nice dr turned horrible

[mandy72]

went to dr last week after waiting 6 weeks to see him, mentioned pain in thyroid area so he had a feel no swelling

asked about adrenal fatigue and he suggested a cortisol test so i told him i had one and spoke to dr chandy and he suggested low dose HC

dr refused to admit i had adrenal problem as im producing cortisol so hes put for electrolites to be tested

its like if im feeling well hes happy to bend over backwards for me

if im feeling crap he dont want to know

ive started taking adrenal cortex but getting headaches but i allso started using e cig again at the same time so not sure whats causing it

on a good note im down to one cig a day

trying to find funds for saliva test as i really do need this sorting

[Clutter]

Mandy72, sorry you're not feeling too great. Re cortisol, NHS doesn't seem to consider anything between Addison's or Cushing's can be a problem.

Congrats on cutting down ciggies to one. I quite smoking in 2006 or 2007 but I'd be lost without my ecig.

[mandy72 in reply to Clutter]

thank clutter

its a struggle and im chain vaping at moment but ill get there in the end, luckily ive found a cheap supplier online so its not costing an arm and a leg

i dont know what im going to do other than pay out for saliva test and hope dr will treat if theres a problem

[Heloise]

Mandy, why don't you call Dr. Chandy's office and ask him to let this doctor know why he suggested cortisol for you. If you need cortisol I'm not sure you should be taking adrenal cortex. If you try to push your adrenals, they will only try to push back your thyroid. I've been posting this video which many are finding very useful.

youtube.com/watch?v=T_Re4ja...(Not working as expected?)

[mandy72 in reply to Heloise]

i spoke with DR Chandy about a year ago, i suggested treatment twice too two different drs and said it was suggested by dr chandy and refused both times, he didnt even suggest a big dose 5mg split into 4 doses of HC

i have been tempted to buy and treat myself but too dam scared

[Heloise in reply to mandy72]

Mandy, I tried looking at your past posts and I see you've been on thyroxine and then NDT. Did you see Dr. Chandy before you began the NDT? I've read too many conflicting theories about cortisol. Some believe in slow, low dose and others the opposite. It depends on whether you want to assist and rest adrenals by using cortisol or if you want to push the adrenals with what you're taking and also licorice root and siberian ginseng.

Many people here are self medicating with thyroid but I don't read (and I've read hundreds) posts about cortisol. There may be a different community for it. If there is I would consider checking it out and going with it. The doctors in your country are impossible.

[mandy72 in reply to Heloise]

i was on thyroxine when dr chandy called me

plasma cortisol level 242 nmol/l (138 - 690)

i started NDT october/november last year

i need to kick start adrenals as no energy at all even after a full nights sleep

gaining lots of weight and no energy to do anything about it

im just at a loss as to what to do

[Heloise in reply to mandy72]

You need lots of rest with adrenals. Vitamin C and magnesium glycinate are two supplements that are very good even in high doses. I've been posting this video which helps to understand the relationship between adrenals and thyroid.

youtube.com/watch?v=T_Re4ja...(Not working as expected?)

[sulamaye in reply to Heloise]

That's very interesting but a) I wish it was as simple as eating organic, reducing stress and drinking good water I'd have recovered from m.e by now and b) he doesn't address what happens when you go beyond this into adrenal insufficiency and how actually having too little cortisol also impedes thyroid take up in the body. Which is where I am at.

[Heloise in reply to sulamaye]

Hi sula, yeah, I don't think any of the above are all that simple these days. Halides in our water, lack of nutrients in our food and pesticides everywhere.

The HPA axis is something I don't know a lot about and it has to do with the stress response (cortisol). integrativepro.com/Resource...

He has many more videos I've been watching and it does take more than 45 minutes to explain all of these functions. I think it is a series of six on thyroid.

I remember you but not your situation. Were you recently diagnosed? Have you tried hydrocortisone?

[sulamaye in reply to Heloise]

No hypo for twenty years but M.E wall got hit four years ago. Now live in remote, rural setting in wales where the water is gorgeous and I am half way up a mountain and have very clean air, etc as evidence by the lichen which my nine year old tells me demonstrates lack of pollution! Yes I'm on hydrocortisone but have to take a lot to make a difference and still house/bed bound to manage. Something else is blocking recovery I think, but I'm perservering. I liked the video really interesting overview, if you find one where he talks about when the body stops out putting cortisol, or in my case makes it but for some unknown reason can't access it I'd be really interested.

[Heloise in reply to sulamaye]

Hi Sula, That sounds stunning and I didn't know that about lichen. I live in the Adirondack Mountains of NY and a city, Saratoga Springs, is known for its pure water so I feel fortunate.

I am going to watch all of his videos because I'm sure in many ways he is on the right track. Did you notice that he spoke about Dr. Peat and called him a genius regarding the thyroid. Did you ever see him but I presume he is in England. thyroid-info.com/articles/r...

The articles I have read about cortisol have differing opinions. I think "old school" is to take low doses. Others say there is no worry about shutting down your own supply as is thought when taking cortisone as it is different from hydrocortisone.

I've read that cortisol can block T3 receptors and also that cortisol receptors can be blocked. Since you are taking it, perhaps that is your problem. What is your dose and for how long. I will indeed let you know when I find his video about that but it may take a while since they are each 45 mins. long.

Here are other articles I have bookmarked because I think they are worthy but not sure exactly if they talk about what you are seeking. If you would rather p.m., it will keep personal matters off the internet. You should not be feeling this badly.

Perhaps I will finish by PM as well.

[Spanglysplash]

The NHS can do a 24hr urine cortisol test, a DHEAS blood test and a aldesterone and renin ratio blood test. My GP has ordered these after i showed him my 24hr adrenal stress saliva test which showed very low cortisol and very low DHEA. I'm still waiting on the results and I don't know if they'll treat but at least it will give me some answers.

The DHEAS is a particularly good reflection of adrenal function apparently.

[mandy72 in reply to Spanglysplash]

i can ask but stand more chances of getting blood out of a stone

i just dont know what to do

[sulamaye in reply to Spanglysplash]

You may still be disappointed, my saliva stress had cortisol below range on every sample, on the floor, but blood cortisol was just over at 709 so obviously body not accessing what body is making hence descrepency as saliva tests what ur actually getting. However no nhs Dr will accept the saliva test. My endo said ' that's not how we test cortisol' let us know how you get on.

[mandy72 in reply to sulamaye]

dont know what to do now, i cant afford to get a test and not get the treatment

[sulamaye in reply to mandy72]

id you can't afford the test you also will not be able to afford the hydrocortisone you may need if the test shows you do! Are you sure you can't afford it? My partner and child live off £14,000 a year and yet I manage to scrape test and about £50 a month for T3, HC and NDT not to mention minerals out of our budget. But then I am bed/housebound and have no other life to spend any money on, although it is getting close to a choice between my meds and my nine year old's shoes - so I'm not saying it's not hard.

[mandy72 in reply to sulamaye]

what im saying is i cant afford to put money into a test to not get treatment if i need it, id rather just put the money into HC and self medicate (not that im going too) id rather put the money else where

[sulamaye in reply to mandy72]

I understand you, but cortisol is a tricky one I thought mine was better after being in bed and avoiding stress for 4 years but it was even worse! But my symptoms were easier because the adrenalin had given up which made life more comfortable. And sometimes you can think its low but its high because the symptoms are the same. Its complicated.

[Spanglysplash]

My doctor said I was free to write any tests I felt I needed from my research on the blood test form. Possibly try that? I downloaded the phlebotomy report for my area from the Internet to get any codes, but generally you don't even need those.