Hypothyroidism Support Group

Hi everyone. I am a newly diagnosed hypothyroidism patient. I am scheduled to have an Insulin Tolerance Test next week on Feb 1. Any suggestions? Should I wear sweats and comfy clothes? Is it horrible feeling? Can my husband sit with me?

Also, I am scheduled for a pituitary MRI. The doctor saw something on my Brain MRI so now he wants a dedicated Pituitary MRI so he can see what it is. They think it is a microadenoma.

Any thoughts or advice would be great. Thanks!

Lynn

Hi Lynn

Sweats and comfy clothes is a good idea.

You won’t feel anything until when you starts feeling hypo. Some people might start feeling at 20 mins, some takes longer. Shaking, a little sweating, drowsy, fast breathing. Don't worry, they'll monitor you very closely.

Some hospital do it on the bed in the ward, some do it in the lab. If it is in the ward, I think it should be okay for your husband to sit with you because I’ve seen this in the ward. If it is in the lab, I think it depends on the hospital or the lab officer. I had it both, in the ward and in the lab at two different hospitals.

Glad that you’ll be doing the MRI soon. Finger x. Doc said I had about 1cm lesion. We did several MRIs for the first few years, and glad to find out that it doesn’t grow. So, they decided not to do any surgery. Besides, I had head trauma not long prior to this.

Good luck for your ITT and MRI. Hugs.

I have hypothyroidism too, I never had an insulin tolerence test, is that to see if you can take insulin for diabetes, because I'm diabetic and I'M on a sliding scale of insulin, plus I take metformin too.

Post edited by: jmouce9087, at: 01/27/2012 03:42 PM

I had this done in a lab. They take your blood after fasting. You drink the nastiest, sweetest drink EVER. Wait 20 minutes, take your blood again.

It made me feel funny since I had to fast the night before.

Just bring something to eat afterward adn you should be fine.

Hi all - no this is a test for my pituitary. They first take my blood. Then they test my glucose level. Then they inject me with insulin so they out me into hypoglycemia and extreme low blood sugar. What's supposed to happen is my pituitary is supposed to react becauseme body will be in "crisis". The pituitary should release ACTH and GH hormones so my body produces corticol and tries to fix the blood sugar levels. This test is to see if my pituitary is working properly.

Sorry, I'm not sure the test for diabetes. Theascheffect, is that test for diabetes?

ITT is the test for the pituitary. Many factor can lead to Hypothyroid, one of it is pituitary failure.

Bless to all.

Hi LynnMMM

If it's a test for the pituitary I'm not sure how exactly it works, or how you would feel. However after I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's, they finally decided to start treating my PCOS as well. My sugar levels were high, which is not unusual with the thyroid. I did a glucose tolerance test, the drink is super sweet and you just have to sit around for 2 hours, so they can take your blood at the beginning and then the end. So my recommendation would be just to wear something comfortable and definitely take your husband in for someone to talk to It gets super boring after about the first half hour. Also I didn't notice anything ill effects from it, but as I say I was being tested for an entirely different reason to yourself.

I hope everything goes well for you

i used to have those when i first started with kaiser in california. i remember that syrupy drink and waiting all that time in between testing.

you'll be okay. good luck to you. hope all is well.

a

Hi all - If anyone reads this, the ITT was wild. First they setup an IV so they could use it to inject me with the insulin and also take the blood samples. They took blood samples first and did an initial blood glucose. Mine was good at 84. Then they injected me with insulin. My glucose went down to below 40 and I passed out briefly. My whole body sweat. I was dizzy and confused. Very tired and sleepy. They had to inject me with dextrose to get my blood sugar back up and they fed me granola bars with peanut butter and lots of juice. They got good blood samples I guess. When they were done 3 hours later, my glucose was still low at 64 so they told me to eat a good meal and drink more juice. I get the results in 2 weeks on Feb 16.

Hi All

The sweet drink test is the test for diabetes. Known as GTT (Glucose tolerance test). High glucose (sugar) level in the blood is dangerous. Insulin Hormone from pancreas will help to lower blood sugar level from going too high up. People who has pancreas function failure cannot produce or produce less insulin. The insulin is suppose to fight this excess sugar.

ITT (Insulin Tolerance Test) is to measure pituitary and adrenal function. Insulin is injected into the vein so that the person will fall into hypoglycemia. This hypoglycemia is a stress to the body. ACTH Hormone from pituitary, and Cortisol Hormone from adrenal, will work together to cope with this stress (talking from a simple layman term). People whose has pituitary and/or adrenal function failure cannot cope with this stress and will pass out. These ACTH and Cortisol are suppose to fight this stress.