Val's story ... continuing

January 18, 2008

Continuing .

I just got a call from my doc re: aldosterone/renin. My aldo was 27.5 (4 -

31). The lab notes it is " high. " But renin was 1.35. That is rather low but

yields an ARR of just over 20.

Also, that was after 6 days of 200 mg P. I'm going to do a 24-hour urine

next week and re-check aldo + the pheo hormones. She also mentioned

pheochromocytoma as a possibility. My pheo tests three years ago were all

good. I haven't gotten back any tests for potassium, lipids, etc. I know my

lipids are bad.

Here's an article that talks about P and aldo:

Interestingly, my nine days of progesterone this month didn't bother me.

Some months, toward the last days, P makes me nervous and uptight - probably

a result of low K and dehydration. My use of estradiol through

December/early January was spotty. Some days I think it increases my

anxiety; other days, I'm not sure.

She won't give me a 2-week trial of an aldo blocker. She wants me to see an

endo. I am on triam/HCTZ 37.5-25. That's about all she's willing to

prescribe until I see an endo. BP is running average about 150/90 but

sometimes drops as low as 137/85. I don't think the drug is doing much.

Until I try an aldo blocker, I don't want to schedule at Mayo.

She wants me to take Fosamax. Darn. I don't know what to do. My spine

T-score was - 2.61. That is only slightly worse than seven years ago (-2.51)

but I'm losing height. My bones started disintegrating after at least 14

years of undiagnosed and untreated hyperparathyroidism.

Anxiety and early morning sweats continue. Nerves have been horrible today,

but probably not terribly worse than other days. I started back on estradiol

after being off for six days. I only used 0.75 mg (1/2 normal dose). I will

stay off it tomorrow and see what happens. I take a Valerian capsule

sometimes and when really bad, 1/2 mg of Ativan. I am still weak.

At least she is saying there is something else going on. She said she's

worried about my adrenals.

I'm sick of this. Do I take Foxamax? Until I try an aldo blocker, I don't

want to schedule at Mayo.

Val

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