reading acth tests...???

[Angie9798]

Hi- I am not sure I am postin in the correct place...But here is my question..

MANY years ago (12) I had a dx of low aldosterone.  I went on florinef for a few years before I stopped taking it.  I am now with a new medical provider that is trying to establish wheather or not I have adrenal problems.  

The Dr gave me a ACTH test, no blood work was done before but blood work was done at 45mins and my cortisol level was at 24.3 and aldosterone was at 28.  the test was done at 10:30 in the morning.  

I eat TONS of salt and was not taken off of it for the test.  I see my doc in another 2 weeks but I am surprised that she hasn't called me.  I don't know if or how to read these results but from everything I read they seem normal but I am not sure if that means they are normal before stimulation or if they should be up higher.  I looked online to see what aldosterone level should be AFTER an acth test but can't find it.

Does anyone know???

Thanks so much

[rumpled]

But the lab just looked at it like a regular test, not a stim test... Stim tests look at the baseline and if you rise or do not rise from the baseline.

So without a baseline - er?

[Angie9798]

Thanks for your response...

I don't know what the test was called...she basically said she was going to inject me with acth and I was to have my blood drawn 45 mins to an hour later.  

No, I wasn't fasting and no baseline was done.  So I am way confused!!!  HA!  If your aldosterone level is low what does it typically look like in this sort of test???  The lab paperwork said I am within normal since the test was done at 10:30am...???  I guess anything normal for aldosetrone is a 0 to 28...???  What would a low level look like then?  lol!

What do you think??

Thanks again

[rumpled]

The salt probably changed the test - I am thinking this as I take florinef and salt and when I test I don't take them to test...

The doc I think did a cortosyn stim test? Were you fasting? Without a baseline though... it seems  - well - weird and incorrect.

I don't even know how to guess - but I would go to another doctor.

If you need that much salt, odds are you need the florinef to hold on to it. He should test the renin as well to test the entire axis (the renin/aldosterone axis) and test more hormones and if he wants to test all of the adrenal why not throw in DHEA  sulfate... eh...