Re: Adrenal Saliva Test Help Needed

[Guest guest]

Just a quick comment regarding the need to be off HC supplements

prior to testing......

I usually get my testing done through a company called Labrix. When

I read all of the posts saying to be off cortisol, I had my

pharmacist (who I go through to get the tests done) contact Labrix

and they said that it is not necessary to be off HC prior to testing,

and that if you want to see how your body is reacting to the HC you

should stay on it for testing.

Has anyone else had tests done with Labrix? Anyone else talked with

them? It is certainly frustrating that all of these testing

companies don't follow the same protocols.

Lexie

>

> We can't help you on this list when you test while on adrenal

support. We

> can only help with test results that are from not being on anything

for 2

> weeks. DHEA, Cortef and Isocort all throw your results off. More

than likely

> that is why all show high on the tests. You can trust your doctor

(which I

> would not) OR you can go off all of them for 2 weeks prior to

testing and

> retest.

>

> My instincts? That your doctor is full of it, gave you bad advice

and that

> you are really low in cortisol which is why you feel shaky going

off. Your

> doctor is also messing with your thyroid.

>

> Ask you doctor who s/he can figure out your adrenal levels when

even the

> tests say that supplementing throws off results? Call Diagnos tech

or

> wherever you got them done. They will confirm that it will throw

off the

> results being on supplementation. Then get a new doctor.

>

> Cheri

[Guest guest]

I haven't used them but the reason to be off is to know where your baseline

is. I have done them both before and after cortisol and it DOES make a

difference in the testing. Before cortisol showed my accurate state...stage

7 fatigue. After, stage 5 which means it is helping but I have a long way to

go. If you never have the baseline test done without the cortisol, you never

know what your real adrenal function is.

Cheri

-----Original Message-----

Just a quick comment regarding the need to be off HC supplements

prior to testing......

I usually get my testing done through a company called Labrix. When

I read all of the posts saying to be off cortisol, I had my

pharmacist (who I go through to get the tests done) contact Labrix

and they said that it is not necessary to be off HC prior to testing,

and that if you want to see how your body is reacting to the HC you

should stay on it for testing.

Has anyone else had tests done with Labrix? Anyone else talked with

them? It is certainly frustrating that all of these testing

companies don't follow the same protocols.

Lexie

.

[Guest guest]

I haven't heard of them before, but Val has been trying for some time to

find a way to make sense out of tests taken while on HC and hasn't had any

luck. From everything I've gathered you can tell pretty easily if you are on

the correct dose by graphing your temps and doing the blood pressure thing.

Plus it doesn't cost anything! Otherwise, the only reason i see to retest

would be to see how much if any your adrenal glands have healed and how they

produce on their own without supplementation. And there is no way to do that

without going off of all HC and adreanl support supplements. :-)

Cherie

A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy

enough people to make it worth the effort. Herm Albright

> Just a quick comment regarding the need to be off HC supplements

> prior to testing......

>

> I usually get my testing done through a company called Labrix. When

> I read all of the posts saying to be off cortisol, I had my

> pharmacist (who I go through to get the tests done) contact Labrix

> and they said that it is not necessary to be off HC prior to testing,

> and that if you want to see how your body is reacting to the HC you

> should stay on it for testing.

>

> Has anyone else had tests done with Labrix? Anyone else talked with

> them? It is certainly frustrating that all of these testing

> companies don't follow the same protocols.

>

>

> Lexie

>

>

>

No virus found in this outgoing message.

Checked by AVG Free Edition.

Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: 269.19.11/1244 - Release Date: 1/25/2008

7:44 PM

[Guest guest]

Thanks, Cheri. I do agree that my doctor is full of it and is really

messing me up. I did have a baseline done before going on HC and I

was below the range on everything. So, I've been on HC and Isocort

for over 8 months now plus taking a ton of other adrenal support

stuff. I have been working so hard to take care of them. Is it

possible that they can still be low after all I've done? That's why

my doc thought I was now high in cortisol and says that I should have

only been on HC for 3 months. I've only cut back the Isocort by 7.5

and I do feel bad. Why would my adrenals still be messed up? Maybe

because of the over dose of thyroid meds 4 months ago? Does the

decrease in thyroid meds effect the adrenals just like the increases?

I'm so discouraged now and afraid to go back to a doctor.

>

> We can't help you on this list when you test while on adrenal

support. We

> can only help with test results that are from not being on anything

for 2

> weeks. DHEA, Cortef and Isocort all throw your results off. More

than likely

> that is why all show high on the tests. You can trust your doctor

(which I

> would not) OR you can go off all of them for 2 weeks prior to

testing and

> retest.

>

> My instincts? That your doctor is full of it, gave you bad advice

and that

> you are really low in cortisol which is why you feel shaky going

off. Your

> doctor is also messing with your thyroid.

>

> Ask you doctor who s/he can figure out your adrenal levels when

even the

> tests say that supplementing throws off results? Call Diagnos tech

or

> wherever you got them done. They will confirm that it will throw

off the

> results being on supplementation. Then get a new doctor.

>

> Cheri

> ]

>

[Guest guest]

Unless you were on a HIGH enough dose of HC you possibly sdid not do

much to heal the adrenals. AND I am finding for most ofus it is taking

about 2 years to heal them where the HC is no longer needed. You can

check for high cortilsl by doing several things, one is seeing if your

bP is high, another would be glucose testing. These are not indpendent

of other things such as too low thyroid which will alos raise glucose

and BP. But they would be indicators. You can also test RT3 to see if

thta is blocking the thyrod from working properly which will keep

adrenals stressed.

--

Artistic Grooming- Hurricane WV

http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/NaturalThyroidHormonesADRENALS/

http://www.seewell4less.com/Valspage.htm Medical Alert Bracelets

[Guest guest]

Thanks, .

