Re: hydrocortisone query - short term use

[Guest guest]

Thanks Tish. I haven;t started on any thyroid hormone yet, just the adrenal

glandulars and am thinking of starting Armour when I see some improvement with

the adrenals.

Question is this: if I take the h/c will this deplete my thyroid further,

even though IU have been on the glandulars at the higher dose for about ten days

now?

Ta.

Mo

[Guest guest]

Thanks Tish. I haven;t started on any thyroid hormone yet, just the adrenal

glandulars and am thinking of starting Armour when I see some improvement with

the adrenals.

Question is this: if I take the h/c will this deplete my thyroid further,

even though IU have been on the glandulars at the higher dose for about ten days

now?

Ta.

Mo

[Guest guest]

Thanks Tish. I haven;t started on any thyroid hormone yet, just the adrenal

glandulars and am thinking of starting Armour when I see some improvement with

the adrenals.

Question is this: if I take the h/c will this deplete my thyroid further,

even though IU have been on the glandulars at the higher dose for about ten days

now?

Ta.

Mo

[Guest guest]

Short term use of cortisone when you know you have weak adrenal

function is probably a really good idea. If you don't use it, you

may become sick while on your trip. This you don't want. When you

have stress and not enough adrenal function to deal with it, your

immune system becomes compormised. You can really crash and pick up

any virus or bacterial infection that is out there if you allow

yourself to be pushed past your limit of tolerance.

Typically s patients dose extra for stress. You can take

extra cortisone for up to two weeks and still be able to get off

when you get back home. One way to do this is, if you know you are

going to be doing something stressfull or have to walk a long

distance, take an extra cortisone just before you go. Pay attention

to how you feel while you are doing whatever it is and if you start

to feel bad, take another cortisone. Just try to dose the extra you

need for the particular stress or activity. I get hypoglycemia, and

tight back and neck muscles when my cortisone goes too low. I can

usually tell when I need a pill. It's really a guesing game figuring

out how much you need for a particular activity. You can also take

up to 30mg of cortisone a day temporarily for up to a week, maybe

more. Every person is different as to the point that causes

dependence. I used to need 7 mg of cortisone or 3 IsoCorts for a

walk of about a mile. My former doctor used 10 mg just before going

to the gym. Every person is different and you will have to figure

out how much each stress requires.

Tish

[Guest guest]

Cortisone has a very short life in the system. Any dose you take

will be gone within about 4 hours. There is no need to start early.

It does not build up. The body uses it quickly. Cortisone increases

the amount of thyroid used. So, if your thyroid dose is currently

not optimized, or basically less than about 3 grains, too much

cortisone will deplete thyroid hormone that your thyroid cannot

replace easily. This can make you feel bad. When it comes to thyroid

and cortisone, the two need to be in balance. Use cortisone only as

needed, no more or it could work against you. It takes about 20

minutes after taking an adrenal pill for it to be fully taken up,

then the body uses it up rather quickly, within 4 hours.

Tish

[Guest guest]

Cortisone has a very short life in the system. Any dose you take

will be gone within about 4 hours. There is no need to start early.

It does not build up. The body uses it quickly. Cortisone increases

the amount of thyroid used. So, if your thyroid dose is currently

not optimized, or basically less than about 3 grains, too much

cortisone will deplete thyroid hormone that your thyroid cannot

replace easily. This can make you feel bad. When it comes to thyroid

and cortisone, the two need to be in balance. Use cortisone only as

needed, no more or it could work against you. It takes about 20

minutes after taking an adrenal pill for it to be fully taken up,

then the body uses it up rather quickly, within 4 hours.

Tish

[Guest guest]

Cortisone has a very short life in the system. Any dose you take

will be gone within about 4 hours. There is no need to start early.

It does not build up. The body uses it quickly. Cortisone increases

the amount of thyroid used. So, if your thyroid dose is currently

not optimized, or basically less than about 3 grains, too much

cortisone will deplete thyroid hormone that your thyroid cannot

replace easily. This can make you feel bad. When it comes to thyroid

and cortisone, the two need to be in balance. Use cortisone only as

needed, no more or it could work against you. It takes about 20

minutes after taking an adrenal pill for it to be fully taken up,

then the body uses it up rather quickly, within 4 hours.

Tish

[Guest guest]

Dear Mo,

Yes, taking cortisone will deplete thyroid if you have a failing

thryoid gland. If your hypothyroidism is caused by conversion

problems or by other problems in the blood and how you use thyroid,

it may not. But, I had a bad experience taking cortisone this way. I

was hypothyroid and undiagnosed and was trying everything I could

think of to feel better. I took an adrenal glandular for a while. It

made me feel good for bout 3 days for the first time in a long time.

