Re: Adrenal stress profile results are here some advce please on supplements

[Guest guest]

Kath, can you get the actual results with the reference range

from the consultant as I am finding it very difficult to understand how they

could say your results passed with flying colours. When you get these results,

post them here because we are VERY suspicious of any doctor telling us our

results are 'normal' just because they are within the reference range. We need

to know WHERE in the reference range they are.

You MUST NOT start natural thyroid extract with your adrenals in

this state. You must start to treat them as soon as possible, and the first 7

days of treating your adrenals, you should not take any thyroid hormone

replacement. You should get some Nutri Adrenal Extra from Nutri Ltd. You can

get 33% discount on all thyroid and adrenal supplements by being a TPA member.

G o to our FILES section on the Forum. On the list that opens, scroll down to

'Discounts on Tests and Supplements' and then open the Nutri Ltd. File and

following the instructions there, quoting the TPA reference number.

You should also buy some Siberian Ginseng (Siberian is the best)

and use large doses of vitamin C i.e. 4/5000mgs daily to help the Nutri Adrenal

Extra get into the cells and boost your adrenal function.

After 7 days doing this (after stopping thyroid medication) you

can add another tablet and take this with lunch, but don't take any after

1.00p.m. After about 10 days, add another NAE with breakfast. If necessary, you

can take up to 6 NAE daily, but build up to such a dose in the way just

mentioned. If you are still not better with 6 tablets daily, this is usually an

indication you need a course of hydrocortisone.

On the 8th day of being on NAE, you can introduce any thyroid

hormone replacement back again.

Luv - Sheila

I would love some advice with the results please,I lnew I was low on cortisol

from a recent blood test, so had the profile done.

Sample 1 Just up 0.9 Ref 12-22

Sample 2 Lunch time 1.5 Ref 5-9

Sample 3 Late tea time 0.8 Ref 3-7

Sample 4 Before bed 1.6 Ref 1-3

As you can see there is only the night time one that is just in range.

The dhea is am 0.19 Low

pm 0.25 Low

Dhea mean is 0.22 ref range is 0.30-1.00

I am very il, nearly housebound to be honest, I manage a small 100 yard walk a

day and end up in a state. I intend to buy some armour thyroid, to try for

myself. I am just going to order some supplements, the ashwangandha, magnesium

and B5, Please tell me of anything else you think may help, I already take

vitamin c and d .

[Guest guest]

Kath,

You probably passed the test because the person doing it didn't know how to read

the results..... The test should show your cortisol doubling but twice zero

is still zero.

Below is how it should be read - can you get any figures to look at... if

they ask why tell 'em you don't think the person doing the test knew what they

were doing.....

http://www.dundee.ac.uk/medther/tayendoweb/images/short synacthen test.pdf

Interpretation:

Normal response:

• Basal cortisol in the reference range

• Cortisol increase above basal >=170 nmol/l

• Peak cortisol > 530 nmol/l

Pituitary patients:

0 and 30 min cortisol is usually sufficient.

Basal cortisol > 450 nmol/l is highly suggestive of intact HPA axis.

If cortisol is < 350 nmol/l at 30 min then there is no need for ITT as this is

indicative

of deficient HPA.

If cortisol is > 600 nmol/l at 30 min, then ITT probably not required for this

is

indicative of intact HPA .( specificity of 96% Eur J endo 1998)

Using the 30 min cortisol value> 600 nmol/l provides a suitable substitute for

ITT and

this will decrease the number of ITT performed.(Clin Endo 1996).

Do ITT or alternative tests if cortisol at 30 min 350-600

Timing of the test:

Peak cortisol responses is unaffected by the time of the day.So this test can be

done

any time of the day. Preferably done in the morning as baseline ACTH gives a

better

clue as to the type of adrenal insufficiency, if present.

Peak Vs increment:

Increase in cortisol following ACTH is an unreliable index of adrenal function

as it

fails to distinguish normal patients from adrenal insufficiency.

>

> Kath, can you get the actual results with the reference range from the

> consultant as I am finding it very difficult to understand how they could

> say your results passed with flying colours.

