don’t seem to care or understand.

TSH was 4.03.

 

[trophywench]

People with diabetes TSH should be between 1 and 2 - NOT 4 !!! That's what the Endocrinologists and Diabetologists at 'our University Hospital' tell me, anyway.

 

[MarkGeordie]

People with diabetes TSH should be between 1 and 2 - NOT 4 !!! That's what the Endocrinologists and Diabetologists at 'our University Hospital' tell me, anyway.

Really? She said it was normal? Any links to this ?

 

[MarkGeordie]

Well I have no idea how it happened but I got my bloods that the GP requested done on 4th June and still had no results back so I chased it up with the surgery this morning and they rang me back this afternoon and informed me the lab did not receive the samples they have went missing.

Got to go and have them done again tomorrow.