Re: Help me understand tests

[Guest guest]

em5704,

CO2 retention is a pathophysiological process in which too little carbon

dioxide is removed from the blood by the lungs. The end result is

hypercapnia, an elevated level of carbon dioxide dissolved in the

bloodstream.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CO2_retention

I don't think any conclusions can be made about your aldo level without the

renin test. Anyone correct me if I'm wrong.

You also need to note the lab's normals beside each test. Lab normals vary.

Val

From: hyperaldosteronism

[mailto:hyperaldosteronism ] On Behalf Of em5704

I posted a longer post yesterday after returning from endo visit but

I guess it was too long to wade through, because I have no replies. I

saw results of Basic 7 blood test and K was low (3.3) which I knew it

would be, but CO2 was high (34). What does high CO2 mean? Dr. Grim

or anyone, can you explain?

The lab lost or ruined the PRA blood test, so I had to repeat it

yesterday and wont have the result for a while.

The result of 24 hour urinary aldo was 20.4.

24 hour urinary frationated metanephrines was 245, plasma free meta

was 76.

Endo said the aldo result was inconclusive, and the metanephrine

results ruled out pheo. Dr Grim, comments would be appreciated.

Kind of freaking out today, knowing my body chemistry is so out of

whack. I have an adrenaloma, but endo says not to assume that it's

causing any of this, and that could be bilateral hyperaldo ... he

raised probability of sending me to Stanford for AVS after a few more

lab tests.

[Guest guest]

BTW, try not to freak out. I know it is hard because that's exactly

what I've been doing. My fear is that I will not get a diagnosis and

treatment and will go on forever living a half-life. Try to be patient

and you will get some answers. I know how badly you must be feeling.

You can't determine if you have an adenoma until you have AVS. Be sure

whoever does it has done many, many.

Val

> Kind of freaking out today, knowing my body chemistry is so out of

> whack. I have an adrenaloma, but endo says not to assume that it's

> causing any of this, and that could be bilateral hyperaldo ... he

> raised probability of sending me to Stanford for AVS after a few more

> lab tests.

>

[Guest guest]

Thank you. I do take comfort in knowing there are others on this

board going thru all this junk.

I DO have an adrenal adenoma. It was discovered last oct. when I had

a CT scan for something else, and my GYN ignored it because it was

not pertinent to what the CT was for. I didn't find out until I asked

for a copy of the test result two months later. Then I

Googled " adrenal incidentaloma, " and read about Conn's, low potassium

and HTN and a lightbulb went off over my head. For the past 6 years,

I have been on blood pressure meds, and also on one blood test that I

had when I was hospitalized for something unrelated, my potassium was

low. But my GP never put 2+2 together, never had my K tested again,

never told me low K and HTN could be related. I'm just getting

started on this diagnostic road, but the endo thinks I have mild PA,

from tests so far.

The CO2 result was high according to the lab's parameters -- mine was

34, the highest on the parameter was 29.

Have you ever done the salt loading 24 hr urine test? I am dreading

it. How does anyone choke down that much salt?

>

> > Kind of freaking out today, knowing my body chemistry is so out

of

> > whack. I have an adrenaloma, but endo says not to assume that

it's

> > causing any of this, and that could be bilateral hyperaldo ... he

> > raised probability of sending me to Stanford for AVS after a few

more

> > lab tests.

> >

>

[Guest guest]

You have at least group hyperaldosteronism. See my paper.

I also responded to the HCO3 but you must not have seen the answer.

Problems??

On Apr 16, 2008, at 4:48 PM, Valarie wrote:

>

>

May your pressure be low!

CE Grim BS, MS, MD

High Blood Pressure Consulting

Specializing in Difficult to Manage High Blood Pressure

Consult the following at for details

bloodpressureline

hyperaldosteronism

[Guest guest]

Dr. Grim, it has not posted on the group yet.

Val

> I also responded to the HCO3 but you must not have seen the answer.

