Pheochromocytoma

I am being tested for Pheochromocytoma after being seen by an endocrinologist for all of my symptoms, tachycardia, weight loss, hair loss, extreme fatigue, etc. They determined my enlarged thyroid (because of my normal hormone levels) that my symptoms did not have to do with the thyroid, so they are testing for this.. an increase in adrenaline caused my growths on your adrenal glands. Apparently it is really rare. But I did a 24 hour urine collection and some blood tests. I recently received another requisition in the mail for more blood work and a test. The blood work says I need to be tested for VDRL? I am extremely confused because this is testing for syphillis (syphilis) and I have only ever been with one person who has only ever been with me. I was actually extremely upset by this and the whole thought of it. The test says "Tissue Triangulation" I can't find a thing on it and I have no idea what it is either. I am also getting blood work done for IGH or something, it's hard to read. The doctor is calling me this afternoon to explain these tests since I am very confused and want to know what they are and why they are being done. Does anyone know why I would need to be checked with the VDRL test? I have absolutely no symptoms for it and never have. And does anyone know what "Tissue Triangulation" means? Just incase she doesn't get back to me.. thanks everyone.


This discussion is related to Thyroid Goiters.

[MelissaEpiphany]

Hey everyone, now I feel stupid, my mom had actually received my req back home (im at school now) and told me over the phone she saw "VDRL" well the resident doctor called me back and he said that wasn't ordered, unless the endocrinologist did. Anyway he told me they were testing for Celiac disease, and the tests were IGA and TTG I think he said.

[MelissaEpiphany]

Hi Everyone, sorry, I should have posted earlier, all of my tests came back normal, no pheocromocytoma, and the VRDL test was not ordered, my mother wasn't looking at it correctly. So good new that I am good that way :) She doesn't want to send me to a cardiologist yet and I have to "wait and see" how I feel so that is disappointing. But other than that everything is fine :)

[estrelinha]

IgA: is an immunoglobulin A test ( Antibodies  IgA) and usually is high in celiac disease ( endomysial antibody immunoglobulin A (IgA) ), the specific tests for celiac:
-  EMA (Immunoglobulin A anti-endomysium antibodies)
- AGA (IgA anti-gliadin antibodies)
- AGG (IgG anti-gliadin antibodies)
- tTGA (IgA anti-tissue transglutaminase)
Can you post your  thyroid analyses? (TSH, FT3, FT4) and have they tested for TPO and anti-Tg (thyroid antibodies)?

[MelissaEpiphany]

Hi, yes they did the IgA and the tTGA ones, I know that for sure. Unfortunately I do not have the actual results, sorry. They have only told me everything is "normal" and in normal ranges. So yes I do not have Celiac Disease or Pheocromocytoma and apparently not thyroid problems, but still all these symptoms :(

[MelissaEpiphany]

And I don't have the results for TSH,Ft3, FT4 etc for the thyroid, I just know that they are apparently normal

[estrelinha]

I'm sure your doctors know what they are doing, is he/she an ENDO? It looks like it is endocrinology problem....

[bedoubleyou]

Pheochromocytoma can be tricky to diagnose because the symptoms tend to be episodic.  In order for the metanephrine (which is likely the blood test that was performed) or the urine catacholamines to be elevated, an episode needs to occur shortly before the blood test and during the 24 hours of the urine collection respectively.  That's one of the reasons that the 24 hour urine collection tends to be more sensitive.

Are your symptoms occurring in episodes?

[estrelinha]

Have you tested for Chromogranin A? have you high bood pressure and hot flushes? Ask your doctor for you lab tests, Yes it's very tricky to diagnose pheochromocytomas.......I know a case that they (doctors) thought it was a pheochromocytoma....

[DnAPugh]

Hi Melissa,

Your case sounds sooo familiar.  I am a 28 yr. old with similar symptoms... fatigue, high BP, rapid HR, hot flashes, night sweats,(but then cold hands and feet at times too), weight loss but increased appetite.  I have been monitored for thyroid dysfunction for the past 5 yrs. and I have always been told my labs are "within range".  On my visit to an endo last week I was yet again told that I am "normal." He basically in a nice way said my BP and tachycardia, etc were probably due to an underlying anxiety issue. Then he said that as a precaution he was also going to order a plasma free metanephrines test to check me for a pheochromocytoma b/c of my symptoms and the fact that they are episodic.  I was told it could take up to 2 weeks to get the results.  So now I'm just waiting.  In the meantime I hope you find an answer as to what is going on.

[thyquestions]

I've had similar symptoms and I went through the pheochromocytoma tests a couple months ago, based on unexplained extreme jitters and weight loss. My blood tests came back positive for pheo, and my subsequent urine capture came back in range. I didn't realize testing was episodic sensitive, like bedoubleyou says..  

Anyway, I still have many symptoms, and now we are looking at severe adrenal fatigue, mold/fungal, viral, and yeast issues. This waiting game is a drag.