updated cortisol test results...help please

[purplejuicy]

Hi

i've retested my cortisol last week as i am currently on 50mcg T4 & 62.5mcg of T3 (and increasing every week) but still getting lots of hypothyroid symptoms and adrenal issues like insomnia and internal shakes etc...

35.05 (14-21) AM HIGH

6.0.6 (4-9) MIDDAY

2.93 (2.5-7) 4PM

3.80 (0.8-4.5) BEFORE BED

So i know my am cortisol is too high (last year is was too low) and my bedtime level should be much lower too even though it's in range...i took some holy basil last night to help bring it down but it made me feel horrible! thumping heartbeat in the ears and throat, insomnia and nausea for an hour before i could actually drift off.

Just after some advice on what to do to help bring this cortisol down as I'm worried now about cushings which i have a fair few of the common symptoms for. i will speak to my dr about this (not expecting them to take me serious mind)

any help would be greatly appreciated - thanks

[shaws Administrator]

I'm sorry you are struggling and this is a link which may be helpful:

hypothyroidmom.com/cortisol...

[purplejuicy in reply to shaws]

thanks for this shaws. i've asked for advise on the STTM site too but i find most american supplements/advice to be quite extreme or the supplements aren't clean enough i.e full of binders, soy or other crap

just wondering if anyone had any success stories of bringing down high cortisol with a specific herb or nutrient.

[shaws Administrator in reply to purplejuicy]

I am sure someone will come to your aid as there is such a variety of ailments caused through not being on sufficient dose or not the thyroid hormones replacement which suits us.

[humanbean]

I do rather well with Holy Basil, but the good effects I got were not instant. You could try it again, but don't experiment at bedtime, try taking it first thing in the morning. If you still struggle with it, then try something else.

One thing that helps some people is Seriphos, available on supplement sites without prescription :

interplexus.com/#products

It is Phosphorylated Serine (PS1). They did change the formula to something called Phosphatidyl Serine (PS2) for a while, but the change didn't go down well with customers, and they have reverted to their original formula again. If it interests you make sure that you get PS1 not PS2.

Having said that, some people do well with PS2 and several companies produce it. Janie Bowthorpe mentions taking it to lower cortisol on STTM. But it is incredibly expensive, so just from an economic view I would suggest trying PS1 first.

---------------------

You could try some of these :

draxe.com/7-adaptogen-herbs...

Be careful of the licorice/liquorice. You would need to buy DGL licorice, because the ordinary kind raises blood pressure. But for some people even DGL licorice raises blood pressure too, so you would need a home blood pressure monitor to keep tabs on it.

I haven't tried all the things in that list. I liked Rhodiola, and I used it every morning for quite a while, and it made me feel more energetic. But eventually it started making me feel jittery.

Be careful when trying anything in that list - they aren't all dosed in the same way. For example Holy Basil can be taken any time of day (if it agrees with you), but Rhodiola shouldn't be taken after about 1pm because it can make it difficult to sleep.

[purplejuicy in reply to humanbean]

Thanks humanbean, that's very useful advice i've been trying HB in the mining for a few days now and i think it's helping? getting less internal shaking although still having trouble sleeping and waking up ill but i know it takes time.

i've order PS and taking lots of vitamin C throughout the day now which i think is helping a lot too. That seriphos product is really hard to find in stock in UK and it's rather expensive but may well end up trying if all else fails.

i read that gingko was good for reducing cortisol but again that contributed to a terrible night sleep as i had it from a tincture, sipping on the water all through the evening so i will definitely be wary of herbs and taking too many. i'd like to try rhodiola though. i sometimes ask for advice on the adrenal STTM page but their protocol is extremely intense and SO expensive. i cant handle taking 6 pills 4 times a day! too extreme in my eyes.

on another note, since running out of T3 and heavily rationing, I've not felt terrible? shouldn't i feel awful if I'm not getting enough hormones in me? I'm starting to wonder if T3 is rally helping me anymore too. i better start again with them though just in case....

[humanbean in reply to purplejuicy]

Having rationed your T3 have you increased your Levo? I don't know enough about you or your thyroid problems to make any sensible comments, sorry.

[purplejuicy in reply to humanbean]

no i hadn't because most say it's pointless as it takes almost a week for the levo to start making a long term effect? I'm now up to 37.5mcg but still feel poorly, mostly in the mornings and night which is when my cortisol is the highest so makes sense. without sufficient adrenal function, raising on T3 will be tricking and without T3 my adrenals are suffering so it's a bloody minefield!

i have a new symptom of a bad rash/cluster of spots along the top of my cheekbone which could either be from the PS, HB, Collagen powder or octane oil I've recently started taking - or the combination of all!