I asked my doctor for a test to see if my adrenals are kicking back in and she told me that there is little point as it's not a reliable test. Has anyone else experience that?
I am no longer taking prednisone, if I have a bad day one 200 mg of ibuprofen makes me feel like new. Initially when I asked for cortisol test she said can't be done while you're taking prednisone because it will negate any results you get.
Sorry to say this...but it`s unbelievable what some doctors can come out with!...thank heavens for the knowledge on this site....I refer to their comment when you where on steroids....
Methinks she can’t be bothered to do the paperwork! The test she is probably referring to tells you IF your adrenal glands are capable of working, but NOT if they actually …so in that aspect not 100% reliable maybe.
Just for info, it can take anything up to a year after finishing Pred for them to be back to 100% functioning - so if you are only getting odd days, then be patient.
If they weren’t functioning you’d be very ill.
thank you so much for your response....
She is wrong on the second point, the first is partly right. It shows if the adrenal glands CAN work - and that is an important bit of knowledge. It doesn't show if they ARE working reliably though. But it can be done while still taking pred, preferably at 3mg or lower. The level of the cortisol in a sample taken in the morning after not having take pred in the previous 24 hours is also a very good indicator one way or the other for more than half of cases.
I've said already today - I really don't mind them not knowing - but I do object to them being so adamant 
Hi! You didn’t get much of an answer. Here’s what my Doc has done for sluggish adrenal function. I take 5 mg of prednisone daily and that small dose functions like an adrenal. If I don’t take it, my BP drops well below 100 and I am tired. Feel good with this program I’m on, but I know it’s different for each of us. I’m a lifelong asthmatic, hence have been on high doses of pred at times and my adrenals no longer function. Good luck! Hugs!
My endocrinologist took my results very seriously indeed. Oh dear!
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