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High ACTH NORMAL Cortisol

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Posted 8/6/2021 5:02 AM (GMT 0)
What does it mean when someone has a high ACTH but normal cortisol. I want to find the root cause of my terrible anxiety. What does ACTH show about the adrenal glands and could this be causing the anxiety and fear? How do you fix a high ACTH? I know bushings and Addison disease are when the cortisol is out of whack but in my case its normal.
Posted 8/6/2021 11:11 AM (GMT 0)
I've seen several people that had adenocarcinomas of their pituitary. A contrast MRI of it would show if it were the cause. There's about a 5% chance it runs in the family. I've seen that too.
Posted 8/6/2021 3:53 PM (GMT 0)
It generally means that your adrenals only produce enough cortisol under increased ACTH stimulation. It can also be that your adrenal function is normal, but cortisol is being destroyed by liver enzymes. This can happen due to certain things which induce cytochrome P450 enzymes, such as rifampin or high-dose vitamin D.
Posted 8/6/2021 4:37 PM (GMT 0)
ACTH is to the adrenals like TSH is to the thyroid, both are SIGNAL hormones telling those glands how much or how little actual usable hormone (thyroid or cortisol) to release into the blood stream.

ACTH like TSH is also made and released by the pituitary gland.

If had every possible adrenal and cortisol test ever invented for conventional and alternative health. When the ACTH is off, most knowledgeable Drs will get and MRI of the adrenals. If a tumor is found another MRI (or CT I forget) with the Hounsfield protocal is done to measure tumor density.

There is a pill used that lowers ACTH just to see if cortisol also lowers, this is to tell if it can be controlled and is not on "Autopilot" with the gas pedal on. I forget this pill/test. Girlie always remembers the name of it(!).
Posted 8/6/2021 4:38 PM (GMT 0)
As far as anxiety reasons..............did you have complete thyroid panel done? complete, not partial. TSH only is BS.

Hypo will create anxiety just as much as hyper. Fact Drs dont always know.

Edit...I see you posted on this too.....

Post Edited (astroman) : 8/6/2021 10:42:18 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 8/6/2021 4:48 PM (GMT 0)
“ There is a pill used that lowers ACTH just to see if cortisol also lowers, this is to tell if it can be controlled and is not on "Autopilot" with the gas pedal on. I forget this pill/test. Girlie always remembers the name of it(!).“

Lol - I can’t remember what day of the week it is but I remember that.
Dexamethasone.

I did take it when I had high cortisol pre Lyme diagnosis.
Posted 8/6/2021 4:53 PM (GMT 0)
“ The overnight dexamethasone suppression test checks to see how taking a steroid medicine called dexamethasone changes the levels of the hormone cortisol in the blood. This test checks for a condition in which large amounts of cortisol are produced by the adrenal glands (Cushing's syndrome).

Normally, when the pituitary gland makes less adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), the adrenal glands make less cortisol. Dexamethasone, which is like cortisol, lowers the amount of ACTH released by the pituitary gland. This in turn lowers the amount of cortisol released by the adrenal glands.

After a dose of dexamethasone, cortisol levels often stay very high in people who have Cushing's syndrome. Sometimes other conditions can keep cortisol levels high during this test. Examples include major depression, alcohol use disorder, stress, obesity, kidney failure, pregnancy, and uncontrolled diabetes.

The night before the blood test, you will take a dexamethasone pill. The next morning, the cortisol level in your blood will be measured. If your cortisol level stays high, Cushing's syndrome may be the cause.

An ACTH test is sometimes done at the same time as the cortisol test.“


https://www.healthlinkbc.ca/medical-tests/hw6479
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