November 16th: First Tests Booked!

I finally got the call scheduling my tests for this week (I know it's only been three days but I'm impatient). It was from PIU (Planned Investigations Unit) at King's and she began by saying I needed to come in for 3 days. Ru-oh. First thing I think is that if they need me for 3 days it's because the tests are gonna be intense and unpleasant and uncomfortable and bleugh. But the moons are re-aligning and my mind is put at ease when she says that it's only a Dexamethasone Suppression test (I'd tried to do some research on the testing process and I'd come across this one before). The only reason they need me for 3 days is because they need to take my blood for 3 consecutive days, not because i have to undergo any unpleasant procedures.

I'll need to go in on Wednesday morning, Thursday morning and Friday morning. Which means that I won't have to miss any of the Warehouse Weekend!!!! Win! I know I've become a bit obsessive about it but it'll probably be my last chance for a huge blowout for a long time. And it's a rarity that the little group we've got going are actually together. The moons are finally aligning again!

Compiling what I've read and what I've been told this is what I've got to expect this week:
Wednesday- blood test, given 1mg of Dexamethasone between 11pm and midnight
Thursday- blood test in the morning, given 8mg of Dexamethasone between 11pm and midnight
Friday- blood test in the morning

And friday afternoon- start the weekend!! *BBM dancing face*

The purpose of the Dexamethasone Suppression Test is to further investigate the extent of my Cushing's Syndrome. In a normal patient, small doses of Dexamethasone will reduce their levels of cortisol, in a patient with Cushing's syndrome, it won't.

Then, next week, I have to conduct a 24 hour Urine-free Cortisol test. I'll have to collect my pee in a bottle for 24 hours, keep it in the fridge and hand in the next day. Waaaaahey! Time to order myself a funnel. At the time of the phonecall, I was in a stuffy Sports Direct in central London standing directly opposite a useless till worker so trying discuss the logistics of collection and transportation of my pee discretely was very awkward indeed. Lucky they've started playing the tacky christmas music at about ten thousand decibels already though, otherwise the whole of central london may have had to hear me discuss my piss with a stranger over the phone.

I'm glad the tests this week are non-invasive and just to get a better picture of my syndrome, the one's investigating for the disease and looking for the tumour don't sound as nice. But I'm not gonna jump the gun or even think about them yet...

**Since writing this, I've learnt more about the Dexamethasone Suppression Test and on top of indicating the extent of my hypercortisolism, it can also indicate the cause of my hypercortisolism. Although low doses of Dexamethasone do not affect people with Cushing's syndrome, the high dose can indicate where the tumour will be:
-There will be no effect on cortisol levels if the cause is Adrenal or Ectopic Cushing's Syndrome (tumours in the adrenal or lungs)
-There will be normal suppression of cortisol levels if cause Cushing's Disease (a tumour in the pituitary gland)