Post by ginab on Dec 19, 2008 0:29:58 GMT -5
So we finally had hubby's endo appointment today. As you would expect, it was frustrating. Although some good did come of it.
He did order several tests:
Autoimmune panel
A1c
aldosterone
chem panel
ACTH STIM test (they call it the Cortisyn test?
ESR sed rate
Free and total Testosterone
FSH
IGF-1
magnesium
prolactin
TSH
It would have been nice to see an LH and a renin and a Free T3, but this wasn't horrid.
I did not like him much. Everytime I spoke, he basically said 'No, that's not right' and brushed me off. I was put off by that. Then when I showed him hubby's cortisol test (normal am, undetectible at noon and midnight and very low evening) he said it was normal! UGH!!! Really, you are supposed to have undetectible levels of cortisol at NOON??? I was somewhat 'interviewing' him for myself and well, he failed. All I can say is I was overly shocked that he even ordered the stim test! Hubby said just get the labs from him then do what we have to when we get the results. Well see.
Oh yea, he said my husband didn't 'look' like he had adrenal insufficiency! Well, what does that 'look' like??? I know there are some physical things to it, but those are usually when you are close to complete failure! He did ask some of the right questions - like if he had salt cravings and such. But you only get salt cravings if aldosterone is low, right? And you can have normal aldosterone and low cortisol, right? Also he said that if his pituitary wasn't functioning properly then his testosterone would be low - his reason was the adrenals would then make the most necessary hormones and not make lesser needed ones. I know you can have the pregnenolone steal to make more cortisol and you end up with less testosterone, but can't you have low cortisol and normal testosterone? At least for a while?
Just wanted to let you know how it went. If you have some insight of course I'd love to hear it.
Thanks!
Gina
He did order several tests:
Autoimmune panel
A1c
aldosterone
chem panel
ACTH STIM test (they call it the Cortisyn test?
ESR sed rate
Free and total Testosterone
FSH
IGF-1
magnesium
prolactin
TSH
It would have been nice to see an LH and a renin and a Free T3, but this wasn't horrid.
I did not like him much. Everytime I spoke, he basically said 'No, that's not right' and brushed me off. I was put off by that. Then when I showed him hubby's cortisol test (normal am, undetectible at noon and midnight and very low evening) he said it was normal! UGH!!! Really, you are supposed to have undetectible levels of cortisol at NOON??? I was somewhat 'interviewing' him for myself and well, he failed. All I can say is I was overly shocked that he even ordered the stim test! Hubby said just get the labs from him then do what we have to when we get the results. Well see.
Oh yea, he said my husband didn't 'look' like he had adrenal insufficiency! Well, what does that 'look' like??? I know there are some physical things to it, but those are usually when you are close to complete failure! He did ask some of the right questions - like if he had salt cravings and such. But you only get salt cravings if aldosterone is low, right? And you can have normal aldosterone and low cortisol, right? Also he said that if his pituitary wasn't functioning properly then his testosterone would be low - his reason was the adrenals would then make the most necessary hormones and not make lesser needed ones. I know you can have the pregnenolone steal to make more cortisol and you end up with less testosterone, but can't you have low cortisol and normal testosterone? At least for a while?
Just wanted to let you know how it went. If you have some insight of course I'd love to hear it.
Thanks!
Gina