My average bp is 97/66 and my glucose at home is usually between 100

and 117 fasting. My glucose from the lab is normal. So that is

probably not really high enough to be indicating high cortisol, right?

When and IF I decide to brave it back out into the doctor world, I will

get a Rt3 done. Thanks again. I feel better already just having a

better idea of what is really going on.

[Guest guest]

Yes, it is very possible you are still low, especially if your baseline

showed low in everything. I cannot believe your doc is looking at labs while

on cortisol and wanting you to lower things. 8 months isn't a very long

period, especially with Isocort as part of the plan which isn't strong

enough for most of us. You have only been on HC 3 months. As said,

many people take 2 years.

Can you post your original labs (the baseline ones?). That will help us

determine what stage you are at and how effective your treatment is.

The overdose of thyroid meds can certainly have made you worse...which

again, means more HC is needed. You really need to graph your temps via

www.drrind.com.

All your symptoms scream too low of cortisol.

I think you are undertreated. Your doc is giving bad advice. Please post

your old labs as well as exactly what your HC and Isocort treatment is again

(the amount of doses and the times you take them).

Thanks,

Cheri

-----Original Message-----

Thanks, Cheri. I do agree that my doctor is full of it and is really

messing me up. I did have a baseline done before going on HC and I

was below the range on everything. So, I've been on HC and Isocort

for over 8 months now plus taking a ton of other adrenal support

stuff. I have been working so hard to take care of them. Is it

possible that they can still be low after all I've done? That's why

my doc thought I was now high in cortisol and says that I should have

only been on HC for 3 months. I've only cut back the Isocort by 7.5

and I do feel bad. Why would my adrenals still be messed up? Maybe

because of the over dose of thyroid meds 4 months ago? Does the

decrease in thyroid meds effect the adrenals just like the increases?

I'm so discouraged now and afraid to go back to a doctor.

.

[Guest guest]

In december 2006 my cortisol was:

5.1 (7-10)

3.0 (3-6)

1.5 (2-4)

1.0 (<1.5)

I started 9 pellets of Isocort April 2007. Interestingly enough I

just found another test I had done in May while on this level of

Isocort. It was:

16 (13-24)

9 (5-10)

3 (3-8)

6 (1-4)

I was still having lots of symptoms and added the HC in June 2007. I

had been on 20mg HC and 5 Isocort until about 2 weeks ago when she

had me reduce to 2 Isocort and keeping HC at 20. I felt good on the

original dose, but because of the swelling, puffiness, hot flashes,

and anxiousness she said it was too much cortisol. Plus my thyroid

labs showed hyper so they weren't hypo symptoms according to her.I

now take 10mg HC with 2 Isocort in am and then 10mg at noon. I use

to also take 1 Isocort before bed and she had me cut that out.

Thanks again!

[Guest guest]

In december 2006 my cortisol was:

5.1 (7-10)

3.0 (3-6)

1.5 (2-4)

1.0 (<1.5)

I started 9 pellets of Isocort April 2007. Interestingly enough I

just found another test I had done in May while on this level of

Isocort. It was:

16 (13-24)

9 (5-10)

3 (3-8)

6 (1-4)

I was still having lots of symptoms and added the HC in June 2007. I

had been on 20mg HC and 5 Isocort until about 2 weeks ago when she

had me reduce to 2 Isocort and keeping HC at 20. I felt good on the

original dose, but because of the swelling, puffiness, hot flashes,

and anxiousness she said it was too much cortisol. Plus my thyroid

labs showed hyper so they weren't hypo symptoms according to her.I

now take 10mg HC with 2 Isocort in am and then 10mg at noon. I use

to also take 1 Isocort before bed and she had me cut that out.

Thanks again!

[Guest guest]

OK...so if I understand it correctly from what you and are

saying...there really isn't much value in even taking the isocort if I

am already taking HC. I should just stick to the HC and forget the

isocort??

>

> Yes, she is counting right, however, 5 mg of HC is stronger than 5 mg

of

> Isocort so keep that in mind. If you do a combo you might be more like

27.5

> mg of cortisol when you are taking 32.5 mg combo.

>

> I was on 35 mg Isocort and still no where near enough. When I went to

25 mg

> HC cream I was getting better results than 35 mg Isocort. on 35 mg of

HC

> cream compared to 35 mg of Isocort there was a HUGE difference.

>

> Cheri

>

[Guest guest]

OK...so if I understand it correctly from what you and are

saying...there really isn't much value in even taking the isocort if I

am already taking HC. I should just stick to the HC and forget the

isocort??

>

> Yes, she is counting right, however, 5 mg of HC is stronger than 5 mg

of

> Isocort so keep that in mind. If you do a combo you might be more like

27.5

> mg of cortisol when you are taking 32.5 mg combo.

>

> I was on 35 mg Isocort and still no where near enough. When I went to

25 mg

> HC cream I was getting better results than 35 mg Isocort. on 35 mg of

HC

> cream compared to 35 mg of Isocort there was a HUGE difference.

>

> Cheri

>

[Guest guest]

>>OK...so if I understand it correctly from what you and are

saying...there really isn't much value in even taking the isocort if I

am already taking HC. I should just stick to the HC and forget the

isocort??<<

I would.

--

Artistic Grooming- Hurricane WV

http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/NaturalThyroidHormonesADRENALS/

[Guest guest]

>>OK...so if I understand it correctly from what you and are

saying...there really isn't much value in even taking the isocort if I

am already taking HC. I should just stick to the HC and forget the

isocort??<<

I would.

--

Artistic Grooming- Hurricane WV

http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/NaturalThyroidHormonesADRENALS/