WHAT DOES THIS TEST MEAN????

[kenneltech]

I have had significant weight gain in the last year.  This has happened to me 4 times in my life.  I am not an overweight person, and I am very active and 4 times I have gains almost 100 lbs.  I went to a specialist, and I was just told my cortisol levels were really low.  But, when I looked up the symptoms, my symptoms were of a person with HIGH cortisol levels.  Although some of the symptoms are of LOW cortisol levels.  Weight gain seems to be with people who have high levels.

I also had a pituitary test done, and she said there was nothing wrong with that.  I do have extreme stress, as I have PTSD, and am hypoglycemic and tired all the time.

Can someone help me with these test results, as I don't understand how low levels can cause weight gain.  I don't go in to see this doctor until April.

Thanks,  kenneltech

[rumpled]

Sorry, I was away.
The 24 hour test is usually urine. It can be good but it is an average - so if you are very high and then very low, the average will be normal. I was like that so even though I was sick, it did not show in that test. A 10 hour urine test was better as it caught my highs at night. Point in time testing is good but also has a drawback - you have to be high at that very moment and cortisol varies and pulses - so again, accurate but you may miss the moment. It all depends on cortisol binding globulin as well.

MRIs are preferred but since you cannot have one... they will try the CT. But unless it is large, usually they will not show up. Even MRIs have trouble.

I had two pituitary tumors. I had to do a lot of study on this.

[kenneltech]

Hi:

I have been waiting for you to write again to tell me what kind of doctor I need to go to, since I thought an Endocrinologist WAS the expert????   Is a 24 hours saliva test a pretty accurate test?

One other thing, if you mean that I need an MRI of my head, because that is where the pituitary gland is, I can't have one, because I have a bullet in my brain that can't be removed, therefore, they can do a CAT scan, but not an MRI.  Will that show anything?

Rumpled, I really think you are very knowledgeable about this, and need your input, so whenever you see this, can you please reply?

Thanks.

[kenneltech]

Thank you for your input.  I thought an Endocrinologist WAS the kind of doctor to go to?  What kind of specialist do I go to?  I never had an MRI, what do they do the MRI on?

Any input would be appreciated, because you really know your stuff.


Kenneltech

[rumpled]

You can lose your diurnal rhythm and have low tests at inappropriate times and  still be very sick. In other words, you can have a low test in the morning (which should be your highest time) and have the symptoms of high as you were probably high at another time - when you should have been low.

Kenneltech was given the poorest test for screening which is the dexamethasone suppression test. Most people fail this test - and still have Cushing's. I did and so do most of the people I know with Cushing's. It usually means you have pituitary source. Also, even if your MRI is clear, you can still have a pituitary lesion. Odds are 40% that the radiologist missed it or the tumor fell between the slices. One of my tumors hid for 12 years. If you are symptomatic, you need other tests, and a lot of them.  An expert is best as most endos do not know how to test.

I had low, normal and high tests. I used to cycle high at night. I looked horrid though - you can see the pics on my profile here. I had Cushing's and a prolactinoma. I had to have my adrenals removed to cure it after pituitary surgery failed (the tumor grew back).

[kenneltech]

I had a 24 hours urine test done, and a test to check my petuitary glands (which was, they gave me prednisone to take at 11:00pm, and get a blood test the next morning.  They said the pituitary gland was fine and no tumors.

I don't think they did an estrogen test, I had a hysterectomy when I was 23 and have gone through menopause.

That's the only things I know of except for CBC and the regular tests, I do have pre-diabetes and hypothiorodism.

I also take dopamine for restless leg syndrome, and I found out that affects the cortisol on this site, but I don't know how.

Any help you can provide would be appreciated.  I'll know more after I see my doctor, unfortunately, it's not until April 2.

[stella5349]

Maybe they are looking on the wrong direction?? Were you measured on your estrogen levels? If there is dominancy issues there - then that can also pack weight on for many.

List your labs you had done - maybe something will stand out.