Hi Mamie,
OK I looked again at your results
forums.realthyroidhelp.com/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=10274&p=80490#p80490www.hormonesupportgroup.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=hypopituitary&thread=64&page=1I'm sorry you found an idiot Doc. You just have to realise almost ALL Endos & many other Docs are woefully ignorant in these areas.
While your ACTH Stim was done only after 2 days off steriods it certainly does show that your Adrenals can produce Cortisol. The kicker is although your Adrenals can produce Cortisol it only can PROVIDED it gets sufficient ACTH stimulis from your Pituitary.
IF you were getting the ACTH in adequate amounts you would NOT have the low am Cortisol that you certainly do.
Most Endos/Docs only look at ACTH Stim to DX Addisons. With Addisons your Adrenals cant produce enough Cortisol DESPITE sufficient ACTH. I agree you definitely DONT have Addisons.
The Pit Docs comments re Thyroid & TSH shows they are only looking at Hypopit/Secondary Hypothyroid. I assume from the comment that you had Thyroid Labs pre Thyroid meds which showed TSH high enough to exclude Secondary HypoT from lack of TSH stimulis?
The Doc seems blissfully ignorant that you can be BOTH Secondary AI (lack of ACTH leading to low Cortisol) & Primary HypoThyroid (low Frees despite in range TSH with/without Hashis Abs)
While certainly not alone in that ignorance it is VERY wrong.
Can I ask why you went to this Doc if you already found one which recognised the Secondary AI? I realise that the previous Doc had you on too low a dose of HC. You were on 15 mg TR HC & we say 25mg HC is minimum needed though I did read on your RTH thread you upped that to 20mg HC. Is that still TR HC? In any case is likely still TOO LOW. At least the previous Doc recognised the AI & you were getting a RX for HC.
I suggest you discount what this latest Doc said. Dont him/her stop you from doing what you need to get well. Keep seeing the other Doc & try to get RX for straight HC (Cortef) instead. If he wont give you enough then get hold of extra on your own. In any case you need some straight HC for stress dosing as TR is no good for that.
I still suggest you get the other testing done I mentioned in my post on your ACTH thread.
Note too your Thyroid Abs were NOT negative. The Lab reported as 'less than' number. You need to retest with a Lab that reports down to Zero.
Other tests
Aldosterone & Renin
Sodium & Potassium (same time as above)
Androgens (DHEAS, Testosterone Free & Total, SHBG)
Sex Hormones (Estradiol, Progesterone, LH & FSH)
Prolactin
IGF-1 & GH
THyroid Antibodies
Retest Frees with RT3
Ferritin
I did also ask to see any previous results for Sodium, Potassium, Sex Hormones, TSH & Frees (pre treatment).
And as to the comments about the Lab tests & results not being "trusted" that is so much rubbish too. Obviously you didnt get the Pit Doc to do the tests so he/she missed out on a lot of income.
As I said above get the other tests done even if you have to order & pay yourself. Better than wasting money & time on idiot Doc appointments!!!!!