Re: synacthen test - feel bit better after this

[Guest guest]

This often happens Chris. It is the Synacthen (adrenaline) that

makes you feel so good. It can last up to 24 hours, but you will find

that the effect slowly fades. This is how good you feel with extra adrenaline.

I think this is an indication that your cortisol levels are low.

Luv - Sheila

Hi

i had a short synacthen test today (250mcg i think),i was expecitng to feel a

lot worse if it raised my cortisol levels, but i acutally feel a bit better. is

this usual, should i infer from this my cortisol levels are pretty low normally

or can you not make any conclusions from this?

Thanks

c

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19:50:00

[Guest guest]

- I had the same reaction to the Synacthen test.

felt wonderful that day & better than normal for several days.

This suggests Secondary (Hypopit) Adrenal Insufficiency.

Secondaries have low ACTH hence low Cortisol. Giving a Secondary an injection of

ACTH gives Adrenals the stimulation they need to produce Cortisol.

In contrast, Primaries already have plenty of ACTH (either high in range or

even elevated), but their Adrenals aren't capable of producing enough Cortisol

despite the stimulation. Giving sythetic ACTH to a Primary would either change

nothing or possibly make them feel even worse. Elevated ACTH on it's own can

also make one feel bad (eg.anxiety, panic, etc) as well as cause darkened skin

etc.

Sheila- Synacthen (used in UK & Australia) is NOT Adrenaline. It is synthetic

ACTH (as is Cortrosyn used in USA).

Lethal Lee

Sheila- This often happens Chris. It is the Synacthen (adrenaline) that makes

you feel so good. It can last up to 24 hours, but you will find that the effect

slowly fades. This is how good you feel with extra adrenaline. I think this is

an indication that your cortisol levels are low.

Chris- I had a short synacthen test today (250mcg i think),i was expecting to

feel a lot worse if it raised my cortisol levels, but i actually feel a bit

better. Is this usual, should I infer from this my Cortisol levels are pretty

low normally or can you not make any conclusions from this?

[Guest guest]

Hi Lethal Lee

i did wonder if it meant i was secondary too. what that means in practice or

going forward, i don't now. my various results -low tsh (0.72), low adrenals,

low Testosterone, low LH low FSH (both just in range but only just) seems to

indicate hypopit. don't know if they'll pick up on that though.

i don't have darkened skin so guess i'm not primary. i have anxity etc but dunno

if from acth.

i don't feel quite right tonight (a bit peculiar) but feel better. but do have

some slight symptoms that i've previously attributed to high/low cortisol - as i

took a cortisol stimulant ealrier, i guess i get these symptoms when cortisol is

high. but that doesn't mean i don't get them when it's low, either. hard to

work out.

my thoughts are that it might be secondary too. something/everything is

knackered! nurse said i can ring in 3 weeks, and they can tell me the results

and if anything's v wrong they can push for me to see dr sooner.

however i was concerned when i took the test at 1.45pm and the nurse said " it's

1.05pm now " - i did query this!. it doesn't fill me with confidence.!

thanks

chris

>

>

> In contrast, Primaries already have plenty of ACTH (either high in range or

even elevated), but their Adrenals aren't capable of producing enough Cortisol

despite the stimulation. Giving sythetic ACTH to a Primary would either change

nothing or possibly make them feel even worse. Elevated ACTH on it's own can

also make one feel bad (eg.anxiety, panic, etc) as well as cause darkened skin

etc.

>

[Guest guest]

i wonder if you were allergic to the shot they gave you? doesn't sound normal

reaction to me. i feel a bit peculiar stil today

chris

>

> Wow, had one of these a month ago.

>

> Got a banging headache, was extremely nauseas and dizzy, Could hardly stand

> up, got cramps in backs of legs abdominal pain, was shaking uncontrollably