[Guest guest]

Stopping my heart arrhythmia has made a huge difference this afternoon. It

quit skipping this morning but the anxiety remained. I then took 1/2 mg

Ativan and have been feeling almost normal. I did some chores and started

dinner. I would go for a walk except its snowing hard. Whether the anxiety

causes the arrhythmia or vice versa, I don't know. I'm afraid to get too

hopeful because there have been other times I thought I was home free.

Val

From: hyperaldosteronism

[mailto:hyperaldosteronism ] On Behalf Of Clarence Grim

You have at least group hyperaldosteronism. See my paper.

I also responded to the HCO3 but you must not have seen the answer.

Problems??

[Guest guest]

Thank you for your answers. My name's ( " Em " )

INteresting that you have anxiety too.

>

> No, I have not done the salt-loading. I am extremely sensitive to

salt.

> There is no way I could eat salt over a few days and not have

paralysis. I

> told my doc the only way I could do a saline test would be with

supervision.

> She didn't seem interested in doing that. I am on spiro. When I

can keep

> my anxiety down, my BP is running about 125/85. That's down from

150/100

> and up to 210/114. The spiro has brought my K up nicely.

>

> My GP said she's never seen PA. I told her she's seen a lot of it

but

> didn't recognize it.

>

> Your incidentaloma may not be aldo producing. The only way to tell

for sure

> is AVS.

>

> Do you have a name?

>

> Val

>

> From: hyperaldosteronism

> [mailto:hyperaldosteronism ] On Behalf Of em5704

>

>

> Thank you. I do take comfort in knowing there are others on this

> board going thru all this junk.

>

> I DO have an adrenal adenoma. It was discovered last oct. when I

had

> a CT scan for something else, and my GYN ignored it because it was

> not pertinent to what the CT was for. I didn't find out until I

asked

> for a copy of the test result two months later. Then I

> Googled " adrenal incidentaloma, " and read about Conn's, low

potassium

> and HTN and a lightbulb went off over my head. For the past 6

years,

> I have been on blood pressure meds, and also on one blood test that

I

> had when I was hospitalized for something unrelated, my potassium

was

> low. But my GP never put 2+2 together, never had my K tested again,

> never told me low K and HTN could be related. I'm just getting

> started on this diagnostic road, but the endo thinks I have mild

PA,

> from tests so far.

>

> The CO2 result was high according to the lab's parameters -- mine

was

> 34, the highest on the parameter was 29.

>

> Have you ever done the salt loading 24 hr urine test? I am dreading

> it. How does anyone choke down that much salt?

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Dr Grim, you misunderstand me ... by junk I didnt mean anything on

this site, I meant all the junk (tests, docs who dont understand) we

have to go through to get a diagnosis.

Everything on this site is helpful!

> > >

> > > > Kind of freaking out today, knowing my body chemistry is so

out

> > of

> > > > whack. I have an adrenaloma, but endo says not to assume that

> > it's

> > > > causing any of this, and that could be bilateral

hyperaldo ... he

> > > > raised probability of sending me to Stanford for AVS after a

few

> > more

> > > > lab tests.

> > > >

> > >

> >

> >

> May your pressure be low!

>

> CE Grim BS, MS, MD

> High Blood Pressure Consulting

> Specializing in Difficult to Manage High Blood Pressure

> Consult the following at for details

> bloodpressureline

> hyperaldosteronism

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Begin forwarded message:

> From: Clarence Grim <lowerbp2@...>

> Date: April 16, 2008 7:36:40 PM CDT

> hyperaldosteronism

> Subject: Re: Re: Help me understand tests

> Reply-hyperaldosteronism

>

> First you must find evidence in the BP and the blood tests for aldo and

> renin then test with sprio to see if BP and K gets better.

>

> On Apr 16, 2008, at 6:58 PM, em5704 wrote:

>

> > Your incidentaloma may not be aldo producing. The only way to tell

> > for sure

> > > is AVS.

> May your pressure be low!

