Not thyroid adrenals low : So everyone becareful... - Thyroid UK

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Not thyroid adrenals low

carlaFedUP profile image
34 Replies

So everyone becareful with thyroid treatment make sure it is not your adrenals causing low thyroid. I just recently started levo 50 mcg not feeling well on it I found a specialist out of town I am actually producing low cortisol which is causing hypo symtoms and blood labs.. you will good temporarily on thyroid even after adjusting still exhausted period problems ect.. my low cortisol had me to believe and Doc that it was thyroid but it id not

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carlaFedUP profile image
carlaFedUP
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34 Replies
jamalka profile image
jamalka

This could be related to my labs review either, I'll keep that in mind, started hyperthyroid treatment on Feb 2008, got the job done on Oct of 2010 and cut off carbimazole , Thyroid seemed to work excellent since then, re-tested on feb/2011 goood, on jun/2011 good, lately I felt sudden fever heart rush n weird way of beating, yellow skin sometimes it's harsh to swallow, went to DOC on 13/09/2018 ordered few blood tests ( ESR- CBC-LFT-FEBS-VIT.D-HAV-WEIL FELIX-KIDNEYS-TD ), including Thyroid tsh/t3/t4

All the other tests were fine and in range, vit.d 80.3 above minimal range, but TSH was a bit high at that day

TSH: 11.75

T3: 1.4

T4: 8.4

Right after that the DOC reviewed the results conssidering it a sub-clinical cause..

Re-tested on 26/09/2018 ( 13 days after first test )

TSH: 10.76

T3: 1.27

T4: 8.89

Thanks for sharing. haven't started Meds for Hypo yet, I have an appointment with my DOC on Thursday,

But by maintaining a healthy life last week, way of living and diet, I feel much better than the strike I had few weeks ago which made me go through all the below lab tests

Angel_of_the_North profile image
Angel_of_the_North in reply tojamalka

That all very HYPO thyroid now. Did you have your thyroid removed?

in reply tojamalka

jamilka.You results are terrible and clearly hypothyroid and your GP incompetant.This is not subclinical. I am a bit confused by your history.I suggest you see a different doctor and put up a post of your own for more responses with the ranges as well as blood results, so that your post gets more advice. Poor thyroid treatment is very widespread.

jamalka profile image
jamalka

Kindly, mention what kind of tests you have done, and how it ensured your cause,

satu55555 profile image
satu55555

The adrenals should be checked first. Lots of stress and high cortisol that goes with it can cause low thyroid levels. When the cortisol goes up, thyroid hormones go down. Low cortisol is the result of too much stress (physical, emotional etc) for extended periods of time. This can lead to CFS if the low immune system resulting from stress allows an infection to set in. (I've gone through all of these things and more, but I've also recovered.) So the thyroid doesn't as such cause low cortisol. However, long times of taking thyroid medicine can. Functional / integrated medical doctor and a functional nutritionist can help.

missthyroid profile image
missthyroid

Hi there I couldn’t agree more adrenal fatigue low cortisol is when the body has been pushed to limit that it can’t make cortisol anymore.What are you taking for your low cortisol

Tginger profile image
Tginger

I learnt this from a book by Suzy Cohen. She says if levothyroxine makes you feel better for some time and then you have all your symptoms back, this means you have adrenal problems.

Even in the levo information sheet you will find that adrenal problems have to be dealt with before starting taking levo for your thyroid. Don't think doctors ever read this information.

Every time they increase my levo dose I feel relief for about two months and then start feeling rubbish again. I raised this with my doctor but she said she wouldn't do adrenal testing for me as well as she wouldn't refer me to a specialist. Next time going to a different GP.

SkyBelle profile image
SkyBelle in reply toTginger

Tginger - totally agree - seems very few Drs have any real clue and unable to 'read' their patients - only going on Lab results which, I believe, are figures that obviously are misleading for many Thyroid people.

I mean - I can also read a Lab result!!

Like you, I am on the Change of Doctor, never realised this Treatment is so poorly managed!!!! I intend to live to 86yrs old - am 68yrs old therefore I am chancing my own needs. Recently, one month ago, I gradually decreased my 75mcg Levo to 50mcg, have never felt better, l believe I am allergic to too much Levo. Have just walked 24miles in four days! Admittedly was a bit tired yesterday but today I relaxed and ready for another six miler tomorrow which is pure proof of 'how' my body responds. Spoke with an Oncology Pharmacist last Monday, he certainly supported my experiences. Onward and just listen to your own body & intuition.

Tginger profile image
Tginger in reply toSkyBelle

Wow! 24 miles, you're my personal hero now :)

posthinking01 profile image
posthinking01

I attend a London hospital for mutiple health issues and their endocrine department told me they do not give thyroid medication to patients unless they treat the adrenals first. This is a new attitude because if they had done that with me I wouldnt have the multiple health issues I have now.

lucylocks profile image
lucylocks in reply toposthinking01

Hi

do you mind me asking how they have treated your adrenals.

Thank you.

helvella profile image
helvellaAdministrator in reply tolucylocks

Very much what I was wondering.

