Guest guest Posted April 15, 2003 Report Share Posted April 15, 2003 Hi Zina.. I don't believe that HealthcheckUSA does saliva tests. They do offer many more blood tests than what is listed on their website, so if you're looking for a particular test, just give them a call and they can give you a price quote over the phone. I've done this with them several times. ...Kelley I decided that I would like to get my adrenals checked. I went to the HealthcheckUSA site, and they don't list a test for the adrenals. Why not? Does anybody here know why they don't have a test for the adrenals there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 15, 2003 Report Share Posted April 15, 2003 Zina, they probably do not offer it because an 8 am cortisol does not tell you squat unless your adrenals are 90% failed. There are two options for checking adrenals, one, a short stimulation test (long stim tests are reserved for people who may have adrenal failure due to pituitary problems when they cannot find structural fault in the adrenals), where you have blood draw several times. (they can use urine too) It is a very expensive test. First, they take a baseline cortisol level. then they inject you with a synth version of the hormone your pituitary makes to stimulate the stress response. Then, 30 minute and 60 minutes later they take cortisol measurements again, to see if your cortisol level went up. For example, in a normal person, the baseline might be 18, but then raise to like 50 after stimulation. In a person with adrenal problems, it will hardly raise at all, showing that the adrenals are no longer able to create a reserve or create at the correct levels. The other is the spit test, which doesn't stimulate you, but collects samples at 8 am 12 pm 4 pm and 12 am. The reason stimulation is not needed is because it tests " free " cortisol and dhea. It shows what hormones are travelling around the body not yet bound to the blood or urine. This will tell a doctor about the adrenal and dhea reserve. You should have an amount of cortisol in your spit that has been secreted as extra. If you do not, that means that every little bit is immidiately bound and your adrenals are not making anything extra, that your body needs every little bit because it is deficient. So, I don't think healthcheck at this time provides these, and probably do not provide the simple 8am cortisol because they are smart enough to know that it is worthless to the general population. Maybe you could find a holistic doc in your area that would order a great smokies for you? I know docs do not seem to care and let me tell you why. Clinical medicine does not believe that adrenal exhaustion exists. Its total adrenal failure or nothing. You could be 75% inefficient and they would not care. If you are not in schock and turning brown, they do not recognize an adrenal problem. There are websites, medical websites that say that a patient does not have symptoms of adrenal problems until their adrenal function is 90% depleted. Truly they believe this. So, they will not treat for adrenal problems until you have full blown addison's disease. Period. In other words, you have to come close to dying at least once to be diagnosed or even tested. Total adrenal failure is fatal. Unfortunately, docs will NOT recognize symptoms until you are in the emergency room, and sadly, most do not get diagnosed until the autopsy. All long standing hypothyroidism is going to have some adrenal insufficiency and sex hormone problems. One deficiency cannot exist without checks and balances to the other. However, there is a girl who was diagnosed with addisons and hypothyroid who's doctor is confused because her adrenal function is coming back on its own. Had it truly been addisons, destruction of the adrenals, it would not come back...ever. However, this girl after a year on cortisol and florenef is recovering. So, someone dropped the ball. She had a bad reaction to thyroid meds, they did a cortisol stim test, she failed, and they diagnosed her. The funny part is that she never really had adrenal failure, they were exhausted obviously...now they cannot explain it because it proves something they do not want to see as a disorder! Even the girl has been convinced by her doctor that the adrenals are somehow magically regenerating. Its not majoc...its common sense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 15, 2003 Report Share Posted April 15, 2003 Thanks, Kelley. I sure appreciate it! Zina > Hi Zina.. > > I don't believe that HealthcheckUSA does saliva tests. They do offer many more blood tests than what is listed on their website, so if you're looking for a particular test, just give them a call and they can give you a price quote over the phone. I've done this with them several times. > > ..Kelley > > I decided that I would like to get my adrenals checked. I went to > the HealthcheckUSA site, and they don't list a test for the > adrenals. Why not? Does anybody here know why they don't have a > test for the adrenals there? > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 15, 2003 Report Share Posted April 15, 2003 Hi , Hey, thanks