Low Hormone Level - anyone had this

[RichTeaAreCrap]

I had some blood tests a couple of weeks ago at the hospital as part of my appointment with gastro specialist.

Today I have received a letter in the post saying that one of my tests has come back low. It states 'this is a hormone level and I feel it needs further investigation'.

The letter goes on to say that I will be booked into day case ward and will have another base blood test, then I will be given a hormone injection and they will take another blood test 30 minutes and then 1 hour later.

I've been quite ill for some months now with several issues and this is just one of many tests that I am having done. I am not sure how ill low hormone levels can make you feel but I don't think it is all to do with this - I am having gastro investigations too.

Has anybody ever had this and what did it turn out to be? Its a bit difficult because it doesn't mention what hormone is low, just that it is low.

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This sounds similar to what I have when I have my cortisone levels tested. But given that I am not a medic, it could be the way many things are tested!

I have no idea what is wrong with you, so am not going to speculate. BUT hormones are basically what drives the body to carry out certain functions. If one is out of kilter, it WILL make you feel dreadful, and could have all sorts of ramifications, incl. gastro. So my advice would be to trust the docs, and have this test asap.

What specifically are you worried about?

I don't know too much about hormones Hazel so thanks for the response.

I have had all things wrong, gastro, weight loss, dizziness etc. I have stupidly googled and now think I had some form of cancer based on this.

I know its stupid, but I am nervous about it all and why he is sending me back as a day case to have this done - if it was something simple surely he would just ask my GP to sort it.

Aww, try not to worry. And def don't google! You'll only remember the dreadful stuff that you find, even though it is not that likely.

This test (if it is the same, or along the same lines as what I have done) ALWAYS gets done in the 'day case unit' or whatever it is called. It just does! Not really sure why, and I have never even given it a thought! Hmmm... I think it is because the thing they inject you with, the dr would not keep in the surgery.

With me, what happens is - I rock up to the day unit, having not had breakfast. Mine is a small ward with 8 beds. The nurse says hello then settles me into chair or bed. No need for bed, but sometimes it is nice to have a relax. They take some blood, then inject me with a chemical (in my case it is synacthen, a synthetic version of something naturally produced by the body).

Then, every 30 mins for 2 hours - so x4 - a small amount of blood gets taken. In the meantime I chat or read mags. After the last one, I might have a snack, then I go. That's it!

MY TEST (and yours might not be the exact same), is to see to what extent I make cortisol. The injection I receive is the chemical that the body makes to tell it to make cortisol. This is something that a normal blood test literally would not pick up - hence the need for all the palaver.

Think of the test as a) a good excuse to sit still for a few hours. Get some mags; and b) the next step - and a simple, non-invasive step - in finding out why you have been feeling so rubbish. It's not that they won't investigate all the other stuff; this is a key part in understanding the whole picture.

Honestly, this is nothing to worry about!

Thank you, you have made me feel much better. I quite fancy a couple of hours just to sit and read a magazine and chill out!

What were your symptoms and why do you have to have the tests? Do you take meds to compensate the low level?

I'm not worried about the test at all, more why I have to have it and what it may find.

I have also had the test Hazel is describing - I think it's called the Long ACTH test. It's to test the performance of the adrenal glands, which produce cortisol, one of the stress hormones.

In my case, I was diagnosed with Addison's disease, after months of symptoms of loss of appetite, enormous weight loss, dizziness and vomiting. This is seventeen years ago, and I have to take hydrocortisone tablets every day to replace those hormones. If you are ill, injured or under a lot of stress, you have to take more. Addison's patients lead normal lives, and have a normal lifespan. I mostly forget I have it.

Good luck with your tests. If it is Addison's, relief from your symptoms will be almost immediate,once you are prescribed the medication.

Thanks Butter.

I am not sure what hormone it is that I am low on, just what the test is. Your symptoms are very similar to the ones I have had though. I have also had some gastric problems and pain.

Hopefully I will see my consultant this week as I am going for an endoscopy, so I can ask him then. Just hoping that I see him before I am sedated though.

I hadn't heard of Addison's before you mentioned it - its reassuring to know it can be controlled with medication.

Ok, I have just called my GP to get some more information.

It is the cortisol level that has shown up low. Apparently it was 373 - I don't know what that means or what the normal reading should be - is that very low?

I am waiting to have these other tests now. What could be the cause of this and what are the symptoms? Any help at all would be great.

Do you know, I can't remember what is the accepted 'normal' range of cortisol. And I should know this!!! What I CAN say is that it is quite a large range, and it varies hugely throughout the day. It's usually highest 8-10am, and is about half that in the middle of the night. Your test will be 1st thing in the morning.

So the test you're having is a synacthen test. It could be long or short, the difference will be how long you sit there for after injection/how many blood tests you have after! They are testing to see, after being injected with synthetic Adrenocorticotropic Hormone (ATCH for short, hence name of test), does your adrenal gland react and make the right level of cortisone.

If your cortisone is low, it could mean a number of things. The 3 I can think of are:

• it's a bit low, but not very low so nothing to worry about, and your specialists will continue to find out what IS making you feel poorly. So it showed up low in the initial general blood test, (which is not accurate for cortisone) but looked normal in the detailed test.

• It is low as your adrenal gland does not make the right level of cortisone when the ATCH 'tells it to'. See Butturbur's comments about Addisons.

• The test shows it DOES react correctly to the ATCH, and further tests show that it is the ATCH that is low.

So, that was Cortisone 101 !!!

My issue is sort of different, which is I have had my adrenal glands removed, as they were a bit shonky. Hence I cannot make cortisone myself, so like Butturbur I take it daily, with extra when needed. Sort of in the same way that diabetics take insulin.

Nb the adrenal gland - where cortisone is made - is like a little hat that sits on top of each of the kidneys.

Remember, at this stage, this could be something or nothing. I think positively on medical tests, as I feel it is one stage closer to feeling better! You mentioned pain and gastric problems; they could both be caused by cortisone-y issues - but then again, they can be caused by lots of things, hence why you're having all these tests I guess! Poor gastro specialists, they have to rule things out before they find out what is wrong with you, don't they?!

Hope that helps, but please shout if you have any specific questions. And let us know how you get on.

Er, apols for looooong post.

Thanks so much for all that info, I really appreciate it. I will let you know how I get on. I am going in tomorrow for some other gastric tests so he really is covering everything.