How to take Adrenavive and Metavive: Hi everyone... - Thyroid UK

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How to take Adrenavive and Metavive

Nico101 profile image
20 Replies

Hi everyone,

I've been reading through posts on various threads and people have mentioned taking their meds at intervals during the day, rather than all at once - as I do. I currently take my Metavive and 5mg prednisone as soon as I get up, then my Adrenavive an hour or so later with breakfast.

Is there a better way to do this? When I was told to take these by Dr P it was some time ago and I was starting on the smallest dose. I now take a much larger dose, so was wondering if I should split them. It would be good to hear from more experienced people than me, as Dr P has been unavailable for some time.

Thank you all.

Nicola

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SeasideSusie profile image
SeasideSusieRemembering

I can't help with Metavive as I don't take it but I used to take Adrenavive and have now changed to a different brand.

I split my adrenal glandular, first dose with breakfast, second dose with lunch. As Adrenavive is meant to raise cortisol then it shouldn't be taken later than lunchtime as cortisol is supposed to be highest in the morning, lowering throughout the day and lowest at bedtime.

Nico101 profile image
Nico101 in reply toSeasideSusie

Do I take it that doing it this way gives you more sustained energy? I tend to wake up tired, get a few things done, then crash in the afternoon. Cheers.

SeasideSusie profile image
SeasideSusieRemembering in reply toNico101

It's more to do with getting your cortisol levels to be correct for the time of day.

Waking + 30 minutes should be top of range

Noon should be 75% of range approx

Teatime should be 50% of range approx

Bedtime should be bottom of range

I wake up tired and that's because my waking level is low.

What are the results of your latest 24 hour saliva adrenal test and which Adrenavive are you taking and how much?

Nico101 profile image
Nico101 in reply toSeasideSusie

I've had no saliva tests done. Being on benefits, I simply couldn't afford it - especially as I have to pay for Adrenavive, Metavive, and a gazillion other supplements.

I am thinking of trying to get a saliva test done now before I (finally!!!) see the endo for the first time.

As for Adrenavive, Dr P put me on 1 in Sept 2017. A few months later via telephone, when I was having probs due to severe stress, he said to up it, so I started taking 2 X Adrenavive 1.

Lately I've been feeling awful. I had to stop my Adrenavive for 2 weeks and my Metavive for 4 in order to have blood and 24hr urine tests before xmas. Apart from a few weeks in Feb, when I suddenly had a decent amount of energy, I've felt rough. I had insomnia and put it down to that... until I switched to sleeping a lot and felt just as rough. I've just upped the meds to Adrenavive III