Results
When things started to go downhill and I really got suspicious the whole tumor thing was back I jumped all over the usual tests - knowing that, if things went as usual, it would take awhile to get things going. Results have been trickling back over the week and I was right. It is a slow, slow process.
The first round of testing turned up absolutely nothing. The metabolic rates were normal, the thyroid was normal, the AM cortisol was normal. Got the 24-hour urine sample and that was normal. This was pretty frustrating. Symptoms are clear at this point, there's something wrong but the tests weren't showing it. Interestingly, however, I had access to my chart and took a look at past results. Even when I was diagnosed the other times, something caught my attention - the AM cortisol (one of the more important tests) was never above the "average" level. As a matter of fact, the current level it was at was higher than it's ever been before, aside from when I was pregnant (and cortisol levels are slightly elevated during pregnancy anyway). So that was interesting. Another interesting point was the fact that the ACTH levels, which is another of the significant levels to look at when diagnosing Cushing's, was low. Low? That made no sense. At all.
Second round of tests came in today, the ones ordered by the endocrinologists. Thyroid was slightly low. AM cortisol was exactly the same, higher than it ever was for me but within normal range. This ACTH was interesting. Normal range is 6-50. The first time around it had been less than less than 5. This time... it was 144. BINGO.
With the "basic" tests done and one significant positive, we're still waiting on two more important test results. Sent out the saliva test today, and I'll go in for the dexamethasone suppression test ASAP. As awful as it sounds, I've got my fingers crossed that these will come back high too. I'd much rather know what's going on for sure so we can get this taken care of as quickly as possible, than be stuck trying to figure things out. Or, rather, sit around knowing something is wrong and hoping the tests can prove it. At this point, though, the over double the normal ACTH level is pretty much enough to confirm suspicions.
Here we go again. Round three, ding.
The first round of testing turned up absolutely nothing. The metabolic rates were normal, the thyroid was normal, the AM cortisol was normal. Got the 24-hour urine sample and that was normal. This was pretty frustrating. Symptoms are clear at this point, there's something wrong but the tests weren't showing it. Interestingly, however, I had access to my chart and took a look at past results. Even when I was diagnosed the other times, something caught my attention - the AM cortisol (one of the more important tests) was never above the "average" level. As a matter of fact, the current level it was at was higher than it's ever been before, aside from when I was pregnant (and cortisol levels are slightly elevated during pregnancy anyway). So that was interesting. Another interesting point was the fact that the ACTH levels, which is another of the significant levels to look at when diagnosing Cushing's, was low. Low? That made no sense. At all.
Second round of tests came in today, the ones ordered by the endocrinologists. Thyroid was slightly low. AM cortisol was exactly the same, higher than it ever was for me but within normal range. This ACTH was interesting. Normal range is 6-50. The first time around it had been less than less than 5. This time... it was 144. BINGO.
With the "basic" tests done and one significant positive, we're still waiting on two more important test results. Sent out the saliva test today, and I'll go in for the dexamethasone suppression test ASAP. As awful as it sounds, I've got my fingers crossed that these will come back high too. I'd much rather know what's going on for sure so we can get this taken care of as quickly as possible, than be stuck trying to figure things out. Or, rather, sit around knowing something is wrong and hoping the tests can prove it. At this point, though, the over double the normal ACTH level is pretty much enough to confirm suspicions.
Here we go again. Round three, ding.