Adrenal Saliva Test Results

[Rachel357]

I have just got my results back from Genova and wondered if anyone could give me any advice please. I was expecting my cortisol to be much higher with how I've been feeling recently.

7am: 10.76 (2.68-9.30)

11am-1pm: 3.15 (0.75-2.93)

3pm-5pm: 1.32 (0.36-1.88)

10pm-12pm: 1.13 (<=0.94)

DHEA 0.74 (0.25-2.22)

DHEA Cortisol Ratio 0.07 (0.05-0.32)

I started taking NDT in the summer and I have been unable to increase to any more than 1 1/4 grains, as I keep getting adrenal issues when I try to increase. I originally started taking Naturethroid, but I didn't feel like I was getting any better with each increase, and due to complaints that it's a lot weaker now, I changed to Thiroyd. I had increased up to 1 1/2 grains on NT, but when I took the same dose on Thiroyd I felt very ill (heart palpitations, light headed, anxiety and diarrhea). I reduced down to 1 1/4 grains and I was fine on that for a while, but I still had some hypo symptoms and basal temp and pulse were still quite low. I tried to increase to 1 1/2 grains again a few weeks later, but I had the same symptoms again. I also had a weird swaying sensation like I was on a boat (this lasted for about a week).

I started having problems with my pill cutter a few weeks ago and I was taking a tiny bit more than 1 1/4 grains as it wasn't cutting evenly and all these symptoms came back again. I'm now taking just under 1 1/4 grains as I can't seem to tolerate the full 1 1/4 grains anymore. I'm doing a blood test next week to check my thyroid and vitamin levels. B12, ferritin, vitamin D and folate were optimal when I first started taking NDT.

Thank you.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Sorry no one replied

NDT doesn't suit everyone.

You may be better on Levothyroxine plus small dose of T3

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

See what your vitamin levels are like next week

Come back with new post once you get results and ranges

[humanbean]

Your results :

7am: 10.76 (2.68-9.30)

11am-1pm: 3.15 (0.75-2.93)

3pm-5pm: 1.32 (0.36-1.88)

10pm-12pm: 1.13 (<=0.94)

DHEA 0.74 (0.25-2.22)

DHEA Cortisol Ratio 0.07 (0.05-0.32)

Optimal results :

• Morning at the top of the range

• Noon approximately 75% of the range

• Evening close to 50% of the range

• Nighttime at the bottom of the range

Source (see example 1) : rt3-adrenals.org/cortisol_t...

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Comparing your results to the optimal results :

Sample 1 : Yours = 10.76 ; Optimal = 9.30 --- You produce 116% of optimal

Sample 2 : Yours = 3.15 ; Optimal = 2.385 --- You produce 132% of optimal

Sample 3 : Yours = 1.32 ; Optimal = 1.12 --- You produce 118% of optimal

Sample 4 : Yours = 1.13 ; Optimal = 0 --- I can't divide by zero!

Totals : Yours = 16.36 ; Optimal = 12.805 --- You produce 128% of optimal

DHEA : I don't know an optimal level for DHEA, but yours is 25% of the way through the range, which seems rather low.

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My first comment, as always on investigating cortisol, is that any reference range which has a lower level of zero is nonsense - and several companies tend to use one or two reference ranges that start at zero. Personally, I think a cortisol level of zero is only healthy for a corpse that died of Addison's Disease. I assume that the testing method used is not hugely accurate, because a living human being should have some cortisol all the time, in my opinion.

I'll write more later on....

[Rachel357 in reply to humanbean]

Thank you. I did an adrenal saliva test about a year ago and my DHEA was low then too. I was thinking about supplementing with DHEA, but I think my sex hormones might be imbalanced, so it probably wouldn't be a good idea. I am getting oestradiol and progesterone tested in a few weeks. My doctor thinks that I might have high progesterone. What are your views on DHEA supplementation?

I am going to take Holy Basil early in the morning and drink Holy basil tea. I wish I had done my afternoon sample an hour later (I did it at 3.45), as I always get stressed around 4.30-5 when people start coming home from school/work and last year I tested it at 4.45 and I had high cortisol then. So I might take Holy Basil in the afternoon, even though my results show that my cortisol is in range.