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Cortisol meter


Home Cortisol Meter  

54 members have voted

  1. 1. Would you be interested in having a home test for serum cortisol that ran on a Glucometer?

    • Yes, I could finally prove to my Doctor that I know what I'm talking about.
      17
    • Yes, I could track my symptoms against it and manage my life accordingly.
      27
    • No, I shouldn't have to prove anything to my Doctor.
      0
    • No, it wouldn't be worth the money or finger pricks.
      0
    • Yes (other reason)
      10
    • No (Other reason)
      0


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  • 1 month later...
  • Member of the 1000 Post Club

The only problem is the statement that saliva adequately tests cortisol levels and correlates well with serum testing. :-/

 

:clap: I know right!

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If the fact that saliva and serum are sometimes disproportionate in some subjects stops the production of a home saliva test kit, then I would have a problem. Otherwise, incremental improvements in the tools we have until we reach our ultimate goal are better than nothing.

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I think anything that gives an early warning of AI would be highly desirable, even if it's not perfect or useful for clinical diagnosis. Forty years ago, we would pee on a paper strip to learn of glucose was spilling. It wasn't as powerful as glucometers, but it was lifesaving.

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So saliva is not reliable in your eyes because serum results may or may not be symmetrical to your standards? Well there goes about half the diagnoses on this board then.

 

My thoughts exactly! Saliva was useless for me during diagnosis but that's just me, I know of many others who owe their diagnosis to spit! I'm thrilled with this cortisol meter because I know it will help SOME people and it just might serve as a building block for a future blood cortisol meter. At least someone out there recognizing the need for immediate cortisol testing.

Edited by Zula
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So saliva is not reliable in your eyes because serum results may or may not be symmetrical to your standards? Well there goes about half the diagnoses on this board then.

 

It's not reliable because so many folks with Cushing's have elevated CBG and even those with florid cases often do not test positive on urine or saliva.

 

Your last comment is an overinterpretation and a complete non sequitir. My concern is its any single test's potential use to rule Cushing's out, not that it shouldn't be used to diagnose it. I have no disagreement that such a meter is a good thing.

 

Zula, I'm in complete agreement with your comments.

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wow.. has someone attempted to find contact information for Sunil Arya (the developer)? Apparently he/she was the team lead of the group at The University of South Florida in Tampa that developed this?

 

edited to add: if they can develop this for saliva perhaps they can alter the sensor to work like a glucometer and use blood.

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I don't know much about the cycles talked about. I do know that it has been 16 months since I had a pituitary tumor removed. I am still taking 25 mgs. of Cortef every day. That's the same dosage I started out on after the tumor was taken out. I have had my cortisol levels tested and I am supposed to cut back on the amount of hydocortisone I take but everytime I do even by 2.5 mgs. I get very achy and my muscles feel tired and weak. I think it would benefit to have a meter to help watch the levels more frequently to know how to ajdust the hydrocortisone. I don't like being on it and want to be able to stop it completely.

 

I have also noticed that when I need to adjust the cortisone, I also have blood sugar readings that fluctuate more. I am a diabetic, type 2, but since the tumor was removed, I no longer have to take any medication as that has inproved. I used to take 2 medications for high blood pressure too, and now take none, my blood pressure is great. That's another thing I can monitor at home, so why not have a way to monitor cortisol levels too?

 

My endocrinologist has been very supportive and if not for her I don't kow how long it would have taken to get the diagnosis and get the tumor removed. She is great, and I plan to ask her about this idea of a meter when I see her in a few weeks.

 

Hang in there and prayers for all. :afro: <---my hair is something like that, now that it is coming back in on my head and not on my face! Healing is a process! It doesn't happen overnight. About one year ago at this time I had it shaved, because it was so thin and I had too much pain to reach to take care of it. After physical therapy I can walk a mile a day, and wear my shoes and socks. Before that my feet were too swollen and painful!

I'm glad for this support site and the notices on Facebook.

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SuzieQ, have you read the threads about weaning in the archives here? LOTS of helpful experiences and advice there to help you see if you can go lower. Most folks have to cut by smaller and smaller increments as they get closer to normal replacement levels, and take longer between weans. Sometimes it's best to cut by a small bit in the a.m. and then the p.m. Everyone is different, but the trials and reports of others can really help. Here's one thread I found: http://cushings.invisionzone.com/index.php?showtopic=49708

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  • 1 month later...

Is the controversy here about diagnosis? Or is it about monitoring? Is the test reliable relative to itself---that is, does it give consistent readings? It seems that if one is using it to monitor fluctuations, and the meter/test method is accurate in reporting changes relative to a baseline reading, then it would be useful. It is like an inaccurate bathroom scale. Mine is always 2 lbs. lower than the one at the doctor's office, but even if it were 20 lbs. off every time, it would not matter, because it still tells me whether I am up or down and by how much, which is what I am looking for...

A meter like this would be useful to people who are tapering, and if readings changed from what was expected, could be verified at the doctor's office/lab.

Diagnosis is another issue altogether....

Edited by 3v3
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