Self-medicating with hydrocortisone : Hi guys. I... - Thyroid UK

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Self-medicating with hydrocortisone

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Hi guys. I am self-medicating with both T3 and HC. Since my doctor thinks that adrenal fatigue is a dirty word I really had no option but to do it myself. So I first tried with supplements, then cream but nothing worked until I started with HC tablets. I take 20 mg in the morning and my energy level improved drastically. I am not tired and sleepy all day like I was before. I am taking it for a while now, I have no side effects, but I'm wondering can someone take HC forever, like with T3, or should I stop after some time? I am a bit afraid to stop as I don't want my symptoms back, but opinions about how to properly take HC are so different, would love to hear from other people here who use it. Thanks.

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17 Replies

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HEA728 years ago

Hi Pink_Rabbit, have you got Paul Robinson's 'CT3M' book? It's about using the circadium rhythm method with supplemental T3 to correct partial adrenal gland insuffiency. It's a really worthwhile investment and may help you wean off the HC and use this method as a longer term solution to your adrenal issue.

I too am on T3 only and have partial adrenal gland insufficiency and nothing else seemed to correct my adrenal dysfunction. I've recently started his CT3M treatment protocol and already noticing a benefit! I've not yet had an adrenal saliva test to confirm these changes as it's early days but will do in the new year.

Here is his website with further information: recoveringwitht3.com/

• in reply toHEA728 years ago

Yes, I did. Great book and really helped me a lot when deciding to self-medicate with T3, which was the right thing to do in my case. However, I tried taking my T3 circadium way but unfortunately it didn't work for me. T3 improved things with my hypothyroidism but I need to deal with adrenal fatigue on some other way.

greygoose8 years ago

If you are just taking 20 mcg in the morning - first thing, I imagine? - then you should be able to come off it slowly, but easily. When you feel ready. But, reduce slowly, take your time. I came off it successfully, some years ago, and I was taking a lot more than you. But only in the morning, so I was OK.

• in reply togreygoose8 years ago

Thank you. May I ask how did you feel when you stopped with HC? Was it the same like you felt before it or better?

• in reply togreygoose8 years ago

And another question, how long were you on HC and is it safe to take it for years for example? Thanks.

greygoose• in reply to8 years ago

Provided you never take it after 1.0 pm, yes, it is safe to take if for years. I took it for a couple of years, don't remember exactly because it was over ten years ago.

Before I started taking it, I felt very rough. The first few weeks of taking it, I was on a permanant high, felt wonderful. That wore off. I stayed on it until I felt my adrenals were more solid - I didn't jump out of my skin when the telephone rang, for example - and then slowly tapered off. Coming off the last little bit, didn't make me feel anything at all. It never had any effect on energy levels, or anything like that.

• in reply togreygoose8 years ago

Many thanks. That means that I can take it safely for longer periods and I am not really keen to stop with HC right now as I feel fine, I just though I need to do that since I though that it is not safe to take it for long.

greygoose• in reply to8 years ago

You're welcome.

8 years ago

My God, what happened to her? No, I will be careful and do it slowly I just don't want my old symptoms to return when I stop with HC completely. I wonder how I will feel without it and it really worries me, cause I am so much better now, but I don't know is it safe to take it for too long.

sulamaye8 years ago

I've been on it for nearly two years. Had all samples low on saliva stress test, am having to stop for a week in order to have lymes test, but so far it's not going too badly.

• in reply tosulamaye8 years ago

Thanks, that's great. I think I'll remain on HC for now as well

Caze8 years ago

Could I ask how you decided to take just the 20mg of HC in the morning only. I am currently taking adrenal cortex extract (ACE) to support my adrenals although saliva tests indicated a trial of HC. I am considering starting HC if I cannot get the ACE to work for me. I have tried CT3M without success.

The RT3 adrenal site has a lot of information about dosing with HC and weaning off it but they advise splitting yr HC dose and taking it throughout the day eg for women 10mg on waking, 7.5mg at 4 hrs, 5mg at 4 hrs and 2.5mg at bedtime. I think this dosing is following the dosing schedule set down in Jeffries " Safe Uses of Cortisol". However, I understand that people sometimes just take it in the morning if that is when they have low cortisol. | think the Hertoghe clinic (apologies if I have spelt this incorrectly) recommends this approach and is the regime which Greygoose followed successfully. Mornings are the problem for me. I am T3 only but can only tolerate a low dose (currently 7.5) first thing which correlates with my low morning cortisol. Later in the day I can tolerate higher doses. So if I decide to try HC I might just try a dose on waking and see how I do. Would be interested to hear how you get on and from others who have tried different dosing regimes which worked for them.

• in reply toCaze8 years ago

Hi Caze, sorry I missed your reply. I started taking HC in the morning because I read somewhere that is is safer that way. I really didn't know the reason why when I started but just did it like that. I think it was in fact quite accidental, since I got 20 mg tablets of HC I was splitting them in half fist and were taking only 10 mg first. After a while I noticed that this was not enough so I think because I was lazy to cut them and take them in divided doses (as I already do this with T3) I just took one whole tablet first thing in the morning and that was it. It turned to be the right "formula" for me but I don't really know why. My cortisol on the the lower border line, maybe that's the reason why it works for me better just taking it in the morning.

Caze8 years ago

Many thanks fr yr reply. Cd I ask what improvement you experienced from taking the HC.

• in reply toCaze8 years ago

Mostly in energy. Before I was always so tired, I didn't have strength to do the basic things, smallest errands made me exhausted and by afternoon I was always so sleepy, often I had to take a nap otherwise I wasn't able to cope. So taking HC helped a great deal with all that.

Florence19927 years ago

Hey there. I know this post is super-old, but i was wondering whether you could PM me as to the source of your hydrocortisone? (Assuming you never had a prescription)

helvellaAdministrator• in reply toFlorence19927 years ago

Not only is the post super-old, the original poster (to whom you have replied) is no longer a member. Indicated by member being called "Hidden". Because of that, I shall turn off replying on this thread.

I suggest you put up a new posting to ask everyone.

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