Adrenal Insufficiency :: How High Cortisol Levels Can Go?
Apr 16, 2015
How high do very high cortisol numbers go?
View 1 RepliesHow high do very high cortisol numbers go?
View 1 RepliesFirst off, I am a 30 year old female, and I've had an array of crazy symptoms for years and have gone undiagnosed (well, misdiagnosed with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome). I've also been diagnosed with hypothyroidism, PCOS, Endometriosis, and autonomic dysfunction. My symptoms range from debilitating fatigue, hormonal symptoms, dizziness and fainting, and inability to keep a pregnancy. Over the years, I have had consistently low levels of cortisol, but now things are changing. My 8:00 am cortisol level is 2.1, and my 1:00pm is 21. It went from low to high in my results. They were suspecting secondary adrenal insufficiency before due to the consistently low levels, but with that new afternoon level, I am really confused. Also, I have extreme fatigue in the early morning (have to drag myself out of bed) but I get a giant boost of energy at night and have trouble getting to sleep. My NP thought the cortisol levels could explain that, and she gave me a prescription for Cortef in the morning and sent me to the Vitamin store to pick up Phosphorylated Serine and Adrenal Adaptogens to control the nighttime level. She didn't address why this could be happening, and I was worried about taking the Cortef with those high afternoon levels, so I recently switched to an endocrinologist who repeated the afternoon test. I've just looked at the results online and it is high again. I'm so confused.
These are the exact results shown on my endo's site:
MAY 19: 3p ACTH 19 NL; CORTISOL 21.1 ; 21 HYX AB NEG; RENIN 3.48 NL; ALDO 12 NL; NA 139 NL; DHEA-S 153 NL
I will say, I do have INTENSE dehydration and sodium loss that has caused me to become a neurological patient as well, and I down 2-3 32 oz Powerades a day and consume probably 10-15 times the normal sodium consumption levels as my neurologists have suggested in order to keep my from getting dizzy and passing out all the time, so that may explain why my sodium level looks fine. But that cortisol... how could it start the morning off low and end up high later in the day? Does anyone else have any experience with this?
I just got my blood drawn at 8 am for my cortisol levels were at 1.2 is this low?
View 1 RepliesI just had a AM cortisol lab of 1.1. Over the last 6 months I have been told I have Hashimotos.
What does this mean?
My Cortisol level after doing dexamethasone test is below normal at 1.2
View 1 RepliesIs a 0.6 cortisol level dangerous?
View 2 RepliesI had my AM cortisol tested and it came out high. I did the blood test while fasting about 1 hour after I woke up.
My AM cortisol: 33.7 (normal range 6.2-19.4)
Could the high cortisol be the cause of my symptoms:fast heart rate (gets worse with exertion), sweating, and 15 pound weight loss, trouble sleeping?
I was researching it online and my symptoms seem to fit more with those with low cortisol than high cortisol. I've been to 5 doctors and went to the ER once because I've been feeling so terrible the past 4 months. My AM cortisol is the first thing to come out abnormal. All thyroid, liver, etc. tests come out perfectly within the normal range.
Why are my T4 levels and Cortisol levels low?
I have been having symptoms of depression, fatigue, low libido and weight gain over the last few years. I am 50 and have gone through menopause. My latest lab results are:
TSH 1.064 (0.358-3.74)
Free T4 9.7 (9.8-18.8)
ferritin 16 (3-105)
B12 498 (156-672)
Cortisol 28 (155-570)
RBC's normal
I am not taking any thyroid meds......only nexium and Cymbalta.
What do these results mean? Can someone give me some insight into the results please?
I have been fealing very hot the past 4-5 months, occasional headaches, sweating, heart palpitations. My skin feels constantly like it is on fire. I got my cortisol tested via saliva testing, all seem to drop on the normal range, but the morning level seems pretty low? Isn't it supposed to be the highest during the morning? Heres the results:
7-8AM: 1,87 nmo/l (1,38-15,7)
12-13PM: 8,55 nmo/l (0,55-9,94)
16-17PM: 4,1 nmo/l (0,55-6,62)
22-23PM : 1,18 nmo/l (0,55-3,59)
Having cold chills, then horrible sweating. This goes on all day for me. I could not stay in grocery store to the cold, but by the time I arrived home, I was covered with sweat. The sweat is like you just came out of the shower.I have increased my fluids and am drinking diet decaf ice tea. This is especially when I am on the first dose 20 mg hydrocortisone. But it happens all day, and at night, I wake up sweating. Then, I get cold.
View 11 RepliesI had an acth stim test about two weeks ago. I have been having a lot of health problems but they had calmed down some on the day of the test and the day before. After the test, everything went to heck, ( body feeling "jerky", involuntary body movements-primarily at night, muscle weakness at times- even causing me to limp around during the day, and lean on the wall one night due to weakness and fatigue, head ache like crazy-especially behind eyes/back of head, problems thinking, among other things). I had those problems before the test but was feeling ok for that 1.5 days then bam. I am wondering what bad effects people have had. Also wondering what all is affected from the stim test (what other parts besides adrenal/cortisol could it have aggravated. I haven't gotten results but don't think they did the test right anyway. I would be afraid to get it again cause how it affected me :(.
ps They recently found a pituitary cyst on my posterior pituitary gland (they said its fine).
