In a message dated 07/23/04 12:23:54 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:

> From:   [log in to unmask]
>
>
> For folks that might have low cortisol, or adrenal function issues

Low cortisol will cause one of two problems typically.  One is that the
thyroid meds may not seem to work at all regardless of dosage.  Two is they are
extremely sensitive to thyroid meds, small changes in dosage make them think they
are hyper.

The way doctors prescribe hydrocortisone is moronic.  My wife went to the
emergency room several times for throat swelling.  They gave her 80 mg of
prednisone.  They didn't try first to give her 5 mg and see if it worked, they simply
gave her a huge dosage.  It doesn't look like they are afraid of it in high
dosages.

Yet, I asked my family doctor of 5 years for a trial of hydrocortisone at 5
mg 4 times a day.  (This is equivalent to 5 mg daily of Prednisone) and she
told me it was time to find another doctor. Their afraid of small doses.  Not
large, which have known side effects, but low which don't really have any proven
side effects.  It's a dosage that mimicks your natural cortisol.  Or, should I
say as William Jeffries who wrote "Safe Uses of Cortisol" said that this
amount is about 1/2 the amount your adrenals normally produce per day.  At that
level he claimed, there were no side effects and the feedback loop to the
adrenals still worked.  In fact, when under stress, those like me with low adrenals
would ultimately have more of an adrenal reserve capactity to use for a
stressful ordeal.  I believe him.  I have no side effects, many symptoms went away,
and I do believe I have more cortisol in times of stress.

As for tests, the best one is a trial of hydrocortisone.  It took me one dose
to figure out I needed it.  Within a short time, the "rheumatoid" pain in my
hips went away, as did some chest pain I'd had for 10 years and a problem with
annoyingly frequent urination.  Those problems have not returned.

Some doctors will treat if AM cortisol is under 12.  Others make you do a
cortysyn stimulation test which is very hard on people with low adrenals.  And
even if they turn up negative, as Jeffries said, the patient might still improve
with a trial.

Also, be aware that since the adrenals and thyroid work together, the
symptoms of low thyroid mimick the symptoms of low adrenals.  It's hard to tell which
is which.  And in some cases, taking hydrocortisone has eliminated
Hashimoto's antibodies.

Skipper

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