Low Aldosterone Again

[sue1234]

Everytime my aldosterone is tested, it is low. A couple of years ago it was 0.9 (4-21? at Quest). A few weeks ago my doctor randomly checked it again, and it was 2.0.

I was reading the things that can cause it to go low, such as higher salt intake or high blood pressure, and I do/have neither. So, I know some others here get this low result. I read two things that can cause it to be low are adrenal insufficiency and adrenal hyperplasia, which realistically, I sometimes feel like I have.

Anyway, regarding low aldosterone for some of us, can we figure out WHY? Any thoughts are appeciated

[lulusoccer]

I wonder about this as well because mine was low in 2010 (I've been symptomatic for 8 years but wasn't diagnosed until this past september). It was <1.0 (Done at quest as well). I never even knew it was low until this past summer when I requested all my lab work for the past few years and found it. It was rechecked this summer and it seemed more normal at 7. There are some interesting clinical trials going on/research that suspect POTs patients may have some sort of impairment in the renin angiotensin aldosterone system. I guess once more research is done maybe we will get more answers!

[Gemma]

Hi lulusoccer. Did they do more tests, blood work to check if you could possibly have adrenal hyperplasia?

I just had a lot of blood work done, and it showed so much abnormality in different things. My previous endo doctor did some basic blood work and when that showed normal, she said you don't have any hormonal abnormality and just take SSRI and you will be fine. Although, even on those tests my DHEA was around 1000 and norm high is 700. Also, my cortisol in the morning is showing high almost double, but during the day it is fine. So, now I went to see another endo doc for second opinion and she ran more tests. My cortisol in the morning is still high, like 24, my DHEA is 1086, 17-hydroxypregnenolone is 936 and norm is 53-357, prolactin is high 27 and norm is 4.8-23.3, androstenedione lmcs high 280 and norm is 28-230. Also, for some reason, now i am showing abnormality with thyroid, my thyroxine T4 is high 2.15 with norm of 0.82-1.77.

This is crazy. When I got my results I got scared. It looks like my whole endocrinology system is messed up. This doctor is going to do more tests for me, some blood works and urine test. She said she is not sure what is going on yet, but looks like I could have adrenal hyperplasia. Also, she said that with these results I will never get pregnant and all of these abnormalities need to be fixed.

I just wonder if anyone here was ever diagnosed with either adrenal fatigue or hyperplasia. And if you guys got similar results.

Thanks all.

[lejones1]

I had the exact same result as you - 2 on Quest - a few months ago.

I was told it's just a part of POTS - look up what Lulusoccer mentioned about the renin angiotensin aldosterone system, there's a fair amount of research in that area. I think in comparison to patients with adrenal failure, POTS patients seem to be perfectly capable of making aldosterone but don't and one of the suggestions is that there's nerve damage around the kidneys that distorts the signals from our brains telling the kidneys when to produce.

This is basically why Florinef works for many POTS patients - it's synthetic aldosterone.

If you are worried about adrenal issues, definitely get some hormone testing done. I had a cortisol stim and something else, can't remember.

[Gemma]

Ohh wow. I didnt know that. Is this like a permanant thing for us. This doctor who did the tests for me wanted me to start taking dexamethasone steroid. She said it will make me feel better. However, I don't understand how it will make me feel better, if my Cortisol is elevated which is not typical in adrenal hyperplasia. I am afraid it will elevate it even more. During the day my cortisol is normal. I told no to the drugs for now and said I wanted to see what the additional tests show. Also, i took flurinef before and it gave me anxiety, so not sure if it would benefit me. Also, my blood volume test is normal.

So, could this mean that we don't really have adrenal hyperplasia, just same symptoms because of POTS? Maybe it could be a cause of POTS.

Lejones1, did your doctor treat it somehow or he just said its due to POTS and leave it at that?

I am so confused with all of these different tests and diagnoses, its crazy.

[Gemma]

Lulusoccer, do you remember where you read that research paper? I would like to read it. Thank you.