Cortisol Test? - Autoimmune Thyroiditis

[Jefner]

I am so desperate for answers as to why I can't seem to shift this severe anxiety, palpitations and fatigue since my Levo was tweaked.

Yes I have a long history of these anxiety and panic problems which reared up as far back when I was a child because I developed a phobia of being sick, or anyone feeling sick next to me. Since my sister was always throwing up, I used to fly into a panic attack and I remember mum dragging me out of my bed (hidden under covers) into her bedroom to sleep. At 53 I still have the problem with the nausea being one of the main symptoms I get when my anxiety comes on. Have had pretty much every blood test done under the sun in the last month which have ALL come back clear/normal and no infections from a urine, I am still at a loss as to why my anxiety is so fierce and whatever I try I can't get rid of it. I have been on Seroxat for 15yrs and it was the ONLY thing that suppressed my symptoms and I had been doing well on it until late autumn when all my symptoms came back. Seroxat is Paroxetine but I have the Seroxat brand as the generic paroxetine didn't work for me. I have noticed that Seroxat have changed the packaging in which the tablets are sealed in, inside the box and I am wondering whether they might have also "tweaked" the meds themselves, so I have taken it upon myself to email the makers SmithKline and ask.

I am just so desperate to get myself back where I was I will try anything and everything now.

I mentioned adrenals to my doc yesterday. As my lab bloods came back normal for everything including liver, kidney function blah blah blah, would I be wasting my money if I had a saliva cortisol test done.

Have been reading up a little on Cortisol symptoms and I seem to have several of them (below) and also relevant to autoimmune problems? Would a cortisol test also pick up possible Adrenal Fatigue?

dizziness

Weakness and fatigue

Heart palpitations

Emotional hypersensitivity

Inability to cope with stress

Social anxiety

Muscle weakness

dull lower back pain (little)

Nausea,

Anxiety and jitters

Clumsiness and confusion

trembling or shaking

dry mouth

restlessness

a sense of dread

feeling constantly "on edge"

difficulty concentrating

Problem is all the above are also symptoms of Anxiety Disorder!!!!

[Jose651]

Hi Jefner,

Some of your symptoms point to low B12. I know you stopped supplementing.

I wouldn't have. We need to give things a fair trial to see if they are beneficial in the long run.

Take care my dear

👍

[Jefner in reply to Jose651]

my latest B12 test last week came out above range 803 (191-663). Previous test was in the 3's somewhere. I was only on them a short time because I felt I have had side effects from such a high dose

[humanbean in reply to Jefner]

If you had side effects it is likely that you need a lot more of it. Have you ever heard of the "methylation cycle"?

drmyhill.co.uk/wiki/CFS_-_T...

I started taking high dose methylcobalamin and a B Complex which contained methylfolate last year. I developed quite a few side effects - eczema, mouth ulcers, spots - which appeared and disappeared over a couple of months. By the time the side effects had all disappeared I felt far better than I did before I had started the B12 etc. It was worth suffering for a while for the pronounced improvement I got at the end.

Then, stupidly, I ran out of my supplements and didn't replace them for quite a long time. I finally replaced them just before Christmas, and I'm going through the side effects again now, although they aren't anywhere near as severe as they were the first time around.

I haven't tried all of Dr Myhill's protocol, but I intend to add some of her suggestions for a trial sometime soon.

[humanbean in reply to Jefner]

I forgot to mention - I have only ever had one result for serum B12 which was within the reference range. All the others have been high. But I had loads of symptoms suggesting I suffered B12 deficiency, so I wondered what would happen if I supplemented. It helped reduce my symptoms a lot. However, my serum B12 has now been >2000 ever since. I have not found any drawbacks in having a high B12 and I intend to keep it high because I feel so much better like that.

