When getting blood tests did anyone else have high morning and afternoon cortisol and have to get checked for cushing's disease/syndrome? I have high cortisol which resulted in six months of tests with an mri for cushing's. Now that it is confirmed that I do have pcos I still wonder why I have high levels of cortisol. Does pcos cause high levels of stress hormones?
I sort of wondered the same thing. My cortisol levels were a little high but not abnormally high and they made me take a pill one night ( I can't remember the name of the pill) and then the next morning I got my blood taken for blood tests. I was told I didn't have cushings syndrome after my results came back. I don't know the answer , but I know where you are coming from
Does anyone know if treating pcos will also treat high cortisol? I'm guessing since cushing's is ruled out high cortisol must be linked to the pcos. I know having elevated cortisol is bad and would certainly hope the treatment I'm on takes care of this as well.
you were tested over a 6 month period? I only had the one 24hr urine test and it came back within the normal range. I wonder if the one test is enough to really rule it out?
I don't know why I didn't have the urinary cortisol test earlier since this usually rules out the posibility of cushing's. I was first tested for blood cortisol and got a call to come back. There was very little variation between my am and pm cortisol and it was quite high. I had to get an pelvcic ultrasound and of my kidneys, re-tested serum cortisol, then my doctor sent an urgent request for me to have an mri of my pituitary which took a month to get in. No tumor, more blood tests to check for other adrenal disorders from an endocrinologist, finally the 24 urinary cortisol, followed by tests for pcos and ovarian cancer, and then the dex. suppresion test. This last test ruled out cushing's and confirmed that I do have pcos. But no more mention of the consitently high cortisol.
I have also had high cortisol levels and have pcos. I also suffer from a very sore tongue and fatigue following periods of high stress - has anyone else had any symptoms in their tongue??
I frequently suffer sometimes extreme fatigue. My gyn instructed me to complete the urine cortisol test for 3 days, but in my bloodwork, the cortisol showed w/in the normal limits so I did not bother. I hope that's not what's wrong w/ me... never had the sore tongue however.
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I had my cortisol levels come out high about 6 years ago but after the dex suppression test they said they were normal and ruled out Cushing's. Now, my new endo said my levels are very high again (35, should be below 20) so he is going to have me do the 24 hr urine test. In the meantime, the wellness Dr. that works with him has me on a detox diet that is supposed to help lower the cortisol and cholesterol levels. They also told me I could not exercise because it raises cortisol. Basically the elevated cortisol just makes your body hold on to fat so with levels that high I wouldn't be able to lose any weight. I have exercised regularly in the past with no results...so maybe. But I recently lost 20 lbs due to diet/ maybe met in the past few months. I researched adrenal fatigue and cortisol levels and I do have many symptoms...foggy mind, fatigue, hard time concentrating. So I am very keen on getting these levels lowered. It just seems like its hard to not be stressed as a college student! If the diet doesn't work I'm not quite sure how they lower that...
I am having similar questions... I have severe symptoms lately of dizziness, lack of concentration, a panicked feeling (like what I would imagine anxiety attacks to feel like), feeling of nearly passing out, etc. I have had my blood sugars checked via a 5 hour oral glucose tolerance test. Insulin levels (which my PCP says she just "doesn't understand"). I am feeling CRAPPY, with a capital C! The past two months have been particularly horrible. I want to see if it could be cortisol levels, Cushing's, etc. I need help! I don't even know what tests to ask for. I was told that since my sodium looks fine not to worry about cortisol, but I can't help but wondering if it could be something else. I know this is physical. It's definitely not emotional (I am not having panic attacks).
Let me know what you find out!!!
Allsmiles
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Amanda(30) To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Brian(31)
I wish I had came here last week lol. I have spent the hole spring break worried what was wrong with me lol. We were doing a regular check up on my hormones seeing where I was since the weight loss (-130 lbs now) and I was thinking OH things will be great now... WRONGO lol
I liked to have died when he called me back in for the adrenal (cortisol) levels. And mine were close to 600 !!. He told me normally when the levels were that high there could be a tumor on the adrenal gland. So we set up a cat scan & did blood work for Cushings (plus I googled the heck outta all this lol)
The Cushings blood work came back negative, and the ct scan was clear. The only thing we could come up with was it went back to the P.C.O.
I did notice that a couple of the meds he had me on could interfere with the results (just not sure as high as it was though how much was meds, and how much was true cortisol levels lol)
*Spironolactone, * birth control pills, and a few other misc pills.
It did really relieve alot of confusing on other misc things I couldn't figure out with P.C.O. over the years lol. I had started getting panic attacks outta the blue a few years ago and I was clueless WTF caused em lol. I had read a few ppl talk about having em with P.C.O, but I thought god how in the world does the pco click with panic attacks, but when the adrenal gland is in over drive its setting the "fight or flight" mode. Which pretty much sets up the panic attacks lol
Ok sorry to ramble away. I couldn't wait to get on here and talk to yall today ! I went from a tumor cancer scare - to - ok ill be a hyper person for a while lol.
If any one else has experienced it too please message !
This messages is a few months old, I wasn't sure if you ever found out or got any testing lol.
Dexamethasone Suppression = Testing for the Cushings Free Cortisol Test, Hydrocortisone Test
{adrenal gland test}
I cant remember the exact words he used, But I remember him saying the Free cortisol & Cortisol levels. I was trying to google the proper terms for ya lol
Jen
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Allsmiles
I want to see if it could be cortisol levels, Cushing's, etc. I need help! I don't even know what tests to ask for. I was told that since my sodium looks fine not to worry about cortisol, but I can't help but wondering if it could be something else. I know this is physical. It's definitely not emotional (I am not having panic attacks).
I have recently have the anxiety thing happen after stopping BCP in December. Seems worse around my period! Anyone else have this happen? Does your doc have any explanation?
__________________ Me (30) To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. DH (30)
High cortisol and PCOS 
