High cortisol

[Crohns08]

This is probably one of the only times that I wish I wasn't right. My blood work came back with abnormalities and so they want an MRI done to check my pituitary gland and they want me to see an endocrinologist. Supposedly I had a high level of cortisol and a couple of other things that I can't remember because I haven't gotten my copy of the bloodwork yet, just going off of what I remember my parents telling me after talking to my doctor. Also I was vitamin D deficient. So my appointment is in October, but MRI will be sooner and depending on that my appointment might be moved up.

So while I'm glad that I was right and that we should be able to get whatever this is under control hopefully, I'm kinda bummed at the same time. It feels like whenever something starts to get better, something has to go wrong. One set of symptoms for another. Can't I catch a break?

 

[Dexky]

I've seen cortisol levels mentioned in Cat-a-tonic's discussions about Addison's disease. She has a thread on here about her tests for that somewhere.

Hope you get some answers and relief soon!!

 

[dreamintwilight]

Sorry to hear things aren't going well Keep us posted! Hope they find you some answers sooner than October!

 

[Astra]

Aw Toni!

keep smiling hun!
hope you get something sorted soon, and Yes, you deserve a break!
xxxx

 

[Cat-a-Tonic]

Here's my thread about Addison's that Mark was referring to:
http://www.crohnsforum.com/showthread.php?t=11399

Addison's is basically adrenal gland insufficiency - in other words, the body isn't able to make enough cortisol. This results in various symptoms, including IBD-like symptoms (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue) and can also cause things like extreme low blood pressure and low sodium levels. Since it responds to prednisone, it can sometimes be mistaken for IBD (that's why they tested me for it). My test results were kind of in a gray area, so I'm still not sure if I have Addison's or not (since I'm undiagnosed, I'm also not sure if I have IBD or not - all I know is I have something that causes pain and d and responds to pred!). I have to be referred to an endocrinologist too. Addison's-like sypmtoms can be brought on by certain meds, such as not tapering down from pred or tapering way too fast, but I was only on pred for 5 days so I don't think my symptoms are from that.

Since you said your cortisol levels are high, it could be Cushing's, which is sort of the opposite of Addison's - too much cortisol as opposed to too little. I've read up a little bit on Cushing's, but I don't have any of the symptoms (I have weight loss instead of weight gain, etc). This link should provide a little more info:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cushings

 

[Silvermoon]

((((((((( Toni ))))))))))

I hear ya... the frustration of the never ending cycle of "side effects" ... like taking one medication to treat a particular symptom, only to have another symptom show up, or maybe even a side effect of the first med show up... so then you take another medication to help that symptom/side effect... and the list goes on....

Hopefully the MRI will pinpoint something, and it can be dealt with relatively easily....

Thinkin' of ya..... ((((((((((( HUGS ))))))))

 

[Crohns08]

@ Cat-a-Tonic - Thanks for the info, I have most all of the symptoms for Addisons and Cushings except I have high cortisol, but I don't have any weight gain. I'm very frail. It's strange, isn't it? I do believe it was caused by my stint on pred, being tapered way too fast. I started on 60 mg and got off of it 10 mg a week in six weeks. Yikes! If I had known and actually done the research like I usually do instead of letting people tell me to go along with it, I doubt I'd be in this mess

(((Hugs))) Thanks Silver, Joan, Marc, and Marissa for your good thoughts and words! It's pretty tough because I think I might actually be close to remission, but I'm not sure because of what's going on with my endocrine system.

The other day I asked God if he would give me a new body, but I don't think he heard me because I'm still stuck with this broken thing. They say God only gives you what you can handle. If that's true, he must think very highly of me and all of us on the forum. Sometimes I wish he didn't.