WLS Success-through Powerful Positive Attitudes
Cross Posting this - So upset - Cortisol is low?
I feel your frustration...I honestly do....but I feel very confident this will all get worked out. Remain persistent--you are your own health advocate! An example like this is why I shake my head in disbelief when people say this is the easy way out---there is nothing EASY about this process!
Hang in there girl! I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers--while swinging a lizard or two!
Hang in there girl! I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers--while swinging a lizard or two!
I wanted to update everyone on the status of my low cortisol issue...
I was referred by my surgeon's office back to my PCP on Tuesday. The nurse said my cortisol level was 2.7 and the normal range is between 4 and 22. She said that the insurance company would not approve my surgery if that level was below the norm as this surgery is major surgery and low cortisol is very dangerous as your body can't handle the stress of surgery. She said my surgery was on hold until my cortisol level was treated. I asked if I would have to have all of my clearances done over if this took awhile to get fixed and she said no. Once my blood results show the cortisol in the normal range, the paperwork will be submitted to the insurance company.
So I called my PCP and had my appointment with him this morning. When I told him why I was there, he actually had a look of shock on his face. He said, I'm sure you noticed the look on my face when you just said that, but it was the last thing I ever expected to hear. He said that it is indicative of Addison's Disease, which I had already figured out from the wonderful people here at OH. He said it is extremely rare... so rare that he actually needed to research his next steps and he excused himself. When he came back in, he had a lab request with him and said that I needed to have a fasting blood test tomorrow morning. He is testing my ACTH levels. If my ACTH is through the roof, it's Addison's Disease and he will be referring me to an Endocrinologist. He said if it isn't through the roof, he will still be referring me to an endocrinologist as endocrinology is a specialized area and not his field of expertise and my level of 2.7 was not impressive in the least. He added that I shouldn't stress over this as stress can lower my cortisol even more. Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight, not stress! Okay, if you say so!
He did say as I was leaving that he was surprised that it took this long for them to test for this. He said that he would have thought all the blood work would have had to clear before they moved on to any of my other clearances which was part of what shocked him when I told him why I was there. I told him that I felt the same, but the order for it was overlooked... I'm just glad they did it before surgery, not forgetting about it altogether! As bummed as I am that this is going to delay my surgery for God knows how long, I do not want to die on the table from Adrenal Failure, which is what could happen if left untreated.
I'll keep everyone posted!
I was referred by my surgeon's office back to my PCP on Tuesday. The nurse said my cortisol level was 2.7 and the normal range is between 4 and 22. She said that the insurance company would not approve my surgery if that level was below the norm as this surgery is major surgery and low cortisol is very dangerous as your body can't handle the stress of surgery. She said my surgery was on hold until my cortisol level was treated. I asked if I would have to have all of my clearances done over if this took awhile to get fixed and she said no. Once my blood results show the cortisol in the normal range, the paperwork will be submitted to the insurance company.
So I called my PCP and had my appointment with him this morning. When I told him why I was there, he actually had a look of shock on his face. He said, I'm sure you noticed the look on my face when you just said that, but it was the last thing I ever expected to hear. He said that it is indicative of Addison's Disease, which I had already figured out from the wonderful people here at OH. He said it is extremely rare... so rare that he actually needed to research his next steps and he excused himself. When he came back in, he had a lab request with him and said that I needed to have a fasting blood test tomorrow morning. He is testing my ACTH levels. If my ACTH is through the roof, it's Addison's Disease and he will be referring me to an Endocrinologist. He said if it isn't through the roof, he will still be referring me to an endocrinologist as endocrinology is a specialized area and not his field of expertise and my level of 2.7 was not impressive in the least. He added that I shouldn't stress over this as stress can lower my cortisol even more. Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight, not stress! Okay, if you say so!
He did say as I was leaving that he was surprised that it took this long for them to test for this. He said that he would have thought all the blood work would have had to clear before they moved on to any of my other clearances which was part of what shocked him when I told him why I was there. I told him that I felt the same, but the order for it was overlooked... I'm just glad they did it before surgery, not forgetting about it altogether! As bummed as I am that this is going to delay my surgery for God knows how long, I do not want to die on the table from Adrenal Failure, which is what could happen if left untreated.
I'll keep everyone posted!
This is again another of many stories I have heard about thing being found BECAUSE of weight loss surgery. I know it will delay things but how wonderful they found it and you'll get it taken care of. What a blessing and isn't it amazing about all the things we find out on forums. As crazy as it sounds I found out my mom had lymphodema by going on the internet. Her oncologist didn't seem to care....she was 70 and I guess he felt she lived long enough. One of her legs was badly swollen and I went to a cancer site and typed in "swollen leg" and got lymphodema. I emailed it to her and she took the info to the doctor. He said " yep that's what it is". There's even more to this shocking story but this post is about you my darling but it just goes to show the powerful information available to us. Granted you have to double check because you can get wrong info too but it's the way I have gotten help on several problems. Bless your heart..just know that your day is coming and it will be all for the better! Thanks for letting us know!!
hugs, Y
hugs, Y
Open RNY 3/30/01 260lbs - 130lbs 
Yvonne McCarthy, CLC. Health & Wellness Coach (full time volunteer). I am happy to help if I can. Visit www.bariatricgirl.com and see the Bariatric Girl blog! Also check out my Facebook Bariatric Girl Page. Photography site www.yvonnemccarthy.com .„ø¤º°¨ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ¨°º¤ø„¸¸„ø¤º°¨„ø¤º°¨ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ¨°º¤ø„¸¸„ø¤º°¨
