Hi,
I wanted some advice, please. Yesterday, I went to the hospital for testing for Addison’s disease as referred by my cardiologist due to my symptoms.
After being injected with the ACTH hormone, I noticed a dramatic improvement within an hour. My muscle weakness, loss of balance, heart problems, and blood pressure issues all improved significantly. I informed the doctor in the ward about this, expressing that it was the first time in a very long time I had found something that improved my symptoms.
However, since the test was to rule out Addison’s disease and my cortisol levels were fine, they said they couldn’t prescribe me ACTH or anything similar. Is that correct? Despite recognizing my struggle to find a solution and witnessing a life-changing improvement, they indicated it was up to endocrinology to conduct further tests. They said they would inform my GP, and now I have to wait for the next steps. I felt they could have referred me to endocrinology directly or at least scheduled another day for further evaluation.
I may not have stressed enough how much the hormone helped me. It felt like a life-saving treatment, but I was still sent home. I’m currently finding it difficult to walk again, and for the first time in a long while, I had been able to walk normally. After researching, I discovered secondary adrenal insufficiency, which matches my symptoms exactly, and I can’t believe it.
Could you please advise on what I should do next? Is it possible that this could be secondary adrenal insufficiency? Can my GP prescribe anything quickly, or do I now have to wait for an endocrinologist?
Thank you.