Then after about a week of that, I crashed, got a terrible headache

that would not go away, just basically lost energy big time, and I

felt awful. I had to quit them. I have primary hypothyroidism, so I

had depleted my already low thyroid levels even lower with the

cortisone. So, yes cortisone alone will make hypothyroidism much

worse if the thyroid is impaired and cannot increase output to match

increased cortisone levels. Cortisone increases the conversion of T4

to T3 and causes the body to use up thyroid. Cortisone and thyroid

must be in balance. Either one gets low with respect to the other

and you will feel bad.

Tish

[Guest guest]

Dear Mo,

Yes, taking cortisone will deplete thyroid if you have a failing

thryoid gland. If your hypothyroidism is caused by conversion

problems or by other problems in the blood and how you use thyroid,

it may not. But, I had a bad experience taking cortisone this way. I

was hypothyroid and undiagnosed and was trying everything I could

think of to feel better. I took an adrenal glandular for a while. It

made me feel good for bout 3 days for the first time in a long time.

Then after about a week of that, I crashed, got a terrible headache

that would not go away, just basically lost energy big time, and I

felt awful. I had to quit them. I have primary hypothyroidism, so I

had depleted my already low thyroid levels even lower with the

cortisone. So, yes cortisone alone will make hypothyroidism much

worse if the thyroid is impaired and cannot increase output to match

increased cortisone levels. Cortisone increases the conversion of T4

to T3 and causes the body to use up thyroid. Cortisone and thyroid

must be in balance. Either one gets low with respect to the other

and you will feel bad.

Tish

[Guest guest]

Yes, at first the thyroid glandular felt great and then the awful

headache came to stay. I got off the glandular got more tests and

started the hydrocortisone cream (about a week)until I got the

isocort,last week. Now I've been on teeeeny baby doses of both and

the headache is back.

This was a stressful day (aren't they all?) Can it be that the 1/4gr

+ 1/4gr Armour can be stepped up another 1/4gr per day? (total 3/4

gr/day) do you think? I know I'm in rocky shape (can't think at the

moment) but should I wait another 10 days to go up? or can I add

1/4gr now?

Thanks for ideas!

....

(Thyro-beginner-Scout reporting from M+D's w/DD)

>>I took an adrenal glandular for a while. It

>made me feel good for bout 3 days for the first time in a long time.

>Then after about a week of that, I crashed, got a terrible headache

>that would not go away, just basically lost energy big time, and I

>felt awful. I had to quit them. I have primary hypothyroidism, so I

>had depleted my already low thyroid levels even lower with the

>cortisone. So, yes cortisone alone will make hypothyroidism much

>worse if the thyroid is impaired and cannot increase output to match

>increased cortisone levels. Cortisone increases the conversion of T4

>to T3 and causes the body to use up thyroid. Cortisone and thyroid

>must be in balance. Either one gets low with respect to the other

>and you will feel bad.

>Tish

[Guest guest]

Yes, at first the thyroid glandular felt great and then the awful

headache came to stay. I got off the glandular got more tests and

started the hydrocortisone cream (about a week)until I got the

isocort,last week. Now I've been on teeeeny baby doses of both and

the headache is back.

This was a stressful day (aren't they all?) Can it be that the 1/4gr

+ 1/4gr Armour can be stepped up another 1/4gr per day? (total 3/4

gr/day) do you think? I know I'm in rocky shape (can't think at the

moment) but should I wait another 10 days to go up? or can I add

1/4gr now?

Thanks for ideas!

....

(Thyro-beginner-Scout reporting from M+D's w/DD)

>>I took an adrenal glandular for a while. It

>made me feel good for bout 3 days for the first time in a long time.

>Then after about a week of that, I crashed, got a terrible headache

>that would not go away, just basically lost energy big time, and I

>felt awful. I had to quit them. I have primary hypothyroidism, so I

>had depleted my already low thyroid levels even lower with the

>cortisone. So, yes cortisone alone will make hypothyroidism much

>worse if the thyroid is impaired and cannot increase output to match

>increased cortisone levels. Cortisone increases the conversion of T4

>to T3 and causes the body to use up thyroid. Cortisone and thyroid

>must be in balance. Either one gets low with respect to the other

>and you will feel bad.

>Tish

[Guest guest]

Yes, at first the thyroid glandular felt great and then the awful

headache came to stay. I got off the glandular got more tests and

started the hydrocortisone cream (about a week)until I got the

isocort,last week. Now I've been on teeeeny baby doses of both and

the headache is back.

This was a stressful day (aren't they all?) Can it be that the 1/4gr

+ 1/4gr Armour can be stepped up another 1/4gr per day? (total 3/4

gr/day) do you think? I know I'm in rocky shape (can't think at the

moment) but should I wait another 10 days to go up? or can I add

1/4gr now?

Thanks for ideas!

....

