Cortef for low Adrenals

[Bellahorse]

Hi , any advice on taking cortef?? My adrenals are low and I am having trouble using T3 as it seems to put me into a hyper state (my heart does not like the t3 lol) any advice or shared experience regarding the cortef would be appreciated. thanks so much

[mischa]

It would help members if you could give us some more information about why you need to take hydrocortisone.

Have you had a 4 point cortisol saliva test done and if so, can you let us know the results? Have you had an early morning cortisol blood test and again, if so, what was the results?

Do you have high or low cortisol?

Usually taking HC is a last resort. There are other things that can be done to assist compromised adrenals.

You don't say if you are hypo. Often long term untreated hypothyroidism has a knock on effect on adrenals.

[Donnermac in reply to mischa]

Hi Mischa, yes I have Hashimoto’s and am trying to raise t3, iron is a bit low and 4pt saliva low in am til pm when it goes up slightly but basically low , blood was low as well as dhea... thx for your response 😊

[Hidden]

If you are referring to Cortef as Hydrocortisone then DON'T!!! By using Hydrocortisone without a medical reason you run the risk of shutting your adrenal glands down completely where you will then be dependent on Hydrocortisone to live - it's a life threatening condition from which you can die! I need to take Hydrocortisone in order to live as a pituitary tumour stopped me producing ACH which stimulates the adrenal glands to produce cortisol. Now my adrenal glands have stopped working & I need steroids to live. It's not worth the risk!

[Donnermac in reply to Hidden]

Thanks PaulineS I am sorry that you have to take it always , I have basically flatlining adrenals so my Naturpath wants me on a low dose to give the adrenals a break which will also help the thyroid???? Definitely not jumping in the advice until I educate myself... thx for your reply

[humanbean]

What is happening to your heart to make you think it is having a problem with T3? Are you suffering from palpitations? Pain? Slow heart rate? Fast heart rate?

There are all sorts of things that could make your heart complain that are common in people who have thyroid problems.

1) Too much thyroid hormone in the body, either T4 or T3 or both.

2) Not enough thyroid hormone in the body, either T4 or T3 or both.

3) Insufficient iron or vitamin B12

4) Being anaemic (i.e. low haemoglobin, either because of low iron or low B12.

5) Having a low red blood cell count

6) Having low potassium

7) Having low magnesium

8) Having high cortisol

9) Possibly having low cortisol - I'm not sure about this one

And there are probably other causes I can't remember.

Picking one and supplementing to fix it would be a dangerous thing to do without knowing that you need the thing you are supplementing.