Posted by Sarah T. on March 30, 2005, at 1:17:40
In reply to Saliva cortisol test » Sarah T., posted by Chris O on March 29, 2005, at 1:27:29
Hi Chris.
In my experience, those 24-hour urinary free cortisol tests are usually ordered by an endocrinologist. When that naturopathic doctor got the results of your salivary cortisol tests, did he recommend any treatment for you? In some ways, I think the salivary tests taken several times throughout the day are more helpful. The 24-hour urine tests will give you the total output, but they won't tell you when the abnormalities are occurring, and apparently, that is more important.
As far as your HMO referring doctor's attitude, to hell with him. Try to find someone better. I know. I know. That's a lot easier said than done, especially when you have to go through the HMO. I think your requesting a thorough workup is absolutely the right thing to do, but, you know, HMO's are more interested in keeping costs down than in helping their patients, and they reward doctors for keeping costs to a minimum. Ten years ago, I was still able to get a thorough workup without asking for certain tests. The doctors just did it when they felt it was warranted. Now, if they order any tests, they order only the bare minimum. I think they figure that if they order more tests, then they'll have to spend time arguing with, and justifying those tests to insurance companies, and they don't want to take that time away from their other responsibilities or interests -- or their golf games. Although I have a history of several abnormal lab values, these days I have to BEG to be tested, especially when I start with a new doctor. It's so frustrating, especially since I've been feeling so awful lately. It's harder to be persistent with these people, but we just have to persist in spite of them.
I know what you mean about wishing you could take a magic pill. Sometimes I feel that way, and at other times, I wish I'd never ever taken any medications. That's not to say that I don't need medicine. The one I need probably hasn't been developed yet, and I fear it won't be available soon enough.
poster:Sarah T.
thread:472304
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/alter/20050323/msgs/477529.html