ana_22 Posted August 4, 2009 Report Share Posted August 4, 2009 Im going to have the stim test soon.my endo wants me off Florinef for 1 week before the test. At first he said 2 weeks than he changed his mind and said a week. for those of you who have had the test how long were you off meds for before it?also i have had my morning cortisol measured a few times and it has been within range, could it still be addisons? i mentioned this to my endo and he said yes.also for the females, i read somewhere that it is best to do the test first week of your cycle, i have tried to find more info on this but cant. does anyone know anything more about menses cycle effecting results?thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firewatcher Posted August 4, 2009 Report Share Posted August 4, 2009 The higher levels of progesterone in the last half of your cycle will interfere since they are steroidal. If it is an iffy dx, then have the levels drawn in the first half of your cycle. My endo also wants another stim test done and has asked me to come off of my rhinocort (nose spray!) Orthostasis will cause a stress/cortisol response, so get there early enough to allow for the full 20 minute supine/relaxed blood draw. There are a whole bunch of things that will cause a cortisol spike and mess with the test. I am not sure that dysautonomia does not create an inaccurate measurement for many of our endocrine responses and tests. Almost all the testing intervals are based on people with an intact ANS. If we can't even get a normal BP response, why should our endocrine response be any different? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ana_22 Posted August 5, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 5, 2009 thanks for that firewatcher. i was thinking why cant they just give us suspect addisonians that hydrocortisone (is that it?) and see if it improves symptoms? is it dangerous?im about to book my stim test. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firewatcher Posted August 5, 2009 Report Share Posted August 5, 2009 thanks for that firewatcher. i was thinking why cant they just give us suspect addisonians that hydrocortisone (is that it?) and see if it improves symptoms? is it dangerous?im about to book my stim test.Ana, You can't just take steroids. They suppress the immune system and mess with a whole host of other systems. If you are on them long enough it can actually create Addison's because your adrenals (if they work right) only provide the cortisol that you need, so if you take it, they don't make it. Eventually if you take it long enough your adrenals will atrophy and won't make anything anymore. It isn't a simple trial or error thing either, IF it is addison's they need to find out if it is primary (adrenal) or secondary (pituitary) [i think I got that right ] Proper treatment depends on proper dx, especially with this! An Addisoninan crisis can kill you very quickly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ana_22 Posted August 5, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 5, 2009 thanks for clearing that up for me firewatcher!do you know whether people with normal high to high cortisol in the afternoon can have addisons? my understanding is that if you have addisons you dont produce any cortisol, but my endo still wants me to have this test.i guess im really just worried about coming off the florinef and losing the 5% improvment it has maybe given me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firewatcher Posted August 5, 2009 Report Share Posted August 5, 2009 High cortisol in the afternoon is abnormal and suggests Cushing's (the opposite of Addison's) There are many other conditions that cause high cortisol, but that would rule out Addison's to have a high cortisol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ana_22 Posted July 10, 2010 Author Report Share Posted July 10, 2010 whooooooooo hoooooo!Almost ONE year later i managed to wean off florinef and do the stim test!did it last week. NO reaction to the needle NOTHING!the only thing is now reading about it, was i meant to have laid in a quiet room for 15 mins before the test? AS this did not happen. hope it doesnt impact the results. find out in a week.though im sure i prob dont have addisons as i think they would have contacted me on the same day if i did! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Birdlady Posted July 10, 2010 Report Share Posted July 10, 2010 Get the actual numbers to your stim test when they come back. Most endos really don't know how to interpret the results. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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