Cortisol issues.

[Clairescat]

Hi, Ive been ill for years dizzy, blurred vision, increased food and drug allergies,rapid weightloss, digestive issues. Constant inflammation Every test under the sun! MRI PET scan CT airways and bowels, nothing. 8 trips to A and E with my heart racing out of control, covered in skin rashes daily. NHS diagnosis constant anxiety anxiety anxiety. I knew it wasnt so I went private. The consultant said she had seen people present like this with Addisons, lack of cortisol. So I had a 9am blood test the result 200 nmol. Was told borderline for Addisons I refused the synacthen test because Im highly allergic to all meds, racing heart, peeling skin so I had a cortisol day curve. The results were 200 nmol at 9 am 400 nmol at 2pm after meal induced cortisol response then plunge to 124 nmol at 4pm. Which explains why Im shaking, weak and disorientated in the morning and sofa ridden in the afternoon feeling out of it. At 6pm eating dinner my body struggles to digest food and I get palpitations.Because of the peak 400 at lunch I was told last week its all ok endocrine system working fully and discharged. My cortisol day curve looks nothing like a normal female day curve and the 124 at 4pm is frankly worrying me as I feel barely functioning. Ive blagged cortisol in the past due to the allergies and I start to feel with it again, able to eat any food, put weight back on. I think I could still have Addisons I have hyperpigmentation on my gums another indication. Any thoughts anyone? My daughter who is a lecturer in medical education, she teaches junior doctors, thinks I should seek a second opinion. Any input gratefully sought!

[Hidden]

Your cortisol at 8-9am should be above 400nmol/Ls at that time of day, it then drops down through out the day. cahisus.co.uk/pdf/CIRCADIAN... If you look at circadian rhythm on page 2 it shows what normal cortisol values are for people without any issues. Did they do an ACTH blood test at all? It needs to go on ice as soon as it's done, this shows if it is the pituitary gland that is compromised rather than the adrenal glands in Addison's disease. When the pituitary gland is affected it's non as secondary adrenal insufficiency rather than primary adrenal insufficiency (Addisons). It's worth asking for a second opinion from an Endo who specialises in adrenal/pituitary issues as not all Endo's do. You can find one by either ringing the Pituitary Foundation or the Addisons. org. The treatment for both conditions are the same, ie with steroids. Hope that helps? I have secondary adrenal insufficiency.

[Clairescat in reply to Hidden]

Hi Pauline, thank you for taking the time to reply to my post. I had the day curve done at a large north west uk university hospital, they did all the associated tests ACTH they said was normal as well as thyroid and female hormones which they said were ok for post menopause. Im 61 but was very active mountain climbing old biddy! until a few years ago. I had allergies all my life and have been taking high dose steroid inhalers for years and also steroid skin cream daily which my respiratory consultant said could have caused me to have secondary adrenal insufficiency. Thank you for your advice its helps so much to have support from someone who has experience of endo issues and trying to get the right help. I hope you are now well. Nobody deserves to live a disabled life if there are meds out there to improve quality of life. Thank you again. Sally

[Hidden in reply to Clairescat]

I can understand how you feel! I'm a couple of years older than you & like you used to do a lot of hill walking & swim a lot. I can't do that anymore, my adrenal insufficiency came from having a pituitary tumour which caused Cushing's disease, (high levels of cortisol in the body) now the tumour has gone I don't produce my own cortisol so have to take replacement steroids. The cortisol did quite a lot damage to my body. I hope you can get some help.