so much. You know so much about this stuff. Wow, that is so scarey and so major STUPID. Anyway, I read last night just what you told me here, that all hypos will eventually have some adrenal insufficiency and sex hormone problems. So, that is why I've decided to get tested for both, actually. I think I just need to break down and make an appointment with this naturopathic doctor that I found here in Bozeman. Its just so darn expensive to start out new, ya know?!! Its going to be around $300.00 to just have a visit with him. Then all the testing starts. Ish. I guess its worth it, though. Thanks again, . Zina > Zina, they probably do not offer it because an 8 am cortisol does not tell > you squat unless your adrenals are 90% failed. There are two options for > checking adrenals, one, a short stimulation test (long stim tests are > reserved for people who may have adrenal failure due to pituitary problems > when they cannot find structural fault in the adrenals), where you have > blood draw several times. (they can use urine too) It is a very expensive > test. First, they take a baseline cortisol level. then they inject you with > a synth version of the hormone your pituitary makes to stimulate the stress > response. Then, 30 minute and 60 minutes later they take cortisol > measurements again, to see if your cortisol level went up. For example, in a > normal person, the baseline might be 18, but then raise to like 50 after > stimulation. In a person with adrenal problems, it will hardly raise at all, > showing that the adrenals are no longer able to create a reserve or create > at the correct levels. > > The other is the spit test, which doesn't stimulate you, but collects > samples at 8 am 12 pm 4 pm and 12 am. The reason stimulation is not needed > is because it tests " free " cortisol and dhea. It shows what hormones are > travelling around the body not yet bound to the blood or urine. This will > tell a doctor about the adrenal and dhea reserve. You should have an amount > of cortisol in your spit that has been secreted as extra. If you do not, > that means that every little bit is immidiately bound and your adrenals are > not making anything extra, that your body needs every little bit because it > is deficient. > > So, I don't think healthcheck at this time provides these, and probably do > not provide the simple 8am cortisol because they are smart enough to know > that it is worthless to the general population. Maybe you could find a > holistic doc in your area that would order a great smokies for you? > > I know docs do not seem to care and let me tell you why. Clinical medicine > does not believe that adrenal exhaustion exists. Its total adrenal failure > or nothing. You could be 75% inefficient and they would not care. If you are > not in schock and turning brown, they do not recognize an adrenal problem. > There are websites, medical websites that say that a patient does not have > symptoms of adrenal problems until their adrenal function is 90% depleted. > Truly they believe this. So, they will not treat for adrenal problems until > you have full blown addison's disease. Period. In other words, you have to > come close to dying at least once to be diagnosed or even tested. Total > adrenal failure is fatal. Unfortunately, docs will NOT recognize symptoms > until you are in the emergency room, and sadly, most do not get diagnosed > until the autopsy. All long standing hypothyroidism is going to have some > adrenal insufficiency and sex hormone problems. One deficiency cannot exist > without checks and balances to the other. However, there is a girl who was > diagnosed with addisons and hypothyroid who's doctor is confused because her > adrenal function is coming back on its own. Had it truly been addisons, > destruction of the adrenals, it would not come back...ever. However, this > girl after a year on cortisol and florenef is recovering. So, someone > dropped the ball. She had a bad reaction to thyroid meds, they did a > cortisol stim test, she failed, and they diagnosed her. The funny part is > that she never really had adrenal failure, they were exhausted > obviously...now they cannot explain it because it proves something they do > not want to see as a disorder! Even the girl has been convinced by her > doctor that the adrenals are somehow magically regenerating. Its not > majoc...its common sense. > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 15, 2003 Report Share Posted April 15, 2003 zina, you are not stupid...you just aren't obessed with medical reseach like I am...which can be a bad thing sometimes....*grin* I sent you a link. My osteopath was only $50. I think thats one reason I feel good about it....she wasn't trying to take financial advantage of me... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 15, 2003 Report Share Posted April 15, 2003 Oh, I wasn't saying that I was stupid, just the whole situation with docs not testing adrenals before they supplement for thyroid disease is STUPID. Zina > zina, you are not stupid...you just aren't obessed with medical reseach like > I am...which can be a bad thing sometimes....