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Abnormal cosyntropin panel


Gena

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Got my results from the cosyntropin panel today (the test where they inject you with a hormone and see how your adrenals respond - drawing blood at 30 mins and then at 60 mins).

I haven't seen the doc yet to go over the results, but they definitely showed that my adrenals weren't functioning normally (low output).

My question is can one just have adrenal insufficiency and not Addison's, or are they one and the same. The research I did online pointed to Addison's but I also read one document that clearly distinguished between Addison's and regular AI? I guess my doc now has to rule out possible pituitary malfunction as the next step.

What's the long term outlook for this?

I would greatly appreciate feedback if you know anything about this!

thanks,

Gena

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Gena

Maybe the good news is that you are finally getting an ANSWER? I know POTS can occur in patients with adrenal insufficiency/Addison's disease--which I believe are the same thing. I had that same test you did several years ago and mine was normal. I do not believe it is hard to treat. Basically, like for thyroid disease, your body is not producing enough cortisol (in Addison's), so you take it by mouth every day. That's all I know. There is a man on this site with Addison's--I can't think of his name--Timbo? It is believed to be a pretty rare condition. JFK had it, though--in case you didn't know that! The long term outlook for patients with Addison's is good--from what I have read. It can be treated.

Let us know what the doctor says about your results.

Katherine

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Thanks Katherine. Yes I contacted Timbo and am waiting for his response. I guess I should have changed the topic to ACTH testing as that's how most people probably recognize this test and not by "cosyntropin panel". And yes, you're right, it sounds like from what I've read that you take a cortisol pill daily by mouth and also take florinef if your aldosterone levels are low. I do not know about that part yet, as I'm still waiting on some lab results to get back in. Hopefully my doctor will have the whole picture when I see him this week.

I've had this gut feeling that something was screwed up in my endocrine system. It's amazing how the hypothalmus, pituitary and adrenals all work so closely together to regulate blood pressure, help you deal with stress, secrete hormones, regulate blood sugar and inflammatory processes and also affect the kidneys ability to maintain the retain the proper sodium/potassium balance.

So many symtpoms of adrenal insufficiency (AI) are similar to POTS. For those reading this, if you've never had the ACTH test, it might be worth checking into. I'm not suggesting we all have AI, but it could be a missing piece in this crazy puzzle we are all trying to figure out. I also read that there's a possible link between AI and people who have celiac (gluten intolerance), which I have also.

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