Synacthen test results
Posted , 3 users are following.
HI i had the SST test done about 3 weeks ago, my results are
Baseline Cortisol 127
30 mins 537
60 mins 499
I have tried many times to get reference ranges off hospital but is seeming imposable to get, which is quite frustrating.
I have had serum tests at 140nmol which is at the very last number at bottom of range from GP !
THE HOSPITAL TOLD ME THESE RESULTS ARE NORMAL, I DO NOT EVEN KNOW WHAT OTHER BLOODS WERE DONE THAT DAY AS I SAID I HAVE ASKED ENDOS SECRETARY EVERY OTHER DAY SINCE, SENT EMAILS AND EVEN ASKED A GP TO CALL AND GET THEM AND HE WAS RUDE TO ME SAYING I DIDNT NEED THEM IF ENDO SAID OK,,
I DO NOT KNOW IF THE HOSPITAL KNOW I AM ON HRT PATCHES AND DOES THIS MEAN THAT THESE RESULTS ARE NOT NORMAL AS I HAVE RESEARCHED HIGH AND LOW TO FIND OUT IF MY HRT AFFECTS THE RESULT SOME DO SAY IT DOES AND THAT I SHOULD OF HIT OVER 600 FOR IT TO BE NORMAL..
MY OTHER POINT ON THIS AS IN MY RESEARCHING IT ALSO STATES ON MANY HOSPITALS PATHOLOGY RESULTS THAT THE CORTISOL SHOULD BE OVER 180..
PLEASE IF SOMEONE KNOWS AS I AM STRUGGLING TO FIND OUT FROM HOSPITAL WHO DONT THE TESTING I JUST NEED TO KNOW WHATS GOING ON AND NO ONE WILL TELL ME..
sorry about caps but I haven't got the energy to re type it all...
does the Low cortisol mean anything or do i have to learn to live with it as it is the NHS after all..
1 like, 4 replies
cool_catalan karen28109
Posted
I have had the same problem, well, a bit different as I am 81 years old. I had the short
Synacten test (sorry about the spelling) at 75, and the doctor (Professor I should say), told me that I did not have Addison's disease... my results were low!!!. I have found out that when one finds a stumble block, one does not get anywhere. I live in Australia. I have found that the Canadian and UK Addisson's Associations are good and help. I think you live in UK, have you contacted the Association?
Let us know
cool_catalan karen28109
Posted
Sorry Karen I forgot to say that I had already had an Addison's crisis and I had been 'certified' to have Addison's disease at the hospital where I went when I had the 3rd pneumonia in 4 years...
Roddy999 karen28109
Posted
Hi Karen,
First, HRT is to replace an entirely different set of hormones from Cortisol, so you need not worry about that one.
According to the Pituitary Foundation (association for people with pituitary disease), the baseline normal range for Cortisol is 180 to 620 nmol/L (6.5 to 22.5ng/dL). So 140 is below normal and needs to be explained. Being knackered all the time is a symptom of low cortisol.
I believe (but don't know) that you have the right to ask for a second opinion. Have you had a synacthen test?
Roddy999
Posted
Sorry, not reading your note properly. I can see you have had a synacthen test. The response to the test was fully normal, so there is nothing wrong with your adrenals. But that begs the obvious question - why is your baseline so low?
Well we all see other people's symptoms as being exactly like our own, which is rarely true, so take this with a large pinch of salt: if I were your endo, I would be looking next at your pituitary. Since your adrenals respond normally when asked, why are they not being asked? (it is your pituitary that does the asking).
Don't answer this online if you don't want to, but if you are having HRT for early onset menopause, that (I think! I'm a man!) would also point the finger at your pituitary, since it is the 'Fat Controller' of most of your major hormone producing organs. (Have you had a thyroid/thyroxine test?)