I've been doing some more research. I'm back with a vengeance, and ready to find a new doctor- someone that will LISTEN to me, not TALK AT me. I'm ready for someone who has a "let's fix this" attitude, not just a "let's mask it" mentality. I've gotten some recommendations, and I'm doing my research. Here's what I found endocrinologists typically examine:
1. 24 hour urine collection test
In this test, the patient's urine is collected over a 24-hour period, and tested for the amount of hormones in the urine.
Doctors use 24-hour urine collection tests to measure the levels of various hormones in a patient's body. If a doctor suspects a patient may have Cushing's syndrome, a condition in which the adrenal glands produce too much cortisol, the doctor will test the collected urine for cortisol. More than 50??100 micrograms of cortisol a day for an adult suggest the patient may have Cushing's syndrome.
2. ACTH Stimulation Test
ACTH is a hormone made by the pituitary gland that tells the outer part of the adrenal gland to produce hormones such as cortisol. An ACTH stimulation test measures levels of cortisol in your blood before and after you are given a synthetic form of ACTH. The test can help a doctor tell if a patient's adrenal and pituitary glands are normal. It is often used when a doctor suspects a patient has an adrenal gland disorder, such as Addison's disease.
3. Bone Density Test
A bone density test uses X-rays to show if a person's bones have lost tissue and minerals. It is a common test for evaluating osteoporosis, a condition which causes bones to become less dense and weaken. The most common, and accurate, bone density test is dual X-ray absorptiometry.
A doctor may recommend a bone density test for anyone at risk for osteoporosis, even if the person has no symptoms of the condition. The National Osteoporosis Foundation recommends that any woman 65 or older has a bone density test. Early detection of osteoporosis can help keep the condition from getting worse.
A doctor may perform several bone density tests during the course of a patient's treatment, to see how the bones are reacting to the treatment.
4. CRH Stimulation Test
The CRH stimulation test can help a doctor determine what is causing a drop or rise in a patient's adrenal hormones. CRH (corticotropin-releasing hormone) is a naturally-occurring hormone which causes the pituitary gland to secrete the hormone ACTH. ACTH tells the outer part of the adrenal gland to produce hormones such as cortisol.
A CRH stimulation test measures levels of cortisol in your blood before and after you are given a synthetic form of CRH. The test is often used when a doctor suspects a patient has too few or too many adrenal hormones, caused by a disorder such as Cushing's syndrome. The way a patient's cortisol levels respond to the test can tell a doctor if the problem is with the pituitary glands, the hypothalamus, or the adrenal glands.
5. Dexamethasone Suppression Test
A dexamethasone suppression test can help a doctor learn the cause of a patient having high levels of the hormone cortisol. The doctor gives the patient dexamethasone, a synthetic version of cortisol, and checks the patient's urine to see how his or her body responds.
The test is often used when a doctor suspects that a patient has too many adrenal hormones, caused by a disorder such as Cushing's syndrome. The way a patient's cortisol levels respond to the test can tell a doctor if the problem is due to a pituitary tumor, or another cause.
6. Fine-Needle Aspiration Biopsy
In fine-needle aspiration biopsy, a doctor uses a small needle to remove a sample of cells from a thyroid nodule (a lump or growth on the thyroid gland). The sample is then sent to a lab to determine whether the nodule is malignant (cancerous).
7. Five Day Glucose Sensor Test (For Diabetics)
A five-day glucose sensor test uses a small sensor and an electronic recorder to monitor a diabetes patient's blood sugar (glucose) levels. The test allows a doctor to find patterns in a patient's blood sugar levels, and discover ways to prevent episodes of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).
People with diabetes must regularly measure their blood sugar levels. A patient typically obtains a drop of blood from a fingertip, and feeds a special strip into a handheld meter, to measure his or her blood sugar level. By doing this, a person with diabetes will soon be able to predict which foods raise or lower those levels.
A five-day glucose sensor test can show blood sugar trends over an extended time. A special sensor painlessly measures blood sugar levels every five minutes, and sends the data to an electronic recorder worn on the belt. This allows a doctor to fine-tune a patient's insulin type or dosage, and make changes to a patient's diet.
A doctor most often recommends a five-day glucose sensor test if he or she suspects that a patient has episodes of dangerously low blood sugar levels (hypoglycemia). The test can measure blood sugar levels at night, when a patient is unable to do manual tests.
8. Oral Glucose Tolerance Test
An oral glucose tolerance test helps a doctor diagnose diabetes. It is often used to check for gestational diabetes, a condition that some women develop during the late stages of pregnancy. The test measures a person's ability to process glucose, the sugar that is used by the body as fuel. After the patient drinks a glucose solution, the doctor checks the patient's blood sugar levels several times over a period of hours.
9. Thyroid Scan
A thyroid scan is an image made of the thyroid gland after you have swallowed a small amount of radioactive iodine. Because the thyroid naturally uses iodine to produce some of its hormones, it absorbs the radioactive substance. This substance emits energy and allows the image to be made. The image will show if the thyroid gland is enlarged and overactive.
Thyroid scans are often used to diagnose hyperthyroidism, and to investigate thyroid nodules.
10. TSH Blood Test
Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) is made by the pituitary gland. It normally stimulates the thyroid to produce its hormones. In hypothyroidism, TSH is not used by the thyroid, and its levels remain high in the blood. A TSH blood test checks for increased levels of this hormone.
A TSH blood test is a common and important test for diagnosing hypothyroidism, a condition in which the thyroid gland produces fewer hormones than the body needs.
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Now. I KNOW that not all of these would be tests that an endo would send me for, but it certainly doesn't explain why I've only ever had 1 of these tests done, especially when I have so many other symptoms of endocrine-related disorders!!!!!
