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6224500 tn?1388947668

ACTH results - not Addisons?

I am a Hashimoto's sufferer and my endocrinologist wanted to check my adrenal function and wanted to do so rather urgently due to me having hyperpigmentation on my back and legs, inability to gain weight despite being hypothyroid and low blood pressure when lying down.

Results of the ACTH test have come back *but*, I must stress in my doctor's words, these are advisory:

* Baseline cortisol - 622
* 30 minute blood draw - 915
* 60 minute blood draw - 985

So no Addison's by the looks of things? I don't know why I can't gain any weight although I'm hypothyroid!

Thanks for any help.

Jo
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Avatar universal
Oh... :(

From the little I know one auto-immune disease leads to another - and if you potentially have a more serious issue, that could be the answer to a lot of  your questions!

Did you get an FNA at the same time? (my thyroid is out too)
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6224500 tn?1388947668
Just a positive ANA reading along with Raynaud's. Endo also thinks I have connective tissue disease.

I managed to get the lost ultrasound report on my thyroid but I haven't been told it's good news by some people I've spoken to.

Jo xxx
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Avatar universal
How you feel after the test sadly is not an indication. I failed a stim test and I felt fine.
Others get super sick and pass - it just... well, it bites.

Have they looked at other auto-immune issues?
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6224500 tn?1388947668
Hi thanks for your reply.

I felt sick after the synacthen was injected. No, I didn't have sodium.

No tests on renin or aldosterone.
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Avatar universal
How were you feeling when the test was done? The K was trending high, but your sodium was sitting nice and normal. Had you had sodium (if you can recall)?

Given the cortisol ranges, I have a funny feeling the doc is going to call it normal. You started just below range, but went above and did not drop. Again, some look for *magic number x* and some want a double.

With the low BP - any tests on renin or aldosterone?
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6224500 tn?1388947668
Sorry, reference ranges aren't included so I have added them:

Potassium: 3.5-5.2mmol/L

Sodium: 136-145mmol/L

Jo xxx
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6224500 tn?1388947668
Hi, thanks for your answer.

Sodium and potassium have not been recently tested but these are last test results:

Sodium: 141mmol/L
Potassium: 4.4mmol/L

I think the reference range for baseline cortisol is 138-635 nmol/L. Not sure about the other 2 - doctor was not specific.

Jo xxx
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Avatar universal
There are doctors that look for a doubling of the baseline (you did not) or a magic number (not sure what that is). I don't know what normal is for that baseline and if you started normal or below normal.

So it is hard to tell.

How is your sodium and potassium?
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