Cortisol etc......

[Annika4]

I have a micro prolactinoma that has "returned" after 14 years, bringing with it diabetes. I had a child a year ago and that is when I began to have the eczema & allergies. Right now I am trying to wean my son (morning and bedtime comfort 'feedings"). I have a history of hirsutism, inflamed stomach (unknown cause), inflamed joints, weakness, forgetfulness, and feeling tired. My adrenal glands were tested and it turns out they work fine although I have low cortisol levels. What does this mean? I'm 38, so I don't think it's an age thing.(?)......Also occasionally I have twitches in various parts of my body, right now it's my eye for about 3-4 days now (so annoying!).

[rumpled]

it could be you adrenals are borderline - but you should get a copy of the tests and see what has been done.
Dry/Crusty sounds an auto-immune issues like psorisis (sp) or something else...
Not being dark in skin means your ACTH must not be too high.
Diabetes usually comes with high cortisol.

[Annika4]

I had the stimulation test. No, I wasn't given the actual results. The prolactinoma came back before I got pregnant, just at the same time I found out I was diabetic. 2 months later (after being on cabergoline & metformin) I got pregnant unintentionally. No, I don't have any darkening or purple marks. Just extremely dry, itchy & crusty patches of skin that scale over in cycles.

[rumpled]

How did they test the cortisol - was it just one test? If so, at what time? Was it a stimulation test? You can fail those and be borderline - did you get the actual results?

The prolactinoma may have returned due to the breast feeding. The rest sort of sounds actually more like high cortisol more than low to be honest. High cortisol usually caused diabetes, gerd, the big tummy, etc - but you can have low levels at certain times of day and be high all night so you can't sleep.

I would find a neuro-endo and get more testing. Have you had your ACTH tested? Any skin changes - darkening or weird purple stretch marks?