Finally after 5 (or so!) long years I think they finally found the problem! What's next? Thanks

[catandco]

Hi all - posted before been really struggling and feeling terrible - drs have insisted for 6 years now I have generalised anxiety disorder which I dispute...

cortisol came back low on my self referral and so did folate

Had ultrasound on weds and I have 3 lumps in my thyroid one of which is a concern will hear within 7 days

Is this it? The answer to everything? It will be a relief in a way to finally know and hopefully they can help me get better I feel so weak - what is likely to be going on? And what will happen next - I'm pretty sure the drcthat scanned made me think it will b coming out - if bloods seem off which I already know they are

Thanks x

[catandco]

Bmi 18 36 yrs female xx

[Clutter]

CatandCo,

I said in your other post that thyroid nodules rarely cause thyroid symptoms. It is likely your doctor will want to do a fine needle aspiration biopsy to rule out thyroid cancer in the large nodule if it is >1.5cm. I'm fairly certain I was given a local anaesthetic to numb the neck. The procedure wasn't painful anyway but it was uncomfortable lying with my throat thrust upwards while the producure took place. I was given a compress to press hard against the site afterwards which apparently reduces swelling and bruising. I did need paracetamol pain relief for a couple of days afterwards.

If folate is below range your GP should prescribe 5mg folic acid. Folate and B12 are synergistic so you need good folate levels for B12 to work.

[catandco in reply to Clutter]

On folic as was low 4.5 x

[Clutter in reply to catandco]

Catandco,

How are ferritin/iron, vitamin D and B12?

[humanbean]

Low cortisol will make you anxious and depressed. I hope you've been offered treatment for this.

Edit : And anti-depressants are NOT a treatment for low cortisol. That's a bit like putting a sticking plaster on a case of measles. It is simply the wrong treatment.

[catandco in reply to humanbean]

No nothing as yet all the tests keep throwing things up and they're not telling me anything but will do within 7 days x

[milkwoman in reply to humanbean]

@humanbean what is the proper treatment for low cortisol? I believe my sister suffers from low cortisol as she has horrible anxiety and panicked attacks (she's been diagnosed with GAD and has been on several horribly addictive medications - mirtazapene, klonapin, trazadone, etc. - from which she is trying to wean herself off of. Her life has been hell for the last 5 years as medical care has just awful for her (she lives in the US, as do I, but in different areas).

What can/should she be pursuing to help her achieve better health and wellbeing?

[humanbean in reply to milkwoman]

Sorry, I don't know very much about low cortisol. I've always suffered from high cortisol myself.

You might find these websites helpful :

rt3-adrenals.org/

drlam.com/library.asp

In the second link, near the top of the page you'll see a blue banner with "We can help" followed by a phone number. To the right of that are headings :

About AF Syndrome

Additional AF Info#

AF Recovery etc...

Run your cursor over each heading and you'll see loads of links on adrenal fatigue.

Also search for info on "adrenal insufficiency".

There are quite a few symptoms that overlap between low cortisol and high cortisol. It isn't possible to guess which problem someone has. So 4-part adrenal saliva testing is essential. Treating the wrong problem would be disastrous.

Living in the US, you can order saliva tests without involving a doctor in most states. For info on this, read every word of the following link - info on saliva testing appears in several places, and it also tells you labs to ignore for saliva testing :

stopthethyroidmadness.com/r...

[milkwoman in reply to humanbean]

Now that you say it, I'm not sure if it is low or high cortisol that is the issue with her. I'll have to check that and forward this on to her. Thank you!