[Jefner in reply to humanbean]

So difficult isn't it tweaking everything, it's all trial and error when flippin symptoms appear. I am going to pay for another Blue Horizon test again soon just to check my B12 levels against their labs again. As I said in previous posts, until my thyroid fluctuated in the autumn when I was having slightly too much Levo, I don't seem to be able to get back to where I was, never really had any major thyroid symptoms since I had been on the 150mcg for nearly 10yrs. As my levels confirmed I was above range at the hospital lab, going to leave B12 aside for the moment because I think I might have another avenue to try regarding my Seroxat and push for a response from the makers, because as I said in my initial post, when the pharmacist gave me standard paroxetine (generic one) in the early days of my taking it, I found my symptoms came back ie. panic/anxiety/palpitations. As soon as I went back on the branded paroxetine (Seroxat), I was OK. I am wondering, with the change of packaging, whether they have also messed about with the makeup of the tablet. I still have a few in the old packaging which I am going to take and then try a couple in the new packaging and see what happens. Yesterday and today I have taken from the old packaging and for whatever reason the anxiety has lifted. Wouldn't put it passed these big manufacturers to start cutting costs and use cheap ingredients.

I might be on the wrong track but it's the same with some thyroid suffers who can't tolerate certain brands.

[Jose651]

Did you ever get checked for Coeliac or parasites? You mentioned in a previous post that you were thinking about it.

A blood test can show if you are likely to be Coeliac and there is a breath test for Helicobacter.

[Jefner in reply to Jose651]

I have always been able to eat what I want Jose with no tummy problems. Nervous tummy only started when the anxiety did. Think my doc has run out of ideas and finally referred me to an Endo

[Jose651]

Same here, I had a great love for food, buying it, cooking it and especially eating it. I had Helicobacter 2 years ago. The triple therapy didn't eradicate it.

When I was getting the endoscopy to check for Coeliac (a few months ago) I asked the gastroenterologist would he also check for H pylori.

It was positive.

They prescribed the same 2 antibiotics that failed to eradicate it the 1st time. There is just no reasoning to that. I won't take them and have just ordered Mastic Gum, Oregano oil and Manuka honey.

I intend to take that for 3/4 weeks and buy a breath test in the pharmacy -£20-

To test myself a few months after that.

I have no appetite whatsoever, although I think I'm hungry, I can't eat.

Stress can also do untold damage Jefner.

[Jefner in reply to Jose651]

I know hon, I have been stressed most of my life but my Seroxat was a life saver for me

[birkie]

Hi jefner

Like you I have been struggling with an array of symptoms including heart palpitations that scare me to death,fatique way more than I normally am as I have M/E and fibro/I have been diagnosed with hyperthyroidism three times since 2004 but not been given any medication as after six weeks my bloods came back normal even tho I was still showing symptoms,, I have struggled on for years seeing several endos...I saw one at my local hospital who sugessted I might have thiyrosits which in its self is an autoimmune illness when I mentioned this to my doc he dismissed it as my bloods were normal for thyroid/ autoimmune antibodies,,,again I went away feeling as if I was not being taken seriously, I was in huge muscle pain/total fatique/sweating profusely when using my muscles ect.

Just recently I was admitted to hospital begging with my doc who refused to add it me another doc did add it me I had H piylor/ colitis,,I was very I'll and spent eight days in hospilal but their was one thing I did get out of it all..when I had my follow up appointment with my consultant for a colonoscopy I'm having done on the 20 the Jan I asked him about all my symptoms NOT the ones relating to my gastrointestinal problems... he said I was prob right about autoimune illness and to my surprise he told me on my admittance to hospital my blood work showed a really high white cell count..my body could have been attacking its self ..I told him that at times I have flare ups where I find it hard to swollow and feel like I have a large nut in my throat,,he said that could be my thyroid being attacked by my own body's immune system!!!! Its gone on long enough now for the past 2 and a half years I have had no life..just because a blood test comes back normal docs dismiss you but your still having the horrid symptoms,,why don't they just listern to their pacients,look at them examin them,,when I became I'll in Nov only one doctor out of the four I saw examined me no doctor took my blood pressure or took my temperature how can any doctor diagnose you without examining you and checking your stats...BAD ONES!!!!

I have decided I'm not letting the away with this incompitence anymore..you must be firm with them...jefner

Birkie