Re: got my salivary tests back...

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Jackie Patti wrote:

My morning cortisol is nearly non-existent. This might explain why I'm not a morning person! However, what I found significant was not so much that my cortisol is apparently low, but that my testosterone is ALSO high.

How was your midnight and 4 pm cortisol, if you know?


My sister has Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia. This means she can't make an enzyme needed to produce cortisol, so she makes NONE. The pituitary sees there's no cortisol and sends out ACTH which stimulates the adrenals, which still can't make cortisol, but since they're constantly stimulated, they overproduce testosterone. Females born with CAH have weird "intermediate" genitalia that has to be corrected surgically.

Not having been born with CAH, I'm currently not masculinized, but apparently I have potential with all this extra testosterone floating about. I am not up-to-date on CAH, but I did a graduate seminar on it back in grad school and as I recall there's a late-onset form of CAH that siblings are prone to, so it looks like I may have that.

The treatment is low-dose Cortef, because while my cortisol is low, it's unlikely that my adrenals are suppressed, but rather overstimulated else I'd not be making all this testosterone.

And on to other news... it wasn't enough to test funky for an adrenal disease, no I have to get thyroid problem also! I tested positive for thyroid antibodies and had very low T4 levels also. So... it's looking like Hashimito's. Treatment for that would be Synthroid (my T3 is not low, so Armour doesn't make sense).

Both Cortef and Synthroid raise bg, which means insulin adjustments also.

You guys may recall I had already gotten gungho about Symlin and had planned on asking my internist for that. I'm pretty sure when I walk in and tell him I want to try Cortef AND Synthroid AND Symlin, he's gonna insist on sending me to an endo, which kinda makes sense as it's looking like I'm quite a case for an endo.

Apparently, diabetes and heart disease just wasn't enough for me.

Anyone know a good endo in central PA?



Jackie, before you go medicating anything, you need to get a complete evaluation and imaging studies of your pituitary and adrenals. You should do an intro on the Cushing's message boards, too, there are folks with those conditions there, too, and parents of children with such conditions.

I'm glad you're on the path to figuring stuff out.

There is a very highly recommended endo in PA, a Dr. Gordon, you can find his info on the Helpful Doctors tab there.

Best of luck with all of it.

Susan
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Relevant Pages

  • Re: Low cortisol and low testosterone
    ... I've had low testosterone for at least two years. ... My urine and saliva cortisol tests showed very low cortisol. ... adrenals be OK if I used the testosterone and arimidex that he prescribed? ... Giving T3 promotes serotonin production. ...
    (sci.med)
  • Re: got my salivary tests back...
    ... My morning cortisol is nearly non-existent. ... Females born with CAH have ... unlikely that my adrenals are suppressed, ... like I'm quite a case for an endo. ...
    (alt.support.diabetes)
  • Re: got my salivary tests back...
    ... My morning cortisol is nearly non-existent. ... sees there's no cortisol and sends out ACTH which stimulates the adrenals, ... Females born with CAH have weird ... like I'm quite a case for an endo. ...
    (alt.support.diabetes)
  • Re: Low cortisol and low testosterone
    ... I've had low testosterone for at least two years. ... My urine and saliva cortisol tests showed very low cortisol. ... adrenals be OK if I used the testosterone and arimidex that he prescribed? ... Giving T3 promotes serotonin production. ...
    (sci.med)
  • got my salivary tests back...
    ... However, what I found significant was not so much that my cortisol is apparently low, but that my testosterone is ALSO high. ... The pituitary sees there's no cortisol and sends out ACTH which stimulates the adrenals, which still can't make cortisol, but since they're constantly stimulated, they overproduce testosterone. ... Not having been born with CAH, I'm currently not masculinized, but apparently I have potential with all this extra testosterone floating about. ...
    (alt.support.diabetes)