RE: cortisol results

[Guest guest]

Having had numerous saliva/blood cortisol tests in the last 6 years I can only comment that to begin with your 8 a.m. levels are way too low. Since we begin to make cortisol in the wee early hours of the morning, usually starting around 4 a.m., it appears that you begin to make cortisol, but then don't make enough to get to the 'magic' levels @ 8 a.m. . Then you're at the lower end of the range for the rest of the day. So, I guess the question is how do you FEEL? If you're fatigued and have other symptoms of adrenal fatigue, this could certainly account for it.

However, it appears as though you are in the 'adrenal fatigue' category, not necessarily 's at this point so it remains to be seen whether your adrenals can 'recover' with rest, supplements, stress reduction and so on. I would suggest, that if you really want to pursue this, find a doctor that will run an ACTH Stimulation Test. This is not foolproof, but will help diagnose whether your pituitary is producing enough ACTH to stimulate the adrenals to make cortisol. This is the first step and is really essential before you consider taking any supplemental hydrocortisone. Like taking thyroid meds, it's a difficult decision because the adrenals will compensate over time making less cortisol in lieu of the supplemental you're taking.

If you choose not to do the ACTH Stim test I would suggest you keep monitoring the adrenals at least every 4-6 months for awhile with saliva tests to see what they are doing.

Regards,

Steph S.

> comments. > > Thanks.> nne> > > Results Normal Range> > 8 a.m. 3.19 ng/ml 3.5 - 6.3> noon 2.01 ng/ml 1.4 - 2.8 > 4PM 1.26 ng/ml 0.8 - 2.4> 8PM 0.83 ng/ml 0.6 - 1.6> Midnight 0.41 ng/ml 0.3 - 1.2> 4 a.m. 2,17 ng/ml 0.3 - 1.7> > > >

[Guest guest]

Thank you . We have been out of town and I'm just catching up

on my e-mails. I will ask about the ACTH Stimulation Test at my next

appointment. I do have fatigue and other symptoms. I take 45 mg of

Armour and will have it rechecked in a few weeks. Right now they have

prescribed hormones and supplements to support my adrenals.

Hope you found out what is causing your rapid heart rate. The Iodoral

stressed my adrenals which made my heart rate go up. I took the iodine

loading test,and it showed that I was low. That seems to be one of the

symptoms that I have if I've been really pounding my adrenals. Thanks

again for the advice.

nne

>

> Having had numerous saliva/blood cortisol tests in the last 6 years I

can only comment that to begin with your 8 a.m. levels are way too low.

Since we begin to make cortisol in the wee early hours of the morning,

usually starting around 4 a.m., it appears that you begin to make

cortisol, but then don't make enough to get to the 'magic' levels @ 8

a.m. . Then you're at the lower end of the range for the rest of the

day. So, I guess the question is how do you FEEL? If you're fatigued and

have other symptoms of adrenal fatigue, this could certainly account for

it.

>

> However, it appears as though you are in the 'adrenal fatigue'

category, not necessarily 's at this point so it remains to be

seen whether your adrenals can 'recover' with rest, supplements, stress

reduction and so on. I would suggest, that if you really want to pursue

this, find a doctor that will run an ACTH Stimulation Test. This is not

foolproof, but will help diagnose whether your pituitary is producing

enough ACTH to stimulate the adrenals to make cortisol. This is the

first step and is really essential before you consider taking any

supplemental hydrocortisone. Like taking thyroid meds, it's a difficult

decision because the adrenals will compensate over time making less

cortisol in lieu of the supplemental you're taking.

>

> If you choose not to do the ACTH Stim test I would suggest you keep

monitoring the adrenals at least every 4-6 months for awhile with saliva

tests to see what they are doing.

>

> Regards,

> Steph S.

>

>

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