Medichecks offering new saliva cortisol tests on offer too

[elaine2447]

I was thinking of doing the 4 test and sorry if this sounds silly but should one take no supplements for stress whilst doing this. I did a morning blood test and it was top of the range. I did this a while ago as I reacted badly to just 1/4 grain of NDT and it was suggested that could be due to adrenal problems. I am taking holy basil night and morning, ashwagandha at lunch time also rhodiola drops (in the morning but have forgotten today ummm). Thanks.

[StarFlower2]

Any supplements that affect the adrenals should be stopped 14 days prior to a test...that goes for Melatonin too.

[elaine2447 in reply to StarFlower2]

Thank you. I don't think I can stand the thought of giving up supplements for two weeks. I know you're right of course but it does seem a bit silly if one has managed to reduce cortisol to an acceptable level. Maybe its for people who have suspected Cushings. I have sent for the 4 point test but not sure what to do now.

[StarFlower2 in reply to elaine2447]

It's a bit like stopping thyroid meds before a blood test, it gives a base line reading. The same should be done when testing Vitamin levels. Some test require fasting and others require suppliments to be stopped for 1-5 days.

I'm lead to believe that meds and supplements which affect the HPA axis will skew the results of a cortisol test unless stopped for at least 14 days before the test. There's a long list but zinc, licorice, asheagandha are but a few.

For peace of mind I would contacting the company you purchased your test from and ask for their advice.

[elaine2447 in reply to StarFlower2]

Thanks for all the info. I ordered it from Medichecks. I usually get all my tests done via them but I am not 100 percent convinced they are experts. As an example I wrote to them about their advert for parathyroid hormone as they were implying it was thyroid related. They appreciated me contacting them and changed the wording almost immediately.

However, they are still persisting in having PTH samples returned back to them by post which is definitely not on as has to be carefully treated and preferably kept on ice.

I have felt so ill with anxiety that is why I am nervous about leaving off all three supplements. Generally I am very sceptical about such supplements but have felt an improvement so I don't think it's mind over matter.

I keep hearing on another forum about getting ones ducks in order but say for example cortisol readings are quite high, what can you do about it. GP's aren't interested, have barely any knowledge of thyroid particularly when results are 'within the normal range' (probably the most hated expression for pHPT and Thyroid sufferers) and so the alternative is anti depressants which I was given when not depressed but after an accidental experiment when I first tried NDT but felt terrible on it and dug out an old mirtazapine I was fine on it for one day. I have since learned that mirtazapine is one of the known anti depressants to reduce cortisol and in fact a study was done some years ago.

[StarFlower2 in reply to elaine2447]

Your story echos mine. I have a reverse T3 problem which wasn't picked up be my GP or endo. I was given levothyroxine which pushed me RT3 higher..would they test my RT3..No! They would not read my private tests either. I've been prescribed anti depressants and HRT both making me feel worse.

I take my temperature and believe that if they are inconsistent over a 5 day period by .2 i then know my adrenals are suffering. I take raw adrenal cortex but my cortisol is high at the moment and I've come off it until I get some advice. I will try and search out The Dr who's temp protocol I follow and let you have it. It's a bit different than basal temp recording.

[elaine2447 in reply to StarFlower2]

thanks very much. Sorry you are suffering. I doubt my gp would even know what R3 is. I've just been left to rot with hashimotos (hundreds of antibodies) and if course even though TSH is almost 5 its still within their normal range! Saw a functional medicine gp who has left me high and dry.

[StarFlower2 in reply to elaine2447]

We have to take our lives into our own hands. Research as much as possible and join forums like this one. We will find much more help by doing this than from most doctors.

We have good days and bad...I'm here on those bad days to share, gather and offer help.

[elaine2447 in reply to StarFlower2]

These days mine are bad days and awful days lol. Primary hyperparathyroidism being ignored, severe osteoporosis with chronic back pain eventually x rayed 15 months later to find crushed T5, recently leaned over train seat on my way to my daughters not even hard and cracked a rib. It's a constant worry knowing the phpt is taking calcium our of my bones so doesn't help the hashimotos anxiety. I've spent over £6k on useless endos and scans, tests etc.

