Help: Hi Folks I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's... - Thyroid UK

Thyroid UK

140,948 members166,081 posts

Help

dixiechic profile image
13 Replies

Hi Folks

I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's disease about 6 years ago. I'm currently on 125mg levothyroxine. I have been back and forth to my GP as I can't sleep, my body hurts all over and I generally feel unwell constantly. My GP just keeps fobbing me off so I decided to pay privately for Blood Tests. I had my Cortisol levels checked and I have been emails the results today. Its going to be at least a week before I can get to see my useless GP so I was wondering if anyone can interpret my results.

293 nmol/L

Morning 6-10am 166-507

Afternoon 4-8pm 73.8 - 291

Does anyone know what this means?

Written by
dixiechic profile image
dixiechic
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Read more about...
13 Replies
greygoose profile image
greygoose

Those just look like the ranges. There are no results.

dixiechic profile image
dixiechic in reply togreygoose

So I’ve just paid £65 for ranges no results ?

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply todixiechic

Well, the results must be there somewhere. Is that all it says?

dixiechic profile image
dixiechic in reply togreygoose

Wondering if the 293 nmol/L is the result??

dixiechic profile image
dixiechic in reply todixiechic

It means nothing to me. Lets hope my GP can help.

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply todixiechic

Ahhhh perhaps! But did you have just one test? As there were two ranges, I thought you must have had two. Was it a blood test or a saliva test?

Was it a morning test or an afternoon test? If it was afternoon, it's slightly over-range. If it was morning, it's about mid-range, which is a bit low, but not too bad.

dixiechic profile image
dixiechic in reply togreygoose

It was one blood test taken at 3pm.

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply todixiechic

OK, well, sorry to say this but that isn't an awful lot of help.

Cortisol is highest early in the morning, when you have to get out of bed and ready for the day - that's what gets you out of bed. Production starts to slow down around lunchtime, I believe, and gets less and less until bedtime. It's at its lowest then, so that you can sleep.

With Adrenal Fatigue, the adrenals have more and more trouble producing enough cortisol for the morning rush, levels get lower and lower and your find it harder and harder to sleep. But, the adrenals don't give up when lunchtime comes, they continue to struggle to make their daily quota, so the afternoon levels start going over-range. And, as the AF progresses, it ends up with the adrenals not reaching their daily quota until bedtime, meaning that people are unable to sleep.

So, what you really need is tests done at strategic point throughout the day, to see how things are progressing : 8 am, 12 pm, 4 pm and bedtime, something like that. That will give a much better idea of what is going on. Your afternoon cortisol is slightly over-range, but we had no idea why, what's happening, and how things are going to progress. We don't know if you have AF or to what degree.

Also, I'm afraid that blood cortisol tests are not very accurate. The 24 hour cortisol test is usually a saliva test.

dixiechic profile image
dixiechic in reply togreygoose

Thank you for your help. It seems that I have been sold a useless blood Test. You would think that it would have been explained at the time of the booking or taking the test. Lets hope my GP can get me a better test done. Fingers crossed.! Oh and thanks again for your responses, much appreciated.

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply todixiechic

I would have thought so, yes. I was surprised you had a private cortisol blood test.

I think a GP can only order an early morning cortisol blood test. I don't think you can get a saliva test on the NHS.

Was this a saliva test or a blood test? Was it just one test at a particular time of day (when)? If single blood test in the morning, it is normal. if single blood test in the afternoon, it is slightly high. If not single blood test, some results are missing. But a single blood test is not very useful, you need at least short synacthen test to test response to ACTH or 24 hour saliva test to see pattern of cortisol levels.

dixiechic profile image
dixiechic in reply toAngel_of_the_North

It was a single blood test taken @ 3pm

dixiechic profile image
dixiechic

Will do....thank you!

Not what you're looking for?

You may also like...

THS HIGH ....HELP

HELLO I have been having trouble on and off with my thyroid/ under active “borderline” according to...
Cavelet profile image

Help with results

Hi there all! I just wanted to see if I could get any advice from anyone suffering Hypothyroidism....
NeensB profile image

HELP?

is anyone out there? ;-) i posted some results and was hoping that someone could help....im unable...

Got my Daughters Thyroid Results - Help!

Hi All My daughter is 21 one and has so many Hypothyroid Symptoms that she asked the GP for a...

Hypothyroidism help

I had a thyroidectomy in 1984, to remove benign growths. The surgeon said about 25% thyroid...
lalage1979 profile image

Moderation team

See all
PurpleNails profile image
PurpleNailsAdministrator
SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator
RedApple profile image
RedAppleAdministrator

Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.

Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.