I am 38 Year Old male, Have been an athlete and or worked out since the age of 12 (super active). For the last 10 years or so I have been super fatigued/tired, don't recover well from exercise, terrible reactive hypoglycemia, muscle twitches, tan year round (i used to be white/pail as could be, now I carry at tan year round) short temper, sleep like crap. I can't seem to handle heat or a ton of direct sun. I will get sick for a day or 2 nauseous/fatigued/headache (it is not water usually i will drink 2 liters of water while out hiking for the afternoon.
I have taken 3 different Saliva cortisol test and all 3 looked the same, cortisol was in the tank upon waking and slowing rose throughout the day. The complete opposite of what it should look like. I finally talked my doctor into doing an ACTH Stim test. I have only got back the Cortisol results at this point, But they are very interesting??
From all that I have read on intercepting ACTH results your baseline Cortisol should double at 60 minutes. According to this test is should be >18 at 60 minutes I only rose 8!!! Please see results below.
Baseline Draw- 19.7, Standard > 5
30 Minute Draw- 26.4, Standard >7 Above Baseline Result, JUST UNDER BY .3
60 Minute Draw- 27.7, Standard >18 Above Baseline Result, 10 UNDER THE BARE MINIMUM IT SHOULD HAVE RISEN!!!
I am a little confused on how to interpret these results?? Like I said I should have the rest of the numbers in a few days.
I have Addison's disease for 10 years. Every once in awhile I feel very run down and sort of out of it if that makes sense? For the past 4 days I am having a hard time staying awake. I cannot stay up for more than 2 hours at a time and have just basically slept the days away. I have a headache and feel nauseated on top of this. A couple times I have even felt dizzy. I have been doing a lot of reading (while I am awake) on the subject of addisonian crisis and was just wanting to see what some other people think that have gone through this. I have doubled my meds but it hasn't helped yet. Although I just started that yesterday.
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I am concerned about my test I have had recently...my blood pressure is a little low and when I am sleeping it is dropping to 81/51. My cortisol is 357 at a 9.00 in the morning. I have been having some very bizarre symptoms.. I started with sudden dizziness and numbness in my arms 6 months ago they tested me for stroke tia but it was clear.. then the symptoms started to get worse fatigue, pains in my legs, back pain, feeling sick, dizziness just feeling generally unwell... does any on no what is normal for the cortisol level is at 9.00 in the morning.. I think they are testing me for addison disease.
I found out I had a B12 deficiency 5 years ago. My levels were very dangerously low at the cellular/functional level. I was told I was near paralysis. Now, after 5 years, they are still low. They have come up to almost borderline, but it still flags red on my tests. My serum levels though are too high for the lab to measure! Its just not getting into my cells so it's not able to be used. I do twice a week injections plus twice a month IV B12 and still it has taken my body 5 years just to go up a little bit. I feel the effects of the shot for about 15 hours barely then I just feel awful again, thankfully it's prescribed every 2 days. But I don't want to do it every 2 days forever!
In the beginning I was told it would take a month or two to get my body back to normal and then just a shot every few months for maintenance. My drs have not only increased my dose but also the frequency and STILL after all these years I'm deficient.
I was just wondering what comes after a cortisol stim test for diagnosing Addison's Disease ?
I had 2 Cortisol stim tests done one in the afternoon and one in the early morning .
Afternoon test read 2.8 out of 5-15
Morning test read 3.8 out of 5-25 Both low
Do i now have a Acth test done to see if its the adrenals glands or Pituitary or Hypothalamus Producing such low cortisol ?
I have abdominal cramping , hot flashes , constipation . tired , weak and major weight loss 35 + pounds in 8 months .
Hubby has had a few chest pains, so we went to the GP where he had an ECG, all pretty normal but we got referred to the hospital anyway, where hubby had another ECG, blood test and we were told that he may have Angina also his Cholesterol levels were high? i am puzzled as to why, we eat a healthy diet, we eat lean proteins, no fats, fruit and veg, we never eat fast foods and all our foods are home cooking and no fats, hubby doesn't drink or smoke, so why? we can't eat any better also he can't exercise as he has chronic Degenerative disc problems which makes him very immobile!!!! so can anyone tell me ,what i do now, how can i lower the cholesterol levels, hubby is a bit overweight but only due to his back problem, not food! he has to go for an Angiogram in a few weeks.
View 3 RepliesI got bloodwork done at the rheumatologist in March and the CRP and ESR levels were high which means inflammation. I got more done in May and its still high. My dr. says there's nothing i can do about it because the location can't be indicated for the inflammation. what do i do now? I need to lose about 30 lbs do you think this will help?
View 1 RepliesI am 27 weeks pregnant with my third child. I had to have a urinalysis done yesterday and it showed that I have high levels of protein in my urine. I don't see my doctor for two weeks. My pregnancy so far has been pretty smooth. I have pcos and have had a cyst but that's it. Has anyone ever had high protein in your urine and if so what was the outcome?
View 2 RepliesI have increased level of proteins in urine. My doctor said that I need to collect more urine and bring to examination to determine what kind of urinary disorder is that. What can cause increased level of proteins in urine?
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