Cortisol blockers?

[Bellerin]

Hello again - I have been chatting to Heloise, who kindly looked at my recent results for me. I am thinking (yet again!) that my high cortisol level is causing my problems!

Has anyone used Cortisol Blockers? If so, have they worked? Can you PM with the one you use?

She also mentioned GABA, but I don't know what that is, could that help?

If not a blocker, has anyone used anything that has got their cortisol level down? Mine is always off the charts! I used to take Adrenavive iii to help my adrenals. but now can't afford the new price hike and the last time I took it, it make me really shaky.

I have included my test results again, to see if anyone has any other ideas.

Thank you

Belle xxx

(I am a coeliac and allergic to dairy - so both those things are sorted)

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Bellerin

has anyone used anything that has got their cortisol level down? Mine is always off the charts! I used to take Adrenavive iii to help my adrenals. but now can't afford the new price hike and the last time I took it, it make me really shaky.

Have you been using Adrenavive to lower your cortisol? Adrenavive is used to raise cortisol.

Adaptogenic herbs are known to lower cortisol. I used Adreset (by Nutri Advanced or Metagenics) to lower mine when a 4 point saliva test showed all levels were at the top of the range. As I ditched the practioner who recommended it, I forgot to retest and when I remembered - after almost 2 years - all my levels were scraping along the bottom or below range.

[Bellerin in reply to SeasideSusie]

Yes I was Susie I went to see Dr Peatfield in 2017, and was advised to take Adrenavive to help with my adrenals (which he said were one of the worse he had ever seen!) I think they have just given up the ghost! So I have been taking it ever since, but my cortisol has always been high, I suffer with chronic aniexty and I did feel the Adrenavive was helping, but now not sure.

I think Heloise thought that my high cortisol was stopped my T3 getting through, as I have been taking less T3 since December (first set of test results in the pic) and in the most recent results my T3 was even higher (2nd set of results)! But I actually feel so much worse with my hypo symptoms, so I have no idea what to do now! xx

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Bellerin]

Did Dr P do a cortisol saliva test? What were the results?

[Bellerin in reply to SeasideSusie]

No I had had one done before I saw him, and it was very high in the morning and at the middle of the day, lower in afternoon but high in the evening. I did a saliva test about 5 years ago, I had hunt for the results, but I know it was high. I also had a urine cortisol test done by an nhs endo, which he also said was high, but I don't have those results.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Bellerin]

So if Dr P knew your cortisol was high with 3 of the 4 samples, I'm struggling to understand why he would suggest Adrenavive when that is to support adrenals but raises cortisol levels.

[Bellerin in reply to SeasideSusie]

I don't know - he just said that my adrenals needed all the support they could get, and that although my cortisol was high - it was more important to sort out my adrenals first. He said that I could try to sort out my cortisol with some anti-anxiety medication, or it could be high because my body was under stress from my anorexia (I have had anorexia since I was about 18, so I think he thought that might be influencing my cortisol levels. I'm honestly not sure - he said to start with a low level of Adrenavive I (because it didn't have any adrenaline in) to help the adrenals, as he though because my adrenals were so bad, it was best to deal with that first. I didn't realise I was doing anything wrong.

But I am worried that without the Adrenavive, my adrenals will suffer.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Bellerin]

I'm sorry Bellerin, I don't know what to say. He's obviously thinking differently from what I understand about how to treat high or low cortisol results.

[Bellerin in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thank you for your advice - I think the thinking was that I would just take a small dose of Adrenavive I in future going forward, so I am interested in taking something to reduce my cortisol. Since I have seen Dr P, I have been diagnosed with a rare, chronic liver condition (which I have to take strong blood thinner for - not great aged 33!) - so my body is more under stress than ever! So probably taking my cortisol down has become more of a issue now, so what would you recommend for that? Also what would be your opinion of my two test results as well? Sorry, I hate taking up people's time, I just am very lost and upset.

Thank you so very much xx

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Bellerin]

I've only ever used Adreset for lowering cortisol and it did a very good job. There are other cortisol lowering adaptogens, like Humanbean says she used Holy Basil, so there are quite a few to look at. But if you're still seeing Dr P, I wonder if it might be worth discussing all this with him.

Also what would be your opinion of my two test results as well?

Your TSH and FT4 are typical of someone taking T3 only, but your FT3 results are showing you are overmedicated with T3. But if you are symptomatic then there is obviously something not right, this is beyond me and again I'm wondering what Dr P would suggest.

[humanbean]

I take Holy Basil to keep my high cortisol under control.

This is the one I buy :

healthmonthly.co.uk/swanson...

When I first started taking it I was taking far more than the recommended dose. But over a period of several months I was able to lower my dose down to the recommended amount. These days I only take it to lower bedtime cortisol so that I can get some sleep.