How do they test?

posthinking01 profile image
posthinking01 in reply tolucylocks

Short senacten test..............

lucylocks profile image
lucylocks in reply toposthinking01

Thank you,

did you pass the test?

posthinking01 profile image
posthinking01 in reply tolucylocks

The first one I had years ago and the results was 800 which was good apparently then having been put on steroids regardless a few years later the adrenals go lazy and next one I had was just 300 - now stuck on steroids due to adrenal insufficiency type II - one away from Addison's but I can't see I had any alternative as my health issues were so severe at the time I needed steroids and still do - but...............after researching Progesterone I think I could have been low on Progesterone which makes cortisol - if I had upped my progesterone perhaps I wouldn't have needed steroids - but hindsight is a wonderful thing.

lucylocks profile image
lucylocks in reply toposthinking01

Sorry to hear you have health problems and need the steroids.

I do think low progesterone can cause problems. I used to get terrible PMT. and had bad post natal depression, which can be caused through low progesterone.

My daughter had the SST test and her cortisol was 246 before test, went to 464 after 30 minutes, then 626 after one hour, they said she had passed the test but I thought the starting cortisol level was too low.

posthinking01 profile image
posthinking01 in reply tolucylocks

Hi lucylocks - thank you for your good wishes - I would also say the uptake on the first shot was low ...........I'll see if I can research what the range should be. I was always low on B6 and yet couldn't seem to take it and also zinc - I was amazed when doing some deep research to find that Progesterone metabolises B6 and zinc. Every symptom I suffered at one point looks like it was low progesterone even my fibroid issues way back 1983 at the age of 33 - had to have a hysterectomy. You might find this of interest: drkimsagewellsolutions.com/...

Tugun profile image
Tugun in reply toposthinking01

Many thanks for the link!

posthinking01 profile image
posthinking01 in reply tolucylocks

and another in my research folder:

hypothyroidmom.com/progeste...

lucylocks profile image
lucylocks in reply toposthinking01

Many thanks for the links, some really interesting points there.

Have you started using progesterone yet?

posthinking01 profile image
posthinking01 in reply tolucylocks

Well I started to use a cream and tablets but I found I suffered with the phenomenon where the excess oestrogen dumps into the system as the progesterone tries to balance everything out - I couldn't afford any more blowing up in weight - so having had blood tests showing low in Pregnanalone (known as the master steroid hormone) and DHEA - and low in tesosterone - I decided to try to improve my levels of progesterone - stop taking the oestrogen I had been on for over 30 years and see if I could get the testosterone oestrogen and progesterone levels up by using the hormone that produces these via the adrenal glands - as I have adrenal issues anyway and think there is a connection to the deficiencies via that route. It seems to be working - my muscles are a lot stronger and I can move around more and I am not so tired.

lucylocks profile image
lucylocks in reply toposthinking01

Yes it is so difficult to get all the hormones in balance.

I also have very low DHEA but I have not supplemented because of having breast cancer years ago. I am too worried in would cause my oestrogen to rise along the hormone pathway.

I did use progesterone years ago (pessories) for PMT which did help some what.

I do feel my hormones have been the bane of my life in one way or another.

I do hope you get some improvement soon.

posthinking01 profile image
posthinking01 in reply tolucylocks

Thanks

posthinking01 profile image
posthinking01 in reply toposthinking01

sorry meant to say - wishing you feeling better too !

greygoose profile image
greygoose

You do know that low thyroid can cause low cortisol/adrenal fatigue, don't you? As the thyroid starts to fail, the adrenals have to take up the slack. I think it's more likely to be low thyroid causing adrenal problems rather than the other way around.

posthinking01 profile image
posthinking01 in reply togreygoose

agreed - progesterone is also implicated as it dashes off to take up the slack to produce cortisol.

carlaFedUP profile image
carlaFedUP in reply toposthinking01

You got that progesterone help thyroid function but not if you are getting a pregnenelone steal body taking it to make cortisol ... this all results in thyroid Symptoms

posthinking01 profile image
posthinking01 in reply tocarlaFedUP

Funnily enough Carla I do have Preg steal - been tested for it and I am taking it now - it is allowing me to come down off the steroids more rapidly - so it must be producing cortisol as the master steroid hormone or as an adrenal insufficient patient I would not be able to do so. I know I need Progesterone too so hopefully it will make testosterone and prog for me as so deficient on both and DHEA.

vb2005 profile image
vb2005

Actually it is almost always low cortisol in the first place and then low thyroid or as it is said in the book "safe uses of cortisol" - the most important hormone for life is cortisol.

carlaFedUP profile image
carlaFedUP in reply tovb2005

I agree with you about this one I have done mega research and there is a Doctor also on youtube Bryan Walsh who heals adrenals by boosting Immune System with Lemon Balm,Echineacea, Golden Seal Ect

Niklew profile image
Niklew

Hi Carla, can I ask how you treating your adrenals please?

carlaFedUP profile image
carlaFedUP in reply toNiklew

With Immune boosting Herbs No adrenal Support as the last thing you want to do is give your Adrenals a false boost with B6 and Siberian Ginseng watch Dr Bryan Walsh on Youtube

Niklew profile image
Niklew in reply tocarlaFedUP

Thank you! I will google :)

Does anyone have any reliable links and evidence about this adrenal-thyroid question? Seems like a chicken-egg puzzle, but more difficult to answer (an egg wouldn't survive without a chicken to look after it so the chicken would have to come first!)

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