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770296 tn?1244385841

VMA??

Anyone know what VMA is? Mine is elevated in a 24hr urine test, I did ask doc but
his answer went right over my head. I had an ultrasound scan yesterday on my
liver and adrenals which was negative but doc now wants MRI or CT. MY endo
is on holiday for the next 3 wks, have an app on 30th but my doc wasn`t best
pleased today and has got in touch with surgeon who will do my bowel surgery
and they have both decided to lower Carbimazole to 5mg daily with view to
stopping it altogether due to elevated LFT`s.
I have to go for another colonoscopy next week so looks like the bowel surgery
will happen (hopefully lol) the thing is..............is VMA to do with bowel, Graves
or Carbimazole.............or none of the above, has anyone else had this?


3 Responses
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Avatar universal
Keep us posted as to whats going on and yes..bedrest wont hurt you.
Seems you have a lot on your plate at present but at least you are getting answers which help to understand better.
Watch TV in bed (hehehehe) .
Hugs x
Helpful - 0
770296 tn?1244385841
Thanks for that, my blood pressure been out of whack lately, when I was in hospital
they noticed it was low then going up really high at the same times every evening.
Guess I`ll need to wait for the MRI/CT scan now to see what that comes up with.
Feeling like **** today palps ,pain and shakes back again, head all weird again
as well and Andy Murray got beat at Wimbledon so I`m taking to my bed lol.

Thanks again x
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Heres what I found...hope it helps.

VMA stands for vanillylmandelic acid test.
This test is used to detect pheochromocytoma, a tumor of the adrenal medulla that secretes excess cathecholamines, epinephrine and norepinephrine,

Catecholamines are a group of similar hormones produced in the adrenal medulla, the interior portion of the adrenal glands. Adrenal glands are small, triangular organs located on top of each kidney. The primary catecholamines are dopamine, epinephrine (adrenaline), and norepinephrine. These hormones are released into the bloodstream in response to physical or emotional stress. They help transmit nerve impulses in the brain, increase glucose and fatty acid release for energy, dilate bronchioles, and dilate the pupils. Norepinephrine also constricts blood vessels, increasing blood pressure, and epinephrine increases heart rate and metabolism. After completing their actions, the hormones are metabolized to inactive compounds. Dopamine becomes homovanillic acid (HVA), norepinephrine breaks down into normetanephrine and vanillylmandelic acid (VMA), and epinephrine becomes metanephrine and VMA. Both the hormones and their metabolites are excreted in the urine.

Normally, catecholamines and their metabolites are present in the body in small, fluctuating amounts that only increase appreciably during and shortly after a bout of stress. Pheochromocytomas and other neuroendocrine tumors, however, can produce large amounts of catecholamines, resulting in greatly increased concentrations of the hormones and their metabolites in both the blood and urine. This can cause persistent or episodic bouts of hypertension, which may lead to severe headaches.  Other symptoms of catecholamine release include palpitations, sweating, nausea, anxiety, and tingling in the extremities.

About 90% of pheochromocytomas are located in the adrenal glands. While a few are cancerous, most are benign and they do not spread beyond their original location, although they may continue to grow.  
Urine and plasma catecholamine testing can be used to help detect the presence of pheochromocytomas. Although only about 800 cases a year are diagnosed in the U.S. according to the National Cancer Institute, it is important to diagnose and treat these rare tumors because they cause a potentially curable form of hypertension. In most cases, the tumors can be surgically removed and/or treated to significantly reduce the amount of catecholamines being produced and to reduce or eliminate their associated symptoms and complications.

Catecholamine testing measures the amounts of epinephrine, norepinephrine, and dopamine in the plasma or urine. The plasma test measures the amount of hormone present in the blood at the moment of collection, while the urine test measures the amount excreted over a 24-hour period.
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