Cortisol test results - please advise

[Jan747]

I had a 24 hr urine cortisol test done at my Dr's. Results came back 'normal'.

73 (0 - 200)

Does this seem ok?

Jan

[PinkNinja]

It is very difficult to tell. It doesn't really tell you very much except that you are producing cortisol. I am amazed that the range starts from zero! Surely if you have zero cortisol you are not well. Perhaps that just shows how little I know about this test!

I din't think it is a very helpful test because it tells you your total in your urine over 24hours. It doesn't tell you what your cortisol is at different points during the day, which is important. Your cortisol needs to be at the top of the range first thing and significantly lower at night. It could be that you have low morning cortisol and high night-time cortisol, which is not a good way to be, but we could never tell that from this test.

If it is possible for you, you might be interested in a saliva cortisol test. You take this test 4 times (I think) during the day and these levels are measured and compared with what they should be at those times of day. This is a much better indicator of things like adrenal fatigue.

Here is a link to the test just in case you are interested

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

or here

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

I'm sorry I couldn't be more help

Carolyn x

[greygoose in reply to PinkNinja]

I agree with you, Carolyn. But it doesn't show how little you know about this test, it shows how little the people doing it know about adrenals! It's very important to know what cortisol levels are at key points during the day.

But if you can't get a 24 hr saliva test, Jan, an 8 o'clock cortisol blood test would give you more info than this urine test. But make sure it is done at 8 o'clock! I heard of someone the other day whose 8 o'clock test was done at 11!!! Obviously useless. Sigh.

Hugs, Grey

[nichola79 in reply to greygoose]

why do it matter what time in the morning its done? surely it should be upon waking? x

[Jan747 in reply to PinkNinja]

Thanks Carolyn, I've had saliva tests in the past and my adrenals were bad and then healed. I aren't sure if they are bad enough to warrant paying another £80 for another one and so my GP suggested a urine test instead.

[nichola79]

why do it matter what time in the morning its done? surely it should be upon waking? x

[PinkNinja in reply to nichola79]

cortisol levels change during the day. Cortisol levels are usually highest around 8am and then drop off significantly as the morning goes on, in a healthy person. This drop-off varies from person to person and on their adrenal function. Taking an 8am test one would expect it to be high in range. If it isn't, there is a good chance of some adrenal dysfunction of some kind. You can have a low 8am cortisol level but quite a reasonable 11am level if you have adrenal fatigue, therefore an 11am test might look perfectly normal and not tell you anything useful. Low morning cortisol, rising as the morning progresses, is not uncommon in people with adrenal fatigue. In fact it can rise so that it is much higher than it should be by the time it gets to evening or bed time. This is a common cause of insomnia.

Basically if someone with cortisol levels that start low in the morning and gradually rise as the day progresses takes a cortisol test in the middle of the day, their cortisol level may have risen enough to give a normal reading for that time of day. The doctor would then assume there was no problem with adrenal function. However, had they had the test at 8am it would have shown as being low and further investigations may have been carried out.

I hope that clarifies things a little.

Carolyn x

[nichola79 in reply to PinkNinja]

i didn't wake up untill 10 the day i done my 24 hour saliva test, which means ive mucked up then x

[PinkNinja in reply to nichola79]

Was this the saliva cortisol test that you take a few times during the day? If that's the case, you haven't mucked it up. The above only applies to a random cortisol test where it is only being measured once. If you are taking more than one measurement in the day you will still get a very good idea of what is going on. Also, you did it as soon as you woke up, which is probably a good time to do it. Your circadian rhythm may be slightly different to other peoples if you woke at 10am so I wouldn't worry about it.

Basically, the saliva test should still be fine. A random cortisol blood test wouldn't tell you much though.

Carolyn x

[nichola79 in reply to PinkNinja]

yes it was the 24 hour cortisol test x

[PinkNinja in reply to nichola79]

You should be fine then

[Jan747]

I have done some of the tests that you can do for weak adrenals, like sitting/ standing blood pressure and shining light on pupils etc.. and they aren't too bad. Temps are alittle irratic but nothing like when I did have weak adrenals 18 months ago. I did start taking NAX again but after a week felt a bit wired and tired so I stopped. I may have to do the saliva test just to rule it out.

[rosetrees]

If 0 - 200 is correct then that means they are only interested in diagnosing you with overactive adrenals. If 0 is the bottom level then they can't diagnose underactive adrenals using that test. It's pointless and a waste of time and money.

Get the 24 hour saliva test done and see what that tells you. In my case it was at the bottom end of normal on waking and below normal for the rest of the day.