Re: PCOS or Cushings?
From: Christa (anonymous@obgyn.net)
Thu, 29 Mar 2001 14:17:32 -0600 (CST)
Zowie -
Thank you for the explanation. You sound much more medically adept than
I do. I only hope that I do not have this Cushings Syndrome. I will
keep posting and let you know about my results. Are you having a test
done as well for this or did you actually have one done already and rule
it out?
`
At Wed, 28 Mar 2001, Zowie wrote:
>
>Hello again :)
>I have some medical books here that I've been flipping through to get
>some info. There are apparently a LOT of tests that can be done to test
>for Cushings--the 24 hr. urine one is common (although sounds like a
>PAIN), as is the Dexamethasone pill test---that's what I was supposed to
>have done. You take these 2 pills with a meal at night, and go to the
>lab the next morning for blood work. To explain before I continue: The
>hypothalamus is part of your brain that makes a hormone called CRH
>(corticotropin-releasing hormone), which casues the pituitary gland
>(also in the brain) to release adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), which
>causes the adrenal glands to make cortisol. When they check your
>cortisol levels--if your cortisol levels are LOW--you are fine. This
>means (and I'm typing per my medical book) "the dexamethasone will,
>through negative feedback, cause the hypothalamus to produce less CRH,
>the pituitary gland to produce less ACTH, and the adrenal glands to
>produce less cortisol." If they are HIGH, that is an indication of
>Cushings--"if you have Cushings syndrome caused by a tumor (in the
>pituitary gland or in another organ such as the lung) that is making
>ACTH, the tumor will continue to make ACTH. In the morning, your blood
>levels of ACTH and cortisol will be high because the tumors doe not
>respond to the negative feedback of dexamethasone; they continue to make
>ACTH". Ok, now if that confused you, I'll explain. Ok, the positive
>and negative feedback--the higher the level of a substance in the blood,
>the more the production of a hormone is turned ON--positive feedback.
>The higher the level of a substance in the blood, the more the
>production of a hormone is turned OFF is negative feedback. So ON is
>positive, OFF is negative. That's at least the test I'm supposed to
>have taken, but there are MANY they can choose from. If it sounds
>easier, ask for it. I'd hate to have to "collect" my urine for a 24 hr
>period! Good luck, and I'll keep you posted on me. :)
>
>--
>-- Zowie :)
>
--
Christa :-)
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