Weight loss and dose levels

[Ruthi]

I've lot a fair bit of weight in the last 3 months, and of course have also changed my diet from too much sugar to low carb/high fat. I felt heaps more energetic when I started the new way of eating, and slept really well.

In the last weeks I started to feel a little jittering inside, and then started to wake frequently in the night. I began to think that I might be over-medicated, and indeed a couple of days of 2/3 my usual dose of NDT and I feel better and slept like a log last night.

Now clearly I can't stay that low, so wondered what sort of level you all think I should go back to. I was on 2.25 grains. The big decision is 2.0 or 1.75? What do you all think? I always skate on thin ice, because I feel at my best with my FT3 slightly over range.

[humanbean]

The first thing that crossed my mind is that with such radical changes to your diet, plus the weight loss, there could have been changes to the way your adrenals are functioning. I haven't got the slightest clue what kind of changes may have happened, I'm just speculating.

Perhaps a spit test is in order?

[Ruthi in reply to humanbean]

I wondered about that too. But when I have suffered high cortisol before I didn't get the jitters. To be honest, I haven't tested again just made appropriate lifestyle changes. So my baseline figures are from when I was running just below Cushing's levels, according to the saliva test. But my sleep improved, and all the other symptoms abated so I decided there was no need to test.

And wouldn't high cortisol now also increase my anxiety? That has been one of the huge benefits from the dietary change - no more night panics, no more anxiety during the day for that matter.

I am thinking that I should settle on what feels right NDT wise, and then test. And possibly test the cortisol, although I am not sure what more I could do there, although if my levels have increased then I guess it would be time to talk to a doctor. I really do not want to have to talk to an endo about my NDT let alone my adrenals!!!

I was at a conference yesterday with people I haven't seen for a year. I got several comments on the disappearance of my bum!

[humanbean in reply to Ruthi]

Ah, my experience of high cortisol is slightly different to yours. I do get jitters and internal vibrations when I'm extremely stressed - the feeling is almost painful, and is very unpleasant. High cortisol also causes me to go into instant panic mode if something unexpected happens. And I feel fearful. That symptom is probably the worst for me, in connection with adrenals, because it has been present since I was a child - the world has been a scary place for me for ever.

I think you are right to try a slight reduction (0.25 of a tablet to start with, no more) in your NDT and see if you can find a new happy equilibrium. If you can't find that "happy point" then adrenal testing may be in order.

I have never spoken to a doctor about my high cortisol. I recently started adding in Holy Basil to my daily supplements and it has been helping me enormously.

amazon.co.uk/Swanson-Spectr...

Without checking, I think the daily dose is supposed to be 2 capsules. I'm currently taking 2 capsules, 3 times a day, and am considering adding another 2.

It has been extremely helpful in stopping me being nocturnal, and I'm now relaxed enough to get to sleep in a reasonable length of time. I'm also waking up far less often than usual during the night. I've also been able to increase my T3. I had never managed to raise my T3 high enough to prevent hypo symptoms, because doing so gave me symptoms I associate with over-medication. But I've finally managed to increase my dose. Hallelujah!

If you haven't tried Holy Basil I would definitely recommend it. But you may have to ignore the recommended dosage, and I understand that many people may be unhappy about that. (Although I do wonder who sets the recommended dosage for herbs like Holy Basil. Where is the research?)

[humanbean in reply to humanbean]

That link I gave for Holy Basil...

I just noticed the price. The supplier must have run out of stock because it normally costs about £7 - £8 per bottle.

[Ruthi in reply to humanbean]

A fiver from Health Monthly!

[humanbean in reply to Ruthi]

Yes, I saw that too, after I'd posted.

[Ruthi]

I tried them all, Holy Basil, Ashwagandha, Rhodiola, Seriphos. I found Rhodiola am and Ashwagandha pm worked best for me.

I have always been a moderately anxious person, with a very good act to cover it up. So I suspect I may always have run high on cortisol, all I needed was a period of under-treatment of my thyroid to kick my adrenals into overdrive.

Since I started self-medicating I have always felt best (but not 100%) with my FT3 over range. And I do wonder if I was using T3 to compensate for the generally grotty, dopey state that I now suspect was caused by sugar and carbs (certainly when I was stupid enough to eat cake at Xmas I immediately went to sleep for two days). Now I don't need to compensate for the dopey state, I may well not need to run so high on the T3, which is clearly a good thing.

A couple of weeks on a lower dose of NDT should make things clearer. So glad BH have teamed up with BMI for the phlebotomy service.

[Ruthi]

Well, it's been a while. In the end I decided to reduce my dose from 2.25 to 1.75 and I felt great again. Now these past two nights trouble getting to sleep and the internal buzz is beginning.

Time to test, methinks. I'm wondering whether my poor conversion has righted itself since the change in my diet?