Genova adrenal stress saliva test and Urine Thyroid Hormones T3/T4 - advice

[tinkerbell22]

Hi everyone, I had my appointment with Dr Peatfield yesteday (hurray!) And he has guided me to book a couple of Genova tests:

Adrenal Stress Profile saliva test

Urine Thyroid Hormones T3/T4

I was just wondering if anyone has and advice on these

[humanbean]

There are various common supplements and drugs which affect cortisol and therefore affect the result of the adrenal stress profile. If at all possible people should come off them for two weeks before doing the test. However, that isn't always possible, and in some cases this could be dangerous. See the following two links for more info :

stopthethyroidmadness.com/s...

rt3-adrenals.org/does_it_af...

[tinkerbell22 in reply to humanbean]

Hmm I am taking beta blocker for propranolol at the moment for anxiety as all this digging into the cause of my problems has been filling me with anxiety and making my mind work overtime while I'm too exhausted for it to!

I'd be concerned about stopping propranolol even for 24 hrs. What do you think I should do?

[humanbean in reply to tinkerbell22]

I would suggest doing some research to find out whether propranolol has the effect of raising or lowering cortisol (those links I gave aren't specific).

Stay on the propranolol as usual while doing the test, but just accept that the result won't be 100% accurate.

I take 5-HTP which raises cortisol. But nothing would induce me to stop taking it for 2 weeks just for a test. I just accept that my results will be a bit higher than they might be if I wasn't on 5-HTP, and I just have to live with that.

[tinkerbell22 in reply to humanbean]

Thank you, that's very helpful. I will also let Dr Peatfield know, and see what he thinks

[humanbean]

Regarding the Urine Thyroid test I think, but am not sure, that it is essential to continue taking meds as normal throughout the time that urine is being collected for the test. Make sure that you only take 24 hours worth of meds while doing the urine collection. Don't double count any doses.

[tinkerbell22 in reply to humanbean]

Thank you for both your replies yes I'd seen mention of the importance of timing it exactly to 24 hours, thanks!

[tinkerbell22]

Thank you for this

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

tinkerbell22 I've done the urine thyroid test three times now and timing is very important, and as HumanBean says you must make sure you only take 24 hours' worth of thyroid meds during the test (assuming you take any). So if you take, say, 100mcg Levo daily at 7am, then take it the day you start the collection but delay the next day's Levo until you've finished collecting urine.

You need to make sure you start the test with an empty bladder so say you get up at exactly 8am Sunday (change time to suit your own routine) then go to the loo but do not collect that urination. The instructions say to discard it, but just don't collect it.

Collect every urination after that, all through the day and the night until the next morning and collect the last urination at exactly 8am Monday. Even if you went to the loo at 7.30, go again at 8am and squeeze out every last drop.

[tinkerbell22 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thank you that's really helpful

I'm not on any thyroid meds as yet. But I do take propranolol for anxiety...

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to tinkerbell22]

I think there's space for you to list any medication you take so you could mention it.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

You should not stop propranolol suddenly. You have to reduce dose down very, very gradually. So it is not realistic to try to stop it for the test. (I was on propranolol for over 17 years - more on my profile)

It certainly blocks adrenaline, and therefore I assume usually lowers cortisol. Unless you are at stage of adrenal exhaustion with very low cortisol levels, in which case it gives adrenals chance to rest & recover, slowly improving cortisol levels & reserve.

[tinkerbell22 in reply to SlowDragon]

Ohhh that's very interesting. I feel it helps me stop reacting to my stress head as much, so I get more chance to physically recover, and this matches what you've said. I am in Such an exhausted state, and its been creeping up over a Very long time, perhaps 30 years! The last 4 years have been a real struggle.

I only just started taking propranolol about 2 weeks ago at most. Before that I was taking valium but didn't want to risk intolerance to it so sought out another solution. I am careful about not getting addicted either with valium.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to tinkerbell22]

I was finally able to stop taking it, after going gluten free. I had tried a few times before to reduce, slowly over many weeks. Max reduction I found I could deal with was 5mg. Waiting approx 2/3 weeks at that dose, before dropping further.

But gluten was the key to being able finally get off it completely.

[tinkerbell22 in reply to SlowDragon]

Oh wow that's interesting. Thanks for that! My stepdad has been on propranolol for years too and says the same, that he just can't stop thatlast dose...

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to tinkerbell22]

The last bit (before I gave up gluten) I was dropping by just 2.5mg and once a week with none, then slowly increased to alternate days with none etc. I.e. Very very slowly.

[tinkerbell22]

Just thought, should I fast before either of these tests begin? And should I do the adrenal saliva test at a partiular time of day?

Thank you

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to tinkerbell22]

No fasting required, just follow the instructions.

For the adrenal test, the instructions can be found here

gdx.net/product/adrenocorte...

Scroll right down to Adrenocortex Stress Profile where underneath it says Order Now. Just below is Additional Resources and click on Kit Instructions and there are two choices, click on Adreno Instructions when a PDF will download. You will see that you are required to give four saliva samples and the timing is explained.

You will receive everything you need, including the instructions, in your kit. Ditto for the urine test.

[humanbean in reply to SeasideSusie]

Hi SeasideSusie ,

I don't know if it makes the slightest bit of difference but the adrenocortex stress profile is from the US Genova website.

The UK version is called the Adrenal Stress Profile.

gdx.net/uk/product/adrenal-...

I've never compared them so don't know if the instructions are different in any way.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to humanbean]

HB, I tried to get the UK site but it kept taking me to the US one, not quite sure why. I looked at the instructions and they are the same so to save my sanity I linked to that 😂. Looks like they've updated their website since I was last on it, I do wish they wouldn't mess with things, it confuses old fogies like me 😂

[humanbean in reply to SeasideSusie]

I've had that problem before. I used to have no problems getting to the UK site but in recent months it has become unavailable on occasion. Dunno why.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to humanbean]

Glad it's not just me. I was starting to blame the box of orange Matchmakers I demolished in record time tonight (pressie from my son ). I really shouldn't do it, (especially as I prefer the mint ones or Maltesers) bordering on a bit of indigestion here. And do I ever learn? That would be a no

[tinkerbell22 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Oh yum I love those!

[tinkerbell22 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thanks for the link SeasideSusie, I didntsee these kit instructions yesterday right there lol.

Ok so to be absolutely clear, I should collect All my urine from across the 24 hr period, not just a sample of each?

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to tinkerbell22]

You collect all of it, you have take a small sample from the whole amount and tell them the total amount collected (there is a measure on the side of the container). It's all in the instructions.

[tinkerbell22 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thank you

[humanbean]

I just remembered something.

It is essential that saliva samples for the adrenal saliva test are not contaminated with blood. Cortisol is far more concentrated in blood than it is in saliva, so a tiny drop of blood in one of your saliva samples would make it appear as if your cortisol was very, very high.

[tinkerbell22 in reply to humanbean]

Thank you for saying this! I will be careful of this