Aa
Adrenal Gland Mass
I am hoping someone can help me here! I have been having serious issues with shortness of breath, fast heart rate, and stuff now for about 2 years.....I just found out today after having a CT of my chest that I have a 4.1cm well-circumsized low dense mass involving the left adrenal gland, and now I am freaking out. What does this mean?
So after doing some more investigating, I see on my lab report that maybe she did check my cortisol in my urine because it says:
170H UR 17OH Corticosteroid was 6.6 and normal range was 2.0-6.5 so it is just barely high? Am i reading this right, or is there another cortisol?
170H UR 17OH Corticosteroid was 6.6 and normal range was 2.0-6.5 so it is just barely high? Am i reading this right, or is there another cortisol?
Thanks upbeat! I have not had the cortisol or the ACTH yet, and I am not quite sure why the Dr. did not check for that! All she checked was thyroid and aldosterone. My cardiologist only sees me due to complaints of shortness of breath, heart palpitations and I feel like my heart is beating out of my chest ( pounding really hard upon little exertion). However, they have never found anything wrong with my heart except it is a little enlarged due to High blood pressure which I never knew I had until recently. He started me on a very small dose of Toprol to ease my symptoms! It did seem to help for a short time, but I am now up to 50 mg of Toprol, and the symptoms have returned with a vengeance. I did not really understand the referral to the nephrologist, but the Dr. said they are the ones who investigate blood pressure issues??? Never heard of that before, but my hopes are that since I do have the tumor on my adrenal gland (found on CT scan), as well as a cyst on my kidney, he may be a good place to get some more test run. I am also going to look into seeing an endocrinologist without a referral. I honestly and truly feel that the tumor is the cause of all of my symptoms, and for the last 4 years I have been seeing numerous Dr.s who cannot give me any answers, and now that I know I have the tumor and I have been researching it, I really feel that this this is what it causing me so many problems! Here are some of the latest lab and urine results, but I don't know what much of this urine stuff is for, so I am hoping you or Rumpled can help me out here!
Urine
17-Hydroxycorticosteroid-10.2...Range 4.0-14.0
17OH UR CREAT MG/DL-44...Range mg/dl is all this says
17OH UR Creat MG/DAY-1540...Range 700-1600mg/d
17OH UR 17OH-6.6(H).....range....2.0-6.5
My urine output was 3500 in a 24 hour time period...Also, at the top of my lab result paper, I notice it says 24 hour urine result-Abnormal
VMA, 24 Hour Urine ( Not sure what this is)???
VMA, 24H Ur Adult-4.6....Range is 0.0-7.0
VMA UR CREAT MG/DL-46 Range is mg/dl
VMA UR CREAT MG/DAY-1610 (H) range is 700-1600
VMA Interpretation....normal
Blood Results
Glucose-115(H) Range 70-99
BUN-10 Range is 6-20
Creatinine-0.8 Range is 0.4-1.1
Sodium-138-range is 136-145
Potassium-4.8 range is 3.5-5.4
Chloride-104-range is 98-107
CO2-29 range is 29
Calcium-9.4 range is 8.7-10.4
EST GFR- >60 range >60
Vit D 25 Hydroxy-11 (L) range is 30-80
Aldosterone-16.0 no range is listed
How do you know what the range is for the ones that are not showing a range?
Urine
17-Hydroxycorticosteroid-10.2...Range 4.0-14.0
17OH UR CREAT MG/DL-44...Range mg/dl is all this says
17OH UR Creat MG/DAY-1540...Range 700-1600mg/d
17OH UR 17OH-6.6(H).....range....2.0-6.5
My urine output was 3500 in a 24 hour time period...Also, at the top of my lab result paper, I notice it says 24 hour urine result-Abnormal
VMA, 24 Hour Urine ( Not sure what this is)???
VMA, 24H Ur Adult-4.6....Range is 0.0-7.0
VMA UR CREAT MG/DL-46 Range is mg/dl
VMA UR CREAT MG/DAY-1610 (H) range is 700-1600
VMA Interpretation....normal
Blood Results
Glucose-115(H) Range 70-99
BUN-10 Range is 6-20
Creatinine-0.8 Range is 0.4-1.1
Sodium-138-range is 136-145
Potassium-4.8 range is 3.5-5.4
Chloride-104-range is 98-107
CO2-29 range is 29
Calcium-9.4 range is 8.7-10.4
EST GFR- >60 range >60
Vit D 25 Hydroxy-11 (L) range is 30-80
Aldosterone-16.0 no range is listed
How do you know what the range is for the ones that are not showing a range?
I don't think I've read anywhere in any of your posts that you've had a cortisol (blood or urine) test yet.
I have a 4.5 cm tumor on my left adrenal, found after a CT scan for abdominal pain (appendicitis). Sadly, they did not do delayed images to check for wash out, like they did for you, so there is still some question as to whether mine is benign or not. I've read, with results of wash out like you had, yours is almost certainly benign. Most doctors lose concern if a tumor is benign, because they think that is all that matters.
However, as rumpled keeps asking, unless they do some other blood work, they still don't know if its "functioning" meaning secreting--in your case possibly secreting cortisol.
