are my blood tests useless??

[jabele]

I have had Addison’s Disease for 12 years. I take replacement hydrocortisone (20mg/day) and florinef (.15mg/day) for the past 12 years. I had read on several medical sites that long-term steroid use can greatly decrease antibodies, and specifically the IgG. I posted a question on a Addison’s Disease forum about whether or not my Addison’s would affect my Herpes IgG blood test and was told by someone who runs the site essentially that I can't trust my results because the immune system often needs  continual or repeated stimulation by the relevant antigen to keep on producing the antibody and that my steroid replacement will also diminish the amount of circulating antibodies.

I was tested both 8 and 13 months after possible exposure. Since I have Addison's which I guess makes me immunocompromised does my IgG blood test not mean anything?

[jdrtwin1]

florinef is also the first line of treatment for people that have orthostatic hypotention, where your blood pressure drops when you stand and on average your heart rate will jump.

when i was in the hospital for an episode of adrenal crisis I had this problem and laying down my BP would be 130/90 and standing it would drop to 66/23 and my heart rate would be in the 130's as well but laying it would be in the 50's.

I would maybe see if you could get a consult with a cardiologist and get a full cardiac workup with a holter monitor and maybe even an event monitor or a tilt table test.

[xxseetherxx26]

Hi; I've been progressively getting weaker and weaker for over a year now. I feel really nauceous all the time and very dizzy and faint. I passed out a little over a month ago and had to go to the E.R. but they just said it was an episode of syncope. I've also been feeling extremely exhausted, to the point where I'm barely able to stay awake now; because it has gotten worse. I also tremor all day long, and my feet twitch. I feel really irritable a lot; and it has been confirmed that I have orthostatic hypotension (my heartbeat is 80 bpm at rest; then from sitting to standing it jumps to 130 bpa everytime I stand up) but the doctors don't know what's causing it. I went to an endocrinologist two weeks ago and had a cortisol test: the dr. sent a letter to my house and said my results seemed normal, yet he put me on Florinef and said to come back after a month of taking that. I have since been feeling even worse and I've been having tenderness and stabbing pains on both the upper left and right sides of my abdomen that radiates to my back. My knuckles on my hands have also started to hyperpigment.
Something has to be wrong but I don't know what it is?

[rumpled]

Hi Jabele...
I wonder though if the long term steroid use is that to treat other disorders such as asthma, arthritis, etc. and not the replacement doses that those with adrenal issues have to take.
I think there should be a difference as the doses we take are lower and are replacement, while the treatment doses are suppressive.
I do know that steroids suppress the immune system, but I have never heard of them suppressing a particular antibody. I have, for example, still hashimoto's antibodies that are active even though my thyroid was removed. The amount has not diminished with taking replacement steroids. My doctor tests me - I would not think I would be tested if the test did not mean anything.
Food for thought.