Had new blood work taken last week and got the results back now. ACTH has dropped from 55 pg/ml (ref 29) to 17,6 pg/ml (autumn ref 47). For some reason the lab hasn't analyzed glucose!! :( But insulin was 0,6 µU/ml (ref <23.4) (starving).

I'm SO annoyed I didn't get the glucose!! Insulin alone isn't very sensitive to prove IR, right?

Also surprised at how low ACTH is, expected it to drop some, but with the seasonal rise and all, does it seem right to you that it should drop that much? He's been on 1 mg prascend for about a month, was on 0,5 for a month before that.

The vet came out to me, but went straight back and had it spun within the hour at the most, and then frozen before sending it by express to Germany for analyzing.


So what now, based on this, I guess there's no need to increase Prascend further. Symptoms are definitely improving, but he's still not quite "right". Would you test again to make sure ACTH is correct and to get the glucose? Funds are limited to say the least, but will manage somehow if necessary.

--- In EquineCushings@..., "stineogmahjiino" <the.stine@...> wrote:

Had new blood work taken last week and got the results back now. ACTH has dropped from 55 pg/ml (ref 29) to 17,6 pg/ml (autumn ref 47). For some reason the lab hasn't analyzed glucose!! :( But insulin was 0,6 �U/ml (ref <23.4) (starving).

I'm SO annoyed I didn't get the glucose!! Insulin alone isn't very sensitive to prove IR, right?

It's possible for the pergolide to be controlling the ACTH that well. There's no IR with an insulin that low, although you might want a glucose anyway to make sure there is no diabetes and pancreatic exhaustion.

That insulin seems very low even for a fasting sample. If the sample thawed during transport and was frozen again at the lab, that could explain this and would also lower ACTH. You might want to try to find out if the sample arrived frozen.

Eleanor in PA
www.drkellon.com
EC Co-owner
Feb 2001

To share an experience with missed lab testing. I was able to call the lab and learn that they still had the blood on hand and could do the ferritin test which was missed in the tests requested information sent with the samples. I found the labs number on line. Perhaps your lab still has your sample?
Betty Ann
Ontario, Canada
Mar 08