Cortisol serum blood test results, are they normal?

[Zebedee44]

I’m sorry if this information is readily available on Q and A but I have been a headless chicken since being told I had an enlarged pituitary gland three weeks ago. So I am turning to my lovely caring supportive informed friends on this forum for information I can understand.

The Endocrinologist has requested certain blood tests and The serum cholesterol result was 194 on theb18th Feb and 246 on 1st March, both taken at 9am before taking my morning dose of prednisolone. The only difference is that on the eve of the first test I had taken my regular 1mg at bedtime, which my GP subsequently advised against.

My dose of 6mg is almost certainly suppressing my adrenal glands and at this stage I have no idea what my pituitary gland is doing yet but for some reason my prolactin level is three times the normal high rate and according to the doctor it is so high I could be lactating! Could someone tell me if the serum cholesterol is at expected levels.

The greatest risk of an enlarged pituitary gland is that it can put pressure on the optic nerve and cause peripheral vision problems and ultimatley blindness. For the whole of my PMR a journey I have reported temple pain and been worried about GCA, now in the seventh year of PMR it seems some of the symptoms I have reported could be caused by the pituitary macro adenoma. Luckily my Optician has kept an eye on the optic nerve with those behind the eye photographs but the interval for eye tests is now 2 years so I am off to get visual field tests at Bexhill Hospital next month.

All this has come as an extremely unwelcome development, as you may well imagine. Advice and information is gratefully received, Chrissie

[Sillydogsmum]

Can we all assume you mean cortisol not cholesterol? Probably will need results of more tests, visual fields etc before Yr Dr can give you any definitive answer about enlarged Pituitary Gland and whether anything needs doing about it at the moment. Try not to worry till you have more info about it.

[Zebedee44 in reply to Sillydogsmum]

Sorry I hadn’t spotted my mistake. Yes I mean cortisol. The cholesterol results are diabolical, I’m still waiting to be seen at the Lipids Clinic with my hypercholesterolaemia.

[Sillydogsmum in reply to Zebedee44]

Never rains but it pours, even on statins ?

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Serum cholesterol or serum cortisol? But I'm sorry - this is way outside our expertise here. There are many reasons a pituitary gland may be enlarged other than the obvious cause of a tumour and even the endocrinology experts have to do the investigations to decide what is what. This explains simply and clearly - and makes it obvious how complex it is.

healthline.com/health/cance...

[Zebedee44 in reply to PMRpro]

It’s the serum cortisol result I am asking about. I just wondered if it is within normal range, irrespective of the pituitary issue. I have no experience of endocrinology and wasn’t expecting to do so until I have tapered much lower.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Zebedee44]

246 mmol/L is in the normal range for a morning cortisol - but it is a quite wide range, from 140 to 690. On its own, it doesn't really tell you much other than your adrenal function is there with scope to improve.

[Zebedee44]

well that in itself is reassuring. Thank you PMRPro.

[Thelmarina]

Our resistance gets so low - yet another thing to worry about. Hand over the anxiety to the professionals if you can. (I know these 3am moments!). Big hug

[Zebedee44]

Thankyou, that is kind 💕

[Rugger]

My recent 9am cortisol was 298 which my Rheumatologist said was nothing to worry about. As PMRpro says - scope to improve!

Sorry you have to deal with this "unwelcome development". 🌻

[Zebedee44]

Thanks Sue, I am pleasantly surprised that it shows signs of working. Clearly some of my other hormone functions are not!