>

> CE Grim BS, MS, MD

> High Blood Pressure Consulting

> Specializing in Difficult to Manage High Blood Pressure

> Consult the following at for details

> bloodpressureline

> hyperaldosteronism

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hey Val:

I thought about you yesterday...and the shrink visit. I agree that

sweats can be an anxiety response, but as some of us know..that is

not always the case..

Do you think that he is actually going to do you any good?

Angie

> >

> > You have anxiety??? There is hardly anything in the literature

about

> > it but

> > I've found many people on this board complain about it.

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Val:

I have a shrink " on hand " that I like..she's Polish and trained as an

endo in Poland before becoming a psychiatrist..I also have a

therapist. The psychiatrist told me that in Poland you have to track

a patient for 2-3 mos endocrinologically and medically before

prescribing psych meds, UNLESS psychiatric emergency and then

minimum to maintain until the patient receives a full medical

evaluation. This seems like sound reasoning to me..and I wonder why

we don't do it here.

We all need therapy, support, whatever to get through this very long

and tough time..I've gotten more REAL support from my boards, church,

and inspiring reading, prayer, meditation, etc. I think the shrinks

tend to psychologize EVERYTHING..and they'll pretty much infer that

unless they " fix " what is wrong with you mentally/emotionally..you're

always going to have problems..

Give me a break..I coped well and did VERY well in my life before

getting ill in '04..I had to be doing something right.

But, that being said..some people like the psych and sleep meds to

help in the process..I don't..they make me feel like a

vegetable...however, I strongly believe that this has to be a

personal decision.

Angie

>

> I actually don't think he is going to do me any good. Whatever is

going on

> with me is chemical. I simply am not nuts. I paid $275 for a one-

hour

> visit. The next visit is for an hour so another $275. I will re-

assess

> after then. I certainly don't intend to spend an hour a

week " talking about

> my life from birth " and discovering all my " deeply hidden phobias

and

> traumas. " My problem is medical, not emotional. The emotional

part comes

> from years of feeling like poo. I doubt there is anyone on this

board who

> has not felt the emotional down of being sick.

>

> Val

>

[Guest guest]

I will ask her..she is a wonderful woman and respects that I do not

want to do psych meds until I am at the bottom of this problem.

Her married name is Wojdynska.

>

[Guest guest]

Val:

Karin (from Intolerance) is taking Atenolol. Friedman told her that

it is the only beta blocker that doesn't interfere with T4 to T3

conversion. She says it helps with anxiety..Maybe this might be an

option for you as well?

Angie

>

> I don't want to spend the next months pouring over all my obscure

phobias

> and problems. I don't want any of that " fixed. " I just want the

anxiety to

> stop (without being drugged out of my mind), I want my heartbeat

regular

> (without the anxious, heavy chest feeling I get from propranolol)

and I want

> to sleep more than five hours in 24. I called for a change to

Zebeta or

> Toprol XL today but haven't heard anything. I am down to taking

1/4 of a 10

> mg propranolol pill when I think I need it (2x today so far). My

heartrates

> is staying regular so far but only Ativan handles the anxiety. I

put off

> taking it until my hair's standing on end. I walked a bit today.

When my

> heart is regular, I can walk. I never have any pain so I guess I

should be

> thankful for small wonders.

>

> Val

>

> From: hyperaldosteronism

> [mailto:hyperaldosteronism ] On Behalf Of aviano237

>

> I have a shrink " on hand " that I like..she's Polish and trained as

an

> endo in Poland before becoming a psychiatrist..I also have a

> therapist. The psychiatrist told me that in Poland you have to

track

> a patient for 2-3 mos endocrinologically and medically before

> prescribing psych meds, UNLESS psychiatric emergency and then

> minimum to maintain until the patient receives a full medical

> evaluation. This seems like sound reasoning to me..and I wonder why

> we don't do it here.

>

> Give me a break..I coped well and did VERY well in my life before

> getting ill in '04..I had to be doing something right.

> But, that being said..some people like the psych and sleep meds to

> help in the process..I don't..they make me feel like a

> vegetable...however, I strongly believe that this has to be a

> personal decision.

>

>

>