Always tired... (My journey to cure my fatigue)

Well, I was in and out (blood work and all) in 1 hour.

This doctor is great!  While he didn't put me on the meds based on my history and lab work, he doesn't have a problem proscribing it based off what he see in the results (Blood work).

They did a ACTH, Cortisol, TSH, T3/T4, and a bunch of other stuff.  They took 6 tubes. 

The great news is, I don't have to wait weeks to get the results, he wants me to call on Firday and talk with him about the results.  This guy is really pro-active in finding what's wrong with me.  He does truely believe that it's a cortisol issue, but wants to make sure because of the side effects of the meds.

We went through my entire history and everything I've tried.  He was very amazed at my knowledge of hormones and what I've researched.  I had asked him " have you seen someone like me before?"  He said yes, and that he will get me better and back to my normal life. 

I'm so happy.  Even though I didn't get what I wanted, I'll still hear something come Friday.  He did do the tests that I wanted and is very close with the patients.  He was calling all my other doctors to confirm other lab work.  He wanted to make sure that he wasn't running the same tests over and over again.  The lab at the hospital was amazing.  There was 11 people infornt of me, they called me back before all of them.  They saw my insurance and said "open access"?  come on back. 

This is the first doctor since this has happened where I feel like something is going to come from it.  There were also amazed at all the studies and tests I had done on my owns (Saliva, mold test, humaworm).  He said "If you're not carfull, I might take you on as a student".  He had a student with him since they're a teaching hospital.  She didn't seem to know much, for being an intern....

Oh well.  Friday it is..  I pray that the results are the same as my saliva and I finally get placed onto something that brings me back to ... well, me

-O-

Thanks HM!!

Well, I found out some bad news.  The ACTH test was done incorrectly.  You're suppose to draw blood, wait 30 minutes, then inject salien into your system, then draw blood again.

This wasn't done.  They just drew my blood for the test.  I've read that this test is worthless.

I just pray that one of the tests show something.....

I hope so... It's the only thing I want for Christmas.

It's sad.  Christmas is my favorite time of the year.  I'm so down about this...

I didn't get a tree, decorate the outside of my house, go looking for christmas lights... nothing.

Well, what I mean by worthless is, when the blood was taken for the cortisol check, what my level was at that time, is what I get.  Cortisol bounce up and down throughout the day.  So, it might have been at a normal level (I doubt it...) at that time.  With the way my luck is, the tests will come back fine, and I'll be waiting another 3 weeks for my next endo appt.  Either way, we'll see on Friday.

The correct way to test the cortisol with ACTH is to do the injection 30 minute after blood is taken.  This put stress I guess on the glands and shows how much they're putting out. 

Friday it is....

Ok.  I just found out that the doctor is in another part of the hospital, so I need to call back @ 4:00.  They're going to try and get the results between then.

Keep your fingers crossed for me

OMG is it..... 

What's even worse, it waiting all this time, and having them tell me something that I don't want to hear.

I need to be positive, but it's so hard. 

Oh no, I was really hoping that your labs would show something so that you could start treatment sooner. When do you see the new PCP? I have come to the same conclusion that you have that doctors need to look at the big picture and not just labs. Your symptoms need attention and need to be treated. Do you have another appointment set up with the endo or did he indicate that he wouldn't start any meds unless you had abnormal labs. Do you think any of the supplements you have been taking may have affected the labs in anyway, like maybe the DHEA? It's just a thought. I really feel for you - I know what it is like to feel horrible and have nothing show up in your labs. Try to hang in there.

hippimom2 said...
Oh no, I was really hoping that your labs would show something so that you could start treatment sooner. When do you see the new PCP? I have come to the same conclusion that you have that doctors need to look at the big picture and not just labs. Your symptoms need attention and need to be treated. Do you have another appointment set up with the endo or did he indicate that he wouldn't start any meds unless you had abnormal labs. Do you think any of the supplements you have been taking may have affected the labs in anyway, like maybe the DHEA? It's just a thought.

I really feel for you - I know what it is like to feel horrible and have nothing show up in your labs. Try to hang in there.

Thanks HM2!

Yeah, my new PCP appt is on the 16th. Little more than 3 weeks. I just need to exercise some more patients. I just sucks. My good health is within arms reach, but the doctors keep pulling me away. I understand that it's a steriod and that the risks are there, but come on... just try me out.

I created this in a sepeart thread because I wanted more people to read it.  I know it's hard to read all this stuff, so I figured I would start a new thread for it, however I want to paste the threat link in here for future reference and new people coming in and reading this "journal"

https://www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=15&m=682240

Thanks for the reply!! :)

Yes, please send me the diet.  I'm willing to try anything at this point.  If you will, post the link in this thread for me for others as well.  My goal is not only to get better, but help others that might some along in the future so hopefully they won't have to suffer as along.

Again, thank you very much, and welcome to healing well!

Well, my 24 hour urine test has been turned in. 

It was kinda weird carrying in almost 2 liters of urine infront of 30 people in the waiting room, but oh well.  It would have been funny if it would have broke :)

I'm going to call on Friday and see if my Endo has the results.  I'm hoping these show something different then the blood did.

Considering that my Saliva test showed that my levels in the morning were just above normal, that would probably explain why my blood was just above normal too. 

Hopefully the urine will shed a little more light.

Na, still the same bud.

I can't say it's not to my doing... my diet has been horrible.  I just can't seem to fight the sugar/salt cravings. 

If the urine doesn't show anything, my last hope is this new primary doctor that my wife recommened.  I'm not sure what to do after that... that's why I have to hope and pray he's the answer.  I really don't think the urine is going to show anything, but it might surpise me.  I've read that urine is a better test than blood, and since it's a 24 hour test, versus the one time draw... maybe.  Who knows. 

My appt with the new doc is in 2 weeks from today. 

I cannot agree more.  I only hope it happens this year, so we're not celebrating another new year tired