[Guest guest]

Thank you very much for both of your replies. I have asked a couple of times

for the results and so far not had any luck. They were taken at a different

hospital to what I normally attend to see the consultant. My initial blood tests

for cortisol were 148nmol ref range 198-720, they got rechecked the following

week by accident and showed as 47nmol ref 198-720, that is when I was rushed to

the other hospital to have the synacthen test. When i spoke to the consultant

he said that I had passed the test on my own as the level was above 250 to start

with, and that it had risen to 550 ish afterwards. Despite me trying to get a

paper copy , I havent succeeded to get one. On the day of the test I was issued

with hydrocortisone to take away with me and later they rang to say not to take

it any more. I must say I felt wonderful that day, I could walk upright for the

first time in 12 years. I have been on levothyrozine for over a year now and

feel terrible, sorry I didnt put the whole story earlier. I am taking NAX 3 a

day so far to be honest That amount hasnt made much difference, I did start

them without the levothyrozine for a week beforehand. I obviously had to stop

them to do the saliva testing, I take 2000IU vitamin C a day , any more gives me

the trots. I have a visit soon with the consultant, I think I shall tell him I

am going to try natural thryoid. I will place an order for thyroid and the

supplemnts you have suggested, I will stop the levo and take the nax until it

comes through, I cant feel any worse than what I do. I have such pain in my

neck, this occured from day one taking the synthetic stuff and has never gone

away. I actually felt better before I took any thyroid replacement at all.

Kath

[Guest guest]

Can you get or ask for a urinary 24hr free cortisol test? It will show how much

is produced over a day.

Chris

>

> I dont really understand tha dhea results how would these be corrected ?

> How would you recomemend treating the low cortisol?

> At the moment I am on levothrozine with a Nhs Consultant who has done a short

synacthan test as an emergancy case as the cortisol showed so low on the blood

tests, and surprise surprise I passed it with flying colours.

> I am very il, nearly housebound to be honest, I manage a small 100 yard walk

a day and end up in a state. I intend to buy some armour thyroid, to try for

myself. I am just going to order some supplements, the ashwangandha, magnesium

and B5, Please tell me of anything else you think may help, I already take

vitamin c and d .

> I would dearly love to go and see Dr p in march as he is in my area, but not

sure I can afford everything all at once. Any advice would be gratefully

recieved.

> Thank you

> Kath

>

O

[Guest guest]

Hello Kath,

My initial blood testsfor cortisol were 148nmol ref range 198-720, they got rechecked the following week by accident and showed as 47nmol ref 198-720, that is when I was rushed tothe other hospital to have the synacthen test. When i spoke to the consultanthe said that I had passed the test on my own as the level was above 250 to startwith, and that it had risen to 550 ish afterwards. Despite me trying to get apaper copy , I havent succeeded to get one. On the day of the test I was issuedwith hydrocortisone to take away with me and later they rang to say not to takeit any more. I must say I felt wonderful that day, I could walk upright for thefirst time in 12 years. I have been on levothyrozine for over a year now andfeel terrible....

Hmmmm – something doesn't add up here, Kath. You need to get a hard copy of those figures from the stim test, and do not take `no' for an answer a third time .... I find it hard to believe that someone should have dangerously low cortisol levels twice, yet on the day of the stim test they suddenly become normal ??? ... and pigs may fly! If your levels are so `normal', why did you then feel great once you took the HC ?

I would write to the endo department of the hospital that did the stim test and request copies of your results, including the ref ranges. They cannot refuse to give you copies and if they do you should complain to the hospital manager in writing. Back up your letter with a phone call to the receptionist and ask if they have received your letter and when you can expect to receive the copy. Put a self-addressed envelope with your letter so they have no excuse not to send it.

Best wishes,

[Guest guest]

Forgotten to say, Kath..... have you got copies of your other two cortisol results? – if not, can you get them?

If it were me, I would take copies of all three results – the two pre stim test and those of the stim test and ask your endo some pertinent questions..... like - how is this possible? ... and could I have a re-test, please....

[Guest guest]

>

> Can you get or ask for a urinary 24hr free cortisol test? It will show how

much is produced over a day.

> Chris

>

> >

> I don't know if I can get the urinary tests via the NHs or not, but they

wouldnt treat low cortisol anyway would they ? I think they only recognise

addisons or cushings , so I don't think I would gain anything . Maybe I am mis

understanding what you are meaning. I thought the saliva test was the best to

have done? so I got it done. I know I have had enough of appointments where

the levo keep getting altered by 25 mg each time , it makes no difference and it

just seesm to be a waste of my and the consultants time. I think I now need to

concentrate my efforts on raising cortisol levels myself and move away from the

nhs as they dont seem to be improving me at all. Thank you all for your input

and knowledge on the matter, I wouldnt know what to do without your help.