[CindyBrown]

Low cortisol - anyone else experienced it?

by CindyBrown on Mon Jan 26, 2015 7:37 pm

I was told today that my cortisol is low and I will have a study done tomorrow to see if it can normalize with a single does of hydrocortisone. The doctor's explanation is that it is likely due to the various steroids that have been part of treatment, but research also indicates it can be caused by amyloidosis (which I have as part of my multiple myeloma).

Has anyone else experienced this?

I am scheduled for my first transplant on the 9th and don't want any more delays or problems.

Thanks for your input!

[Eric Hofacket]

Re: Low cortisol - anyone else experienced it?

by Eric Hofacket on Tue Jan 27, 2015 11:42 am

Cindy,

I experienced low cortisol three years ago while I was initially being treated with Velcade and dexa­metha­sone. In my case, it was attributed to dexamethasone use. Apparently, after a while, high-dose dexamethasone can cause the adrenal glands to stop making any cortisol. Low cortisol can cause a number of problems that would need to be treated. In my case, an endo­crinologist was brought in who ran a lot of lab work to asses just what the state of my endocrine system was and then treated the low cortisol condition.

More recently, I had been on 40 mg and then 20 mg dexamethasone the last 6 months, and my cortisol went low again. My endocrinologist ran labs that showed my pituitary gland was working overtime to send chemical messengers to my adrenal gland to make cortisol, but my adrenal gland was not responding. Now that I have been off all dexamethasone for about a month, my cortisol has returned back to normal levels.

Seeing that high dose dexamethasone is so commonly used in treating myeloma, I suspect this is a common thing to occur.