Having a synacthen test next week. Any advice?

[SnowdropB]

[Moggie]

Sit back and relax - I even got a cup of tea and a biccy with mine

Have a look at this link that explains all

patient.co.uk/health/Synact...

Moggie x

[SnowdropB in reply to Moggie]

Many thanks for the helpful and reassuring information.

Frances

[roslin]

I had saliva cortisol test done privately and it showed that I have adrenal fatigue. When I mentioned this to my endo he was not too enthusiastic or interested but sent me for a short synachten test. This came back normal( as I had expected). This test will show if you have Addison's disease or Cushing's and does not show more subtle changes as far as I understand. But it depends what you are having it for.

Roslinxx

[SnowdropB in reply to roslin]

I pressed my consultant for the test because I was feeling so tired all the time. As far as he was concerned it was nothing to do with my thyroid ( as my results were Ok highish T4, lowish TSH and T3 just in normal range). So i asked what else it might be to do with and asked about cortisol and then he agreed to do the test.

If my results come back normal, would it be worth having the saliva test? Is it something the NHS will do if pressed or must be done privately?

[roslin in reply to SnowdropB]

If you do the saliva test you will have to do the treating of it by yourself as well ( with the advice and support from here) I know there is a yahoo group that deals with adrenals that might give you some advice and information. I don't belong to that group but have read the info(cant remember much because of poor memory, have to keep rereading things)You can see Dr P privately as well who would treat adrenals and some nutritionists will do it too.I take nutri adrenal 8 aday and I don't think it is doing that much and I am contemplating hydro cortisone. I have read quite a lot about how difficult it can be to stop HC so it is a bit scary.

I felt absolutely fine and no different from "normal" when I had the Synachten test.

Roslinxx

[Heloise in reply to SnowdropB]

stopthethyroidmadness.com/a...

[SnowdropB in reply to Heloise]

Many thanks - it made very interesting reading but a bit depressing as it seems to suggest the blood test is not worth doing!

[Angel_of_the_North]

Most people seem to do well with this test and even report feeling better. My advice is to take plenty of tissues as I couldn't stop crying during mine.

[SnowdropB in reply to Angel_of_the_North]

Many thanks

Frances