I don't think I've seen that you have had an ACTH result either. So, you are like I am, wondering if your adrenal tumor is secreting, and if it is, why? Without the cortisol, you don't know if its secreting, and without the ACTH test you don't know if pituitary gland could be involved.
As rumpled so succinctly put it, a pituitary tumor could cause an adrenal tumor, but an adrenal tumor doesn't cause a pituitary tumor.
I think the nephrologist is going to focus on your urinary tract system, but I am happy you will see a cardiologist and get a work-up with that specialist as your current symptoms may be completed separate from the adrenal tumor, or they may be as a direct result.
I have a 4.5 cm tumor on my left adrenal, found after a CT scan for abdominal pain (appendicitis). Sadly, they did not do delayed images to check for wash out, like they did for you, so there is still some question as to whether mine is benign or not. I've read, with results of wash out like you had, yours is almost certainly benign. Most doctors lose concern if a tumor is benign, because they think that is all that matters.
However, as rumpled keeps asking, unless they do some other blood work, they still don't know if its "functioning" meaning secreting--in your case possibly secreting cortisol.
I don't think I've seen that you have had an ACTH result either. So, you are like I am, wondering if your adrenal tumor is secreting, and if it is, why? Without the cortisol, you don't know if its secreting, and without the ACTH test you don't know if pituitary gland could be involved.
As rumpled so succinctly put it, a pituitary tumor could cause an adrenal tumor, but an adrenal tumor doesn't cause a pituitary tumor.
I think the nephrologist is going to focus on your urinary tract system, but I am happy you will see a cardiologist and get a work-up with that specialist as your current symptoms may be completed separate from the adrenal tumor, or they may be as a direct result.
I do have an appointment with my cardiologist on Thursday, so I am hoping he will be more concerned with the tumor then she has been!
Well, just got back from seeing primary care Dr. and she said that she does not know what to do about blood pressure or anything.....she said since aldosterone was normal, she does not think it's the tumor that is causing it, but she is sending me to a nephrologist to see what they can find out! I am just so discouraged at this point! My blood pressure has been running around 150/98 with 145/114 being the highest reading over the last 24 hours, and I am just so frustrated and tired!
Thank you once again for your information. I guess no test will provide 100% certainty. In addition to any lab or diagnostic test result, we also need to take into account how we "feel".
I think my urine output was high too, but I think it's because I drank a lot of water THAT day. I wanted to make sure that I wasn't dehydrated for the 24hr UFC test, just in case concentrated urine skewed the results. I now know it's independent, silly me.
But generally, I try to get at least 8 glasses of water a day, some days are better than others. I think that is about average. I'm not driven to drinking water by thirst, more by thinking I should drink water to be healthy and because I don't think I drink enough.
I could go a whole morning, or day without drinking a single glass of water if I didn't consciously make myself do it.
Regardless of the result of the test, I will ask for an ACTH test since I haven't had one yet. If there is a problem with ACTH, I'll ask for a CRH test also. Short of asking for an MRI of the pituitary, I'm not sure what else to do, even then an MRI might not show anything, right?. GEEZ. Do you suggest any other thing to request or have done to prove or disprove pituitary involvement?
So again, even with all these results, it might be based on how I feel, and I certainly never felt or thought of myself as cushionoid. My weight gain has been small over many years, and I attributed it then and now to poor coping techniques for stress, like drinking more alcohol and eating more sugar and convenience foods, and finally, not exercising.
I maintained my weight for the last year just by reducing alcohol and sweets. I think, if I am depressed, it comes from the chronic stress and lack of exercise.
Maybe I'm also just in shock and denial and hoping for the least involvement possible, adrenal tumor not withstanding.
I think my urine output was high too, but I think it's because I drank a lot of water THAT day. I wanted to make sure that I wasn't dehydrated for the 24hr UFC test, just in case concentrated urine skewed the results. I now know it's independent, silly me.
But generally, I try to get at least 8 glasses of water a day, some days are better than others. I think that is about average. I'm not driven to drinking water by thirst, more by thinking I should drink water to be healthy and because I don't think I drink enough.
I could go a whole morning, or day without drinking a single glass of water if I didn't consciously make myself do it.
Regardless of the result of the test, I will ask for an ACTH test since I haven't had one yet. If there is a problem with ACTH, I'll ask for a CRH test also. Short of asking for an MRI of the pituitary, I'm not sure what else to do, even then an MRI might not show anything, right?. GEEZ. Do you suggest any other thing to request or have done to prove or disprove pituitary involvement?
So again, even with all these results, it might be based on how I feel, and I certainly never felt or thought of myself as cushionoid. My weight gain has been small over many years, and I attributed it then and now to poor coping techniques for stress, like drinking more alcohol and eating more sugar and convenience foods, and finally, not exercising.
I maintained my weight for the last year just by reducing alcohol and sweets. I think, if I am depressed, it comes from the chronic stress and lack of exercise.
Maybe I'm also just in shock and denial and hoping for the least involvement possible, adrenal tumor not withstanding.
You are reading content posted in the Adrenal Insufficiency Community
We tapped the CDC for information on what you need to know about radiation exposure
Endocrinologist Mark Lupo, MD, answers 10 questions about thyroid disorders and how to treat them
A list of national and international resources and hotlines to help connect you to needed health and medical services.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