*grin* > > I sent you a link. My osteopath was only $50. I think thats one reason I > feel good about it....she wasn't trying to take financial advantage of me... > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 15, 2003 Report Share Posted April 15, 2003 > the whole situation with > docs not testing adrenals before they supplement for thyroid disease > is STUPID. > > Zina > I agree. On the addison's board, most of these folks were diagnosed hypothyroid FIRST and then got very ill on thyroid meds and only after they were diagnosed with adrenal failure. I would bet that a great precent of them do not have addisons, and don't even know they have a curable condition because their doctors do not know. Its like thyroid in the way that many have terrible endos. Yet, unlike us, they still believe they need a clinical endo. None that are on thyroid with adrenal support are on Armour. And they are sick, believe me. Many still think their endos know best, though. Its sad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 16, 2003 Report Share Posted April 16, 2003 Unfortunately, this will only tell you if you have full blown addisons due to auto-immune diseases...which is like getting a hashi's test with no thyroid levels, and the other is for late onset congential adenal hyperplasia...a trans-gender disease...while I am not a doc, I don't think anyone here has either of these... > You can get: > > ACA (adrenal corticol antibody), adrenal 21 hydroxylase antibodies > > by calling Healthcheck at 1- > > Val in Boulder, CO > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 16, 2003 Report Share Posted April 16, 2003 Yep. What is that old saying? You can led a horse to water, but you can't make them drink. How very frustrating, though it is their health and not ours, I guess. Zina > > > the whole situation with > > docs not testing adrenals before they supplement for thyroid disease > > is STUPID. > > > > Zina > > > I agree. On the addison's board, most of these folks were diagnosed > hypothyroid FIRST and then got very ill on thyroid meds and only after they > were diagnosed with adrenal failure. I would bet that a great precent of > them do not have addisons, and don't even know they have a curable condition > because their doctors do not know. Its like thyroid in the way that many > have terrible endos. Yet, unlike us, they still believe they need a clinical > endo. None that are on thyroid with adrenal support are on Armour. And they > are sick, believe me. Many still think their endos know best, though. Its > sad. > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 16, 2003 Report Share Posted April 16, 2003 Thanks, Val. Is this the test I need to have done to determine if my adrenals are functioning okay? Zina > You can get: > > ACA (adrenal corticol antibody), adrenal 21 hydroxylase antibodies > > by calling Healthcheck at 1- > > Val in Boulder, CO > > From: " thwacksplat " <zinatrotter@b...> > > I decided that I would like to get my adrenals checked. I went to > the HealthcheckUSA site, and they don't list a test for the > adrenals. Why not? Does anybody here know why they don't have a > test for the adrenals there? I'm a little pissed that my PA didn't > test my adernals before she put me on thyroid replacement. > Apparently that is something docs should be doing automatically > BEFORE they put somebody on thyroid replacement. You'd think since > docs are so worried about getting sued because their patients with > thyroid disease are below the " normal " range on their TSH, that > they'd be a little worried about getting sued for a person dying > because they failed to check the adrenals BEFORE they put their > hypothryoid patient on thyroid replacement. I do not understand > their logic. Anyway, I'd really would like to get my adrenals > tested, but I don't want to go to my PA. The Great Smokies lab > requires that your doctor send in the request for any of their tests. > > Anyway, if anybody here knows anything about HealthcheckUSA, I'd > appreciate your advice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 16, 2003 Report Share Posted April 16, 2003 Thanks, . I was wondering, because you had indicated that the all day adrenal test was the better one to have done. Zina > Unfortunately, this will only tell you if you have full blown addisons due > to auto-immune diseases...which is like getting a hashi's test with no > thyroid levels, and the other is for late onset congential adenal > hyperplasia...a trans-gender disease...while I am not a doc, I don't think > anyone here has either of these... > > > > > > > > You can get: > > > > ACA (adrenal corticol antibody), adrenal 21 hydroxylase antibodies > > > > by calling Healthcheck at 1- > > > > Val in Boulder, CO > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 16, 2003 Report Share Posted April 16, 2003 I don't know, Zina. I wish I understood more about adrenals and appropriate tests. Val in Boulder, CO Thanks, Val. Is this the test I need to have done to determine if my adrenals are functioning okay? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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