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A member asked:
I had blood fasting cortisol test come back double normal amount. 24 hr urine test is within normal range. why would it be different?
A doctor has provided 1 answer
24 hour -better test: The level of cortisol in the blood fluctuates during the course of the day and can spike from stress or pain (like getting your blood drawn), so a blood cortisol level tells us very little unless you are given a pill ahead of time to intentionally lower your cortisol and it stays high anyway. That is called a suppression test. We either use that or the 24 hour urine to screen for excess cortisol.
Answered 7/4/2014
4.1k views
Related Questions
A member asked:
Expected high cortisol results since bipolar, told 3/13 saliva test (1.94 mcg/dl, 11pm) unreliable. 6/13 labs = 8am blood 5.9, dexameth. Supp. (1mg) 0.8, 24 hr free urine 7.1. Why low now if bipolar?
8 doctors weighed in across 2 answers
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Is a blood cortisol test sufficient in diagnosing Cushing's or Addison's? Or are urine tests better?
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Cushings syndrome, is urine sample and testorone the only way to get a positive? I understand that cortisol can measure different in blood.
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I have a small adrenal nodule. My basic metabolic blood test was fine. Yay. Does that mean my cortisol 24hr urine collection will be to?
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Which other hormone imbalances can cause a very typical Cushing's appearance in a woman but with normal cortisol levels on blood and urine testing. thank you?
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