[StarFlower2 in reply to elaine2447]

Are you taking K2 MK7? It's an important supplement which helps take calcium to the bone. It needs to be taken a few hours apart from Vit D as they don't mix well together. I was diagnosed with osteopenia a few years ago but Dr was not prepared to treat me.

[elaine2447 in reply to StarFlower2]

Yes have been taking MK7 for the last two and a half years (GP hadn't even heard of it, said oh no can thin blood, I said I think you are talking about Vitamin K1!!!), also take magnesium, bamboo silica, boron, probiotics, sublingual B12, in fact in all including the rhodiola, holy basil and ashwagandha, 13 supplements in all. It costs me a fortune. I cant take calcium because of above range due to primary hyperparathyroidism, also Vitamin D is a no no because of phpt but my D has always been around 90 at my worst with no supplements. An endo surgeon last year had me taking 40,000IU a week "to stir up the pth and calcium" (an old fashioned experiment I have since learned) and D went up to 158 and made hardly any difference to pth and calcium but latterly both are over the range. This morning I feel in a state of collapse and could just about have a shower and wash my hair. I have noticed mornings are getting worse and worse, felt okay apart from aches and pains when I went to bed but stupidly went past the midnight and then I hardly slept all night.

[humanbean in reply to elaine2447]

Vitamin K1 helps blood to coagulate and clot. Without it people bleed to death. It is lack of vitamin K1 that thins the blood.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitam...

There are no known problems associated with high doses of vitamin K1 or vitamin K2 :

lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/vit...

[elaine2447 in reply to humanbean]

I had to laugh at GP because he had probably read in the paper about the chap who nearly killed himself one Christmas overeating Brussel sprouts but he was apparently on warfarin! I'll see if I can find the article.

[elaine2447 in reply to humanbean]

Just one of the reports, sorry it's the Daily Mail lol dailymail.co.uk/health/arti...

[wellness1 in reply to StarFlower2]

I'd never heard that D3 and K2 should be taken apart. In fact, there are products which combine them. But a quick search turned up this: "Absorption of vitamin K appears to be particularly reduced by other fat-soluble vitamins..." consumerlab.com/answers/Whi... Thanks StarFlower2 .

[elaine2447 in reply to StarFlower2]

hope you soon have some good days x

[wellness1 in reply to StarFlower2]

I recently did the 24-hour saliva cortisol test, but I was taking melatonin at the time. oops! I'll look for information on this, but I've just received my results and am wondering how to factor in how the melatonin may have affected the results. If you have any thoughts or could point me toward a good source, I would be grateful, StarFlower2 .

[elaine2447 in reply to wellness1]

Does melatonin suppress cortisol? I have felt awful today, been feeling worse each day for the last week or so and am wondering if I have been over doing the cortisol suppressant type supplements. Seem to be okayish on Holy Basil morning and evening and ashwagandha but am wondering if the rhodiola drops taken mid morning have tipped the scales. That is so typical of me overdoing things. Am wondering if I have gone from high cortisol to low as I just checked the list of symptoms with low cortisol and I seem to relate to nearly all of them! I am going to experiment and do the 4 point saliva test without leaving the threesome off and see if there is any comparison with the first morning blood cortisol test which was top of the range and then leave them off for the two weeks and do it again.

[StarFlower2 in reply to wellness1]

I know Melatonin pushes up morning cortisol. I'm not sure how it affects cortisol readings throughout the day though. I would contact the company who you purchased the test from and explain the situation. Maybe they will be willing to do another for free.

There are many medications and suppliments that interfere with cortisol and HPA axis.

Take a look at:

Stopthethyroidmadness.com

and search - Suppliments and meds that can influence your cortisol saliva results

They do state on this site that some things can be out of the system in 24hrs but I'm aware certain meds/suppliments take 14 days

[StarFlower2 in reply to wellness1]

stopthethyroidmadness.com/s...

[Venicefan]

I did the Regenerus saliva test 3 weeks ago and the instructions said to stop any cortisol containing medications 5 days before the test. I stopped the adrenal glandular because I thought it must contain cortisol.

It said to carry on taking other hormones and meds as normal, including the DHEA that I'm taking. I did have to fill in an info sheet detailing the meds and supplements I was on which included melatonin and 5-htp.

[elaine2447 in reply to Venicefan]

that's interesting.