(Thyro-beginner-Scout reporting from M+D's w/DD)

>>I took an adrenal glandular for a while. It

>made me feel good for bout 3 days for the first time in a long time.

>Then after about a week of that, I crashed, got a terrible headache

>that would not go away, just basically lost energy big time, and I

>felt awful. I had to quit them. I have primary hypothyroidism, so I

>had depleted my already low thyroid levels even lower with the

>cortisone. So, yes cortisone alone will make hypothyroidism much

>worse if the thyroid is impaired and cannot increase output to match

>increased cortisone levels. Cortisone increases the conversion of T4

>to T3 and causes the body to use up thyroid. Cortisone and thyroid

>must be in balance. Either one gets low with respect to the other

>and you will feel bad.

>Tish

[Guest guest]

First determine (if possible) if the headaches are due to any of your hormones..

they MAY not be! Has the weather changes recently like it has here, maybe it is

sinus headache. If you DO finally come to the conclusion it is the thyroid

causing the headaches, back down 15 MG and hold for a week to see if that helps,

then slowly edge back up. I would think some folks with slightly-to more

weakened adrenals might get a tension headache when the T3 first starts kicking

in.

*Artistic Grooming * Hurricane, WV

Old aunts used to come up to me at weddings, poking me in the ribs and

cackling, telling me, " You're next. " They stopped after I started doing the

same thing to them at funerals

[Guest guest]

IsoCort increases the use of thyroid hormone. so, if you are not

optimized on your thyroid, IsoCort can lower blood levels of

thyroid. This in itself can be an adrenal stressor. IsoCort use for

more than 3 or 4 weeks, seems to heighten this roaming thing you

mentioned with thyroid. My experieince with long term IsoCort use

has lead me to think that it flattens the brain's response to mild

stressors and increases or decreases in thyroid in the blood. In

this way, it seems to make you more susceptible to crashes on either

side of the perfect amount of thyroid for the amount of cortiosne in

the blood. Basically, IsoCort limits you in your capacity for stress

and things that are less than perfectly in balance. I found this out

by beginning to work myslef off IsoCort and finding that I amazingly

could do much more and tolerate more variation in dosing and other

things without crashing.

So, IsoCort helps when you need it, but comes at a price of being

more limited and having to have things just right.

Tish

[Guest guest]

IsoCort increases the use of thyroid hormone. so, if you are not

optimized on your thyroid, IsoCort can lower blood levels of

thyroid. This in itself can be an adrenal stressor. IsoCort use for

more than 3 or 4 weeks, seems to heighten this roaming thing you

mentioned with thyroid. My experieince with long term IsoCort use

has lead me to think that it flattens the brain's response to mild

stressors and increases or decreases in thyroid in the blood. In

this way, it seems to make you more susceptible to crashes on either

side of the perfect amount of thyroid for the amount of cortiosne in

the blood. Basically, IsoCort limits you in your capacity for stress

and things that are less than perfectly in balance. I found this out

by beginning to work myslef off IsoCort and finding that I amazingly

could do much more and tolerate more variation in dosing and other

things without crashing.

So, IsoCort helps when you need it, but comes at a price of being

more limited and having to have things just right.

Tish

[Guest guest]

Tish - I assume this applies to the nutri-meds adrenals also. What

I'm wondering is how do you know when it's ok to start working

yourself off of the support? I don't want to be taking it forever,

but I also don't want to crash because I tried to get off of it too

soon? Is there any kind of signs that it's ok to try?

I've worked my way up to 3 1/2 grains armour for about a month now,

but feel I need to raise a little more. I've also had the stress of

my hubby's accident so now might not be the best time to wean off the

adrenal?

For 2 weeks after increasing to 3 1/2 grains, my temps were 97.6-97.8.

After his accident, they've never been above 97.4 (today was 96.8).

So is this drop in temps a indication of just adrenal stress or a sign

of needing to increase thryoid too?

Turned into more questions than just the first one! Thanks!

Debbie

>

> IsoCort increases the use of thyroid hormone. so, if you are not

> optimized on your thyroid, IsoCort can lower blood levels of

> thyroid. This in itself can be an adrenal stressor. IsoCort use for

> more than 3 or 4 weeks, seems to heighten this roaming thing you

> mentioned with thyroid. My experieince with long term IsoCort use

> has lead me to think that it flattens the brain's response to mild

> stressors and increases or decreases in thyroid in the blood. In

> this way, it seems to make you more susceptible to crashes on either

> side of the perfect amount of thyroid for the amount of cortiosne in

> the blood. Basically, IsoCort limits you in your capacity for stress

> and things that are less than perfectly in balance. I found this out

> by beginning to work myslef off IsoCort and finding that I amazingly

> could do much more and tolerate more variation in dosing and other

> things without crashing.

>

> So, IsoCort helps when you need it, but comes at a price of being

> more limited and having to have things just right.

>

> Tish