ACTH Stimulation Test - Feeling Depressed

[kay159]

Has anyone had the ACTH stimulation test and felt really depressed the day after.

My daughter had hers yesterday as her Cortisol was 50 with ACTH 9.1. She felt fine other than a little nausea but has spent all today feeling really down and crying for no reason. She hasn't heard anything back yet so is assuming the levels are now acceptable (she has dysautonomia and her consultant said it was possible it could fluctuate)

One concern is she had to stop steroid inhalers and montelukast 2 days before but was still taking the combined pill which she wasn't on at the last test plus the last test was taken a couple of weeks after taking predisone for pneumonia. Also she was told not to have caffeine or eat for the test but the nurse gave her sugary tea and biscuits during the hour where readings were taken - could these factors influence cortisol levels

She had expected a boost of ACTH would boost her cortisol and have her feeling better than normal as she tends to pick up on high dose steroids and then is back to feeling terrible within a week of stopping them - any ideas ?????

[Hidden]

With a cortisol reading of 50 I'm not surprised she feels dreadful!!! I'm assuming it was done around 9am? That is very low & should be started on steroids asap! The tea & biscuits won't affect her cortisol levels, the only thing that may affect them is being on the pull however they raise cortisol levels not lower them. Sadly a lot of Endo's don't have experience of adrenal/pituitary issues. Which hospital was the she seen at?

[kay159 in reply to Hidden]

The result was taken by her cardios 6 weeks ago. They requested the GP do an urgent Endo referral but they did if routine with a note saying she finished steroids 2 days previously so the hospital didnt action anything until a couple of days ago when the cardios and we complained

At the time of the test she was on a progesterone only pill, was using fostair inhaler twice daily and had her last steriods 5 weeks previously. We actually thought steriods increased cortisol hence the need to come off them for 2 days previously

She has autonomic issues and unstable BP which swings all the time as well as a HR in the 130s at lowest so 3 years ago they ran tests for an adrenal tumour but came back ok.

Shed been mostly ok but had pneumonia 18 months ago and ever since has had infection after infection they cant locate and 2 other pneumonias, developed allergies and asthma and is only ok when on steroids then crashes when they stop them ends up with another infection so im totally puzzled whats going off

We assume as the hospital havent rung yesterdays test was ok but until we see the consultant on the 19th we really are at a loss

Her cardios worry she hasnt asthma and all the steriods and not resolving the infection are affecting cortisol levels. New to all this so really not sure what we should be asking or who needs to be checking out and making sure shes only taking meds if they work x

[SeaVee79]

Someone told me they cried the whole way through an ATCH test, non stop. I can remember not feeling too great the next day.

[Angel_of_the_North in reply to SeaVee79]

I did. But I felt fine afterwards - excellent in fact.