ACTH blood test

[ChinaWuntoo]

My GP has sent me for an ACTH blood test. Is this the correct test or should he have asked for ACTH Stimulation test?

Will the ACTH test be sufficient? I am almost at 3.5mg Pred.

To be fair, I asked if I needed an ACTH test - I didn't realise there were two. But surely he knows what is needed?

[PMRpro Ambassador]

I wouldn't be sure GPs would know the finer details - mine here in Italy was a bit confused (not for me, for OH).

All you actually need to start with is a basal cortisol blood test - a sample of blood taken between 9am and 1pm and the cortisol level measured. That gives a good indication of where you are at present, almost certainly with a degree at least of adrenal insufficiency, Then you have a baseline to see how things progress as you reduce the dose further,

[ChinaWuntoo in reply to PMRpro]

Thanks muchly. I think that's the ACTH test. So I'll go along for that (maybe have a word with the phlebotomist (when I eventually get the appointment) and face the GP if I need the ACTH Stimulation test.

[piglette in reply to ChinaWuntoo]

Do phlebotomists know about blood tests? It is just my cleaning lady is a phlebotomist. Phlebotomy in the morning, getting my house clean in the afternoon! I am not sure she knows much about blood tests though.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to piglette]

Depends - I did, the phlebotmists here do. Your cleaning lady? I doubt it somehow!

[piglette in reply to PMRpro]

💉🩸🧹🪣

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to ChinaWuntoo]

No - ACTH and cortisol are two different things, ACTH is the substance they inject to stimulate the adrenals to produce cortisol. You can measure it in blood but it isn;t the information you are looking for.

[ChinaWuntoo]

I'll let you know! Surely they would know the difference between an ACTH and an ACTH Stimulation test? And I'd hope they would know what each one is aimed to discover, but I could be wrong.

Thanks.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to ChinaWuntoo]

No - all the phlebotomist needs to know is what colour lid on the bottle is for which test And that is usually in a referance list for the tests the lab does and which have to be sent to a specialist lab. Differences between tests are rocket science in comparison.

[ChinaWuntoo in reply to PMRpro]

Thank you.

I guess I'll just wait and see - and expect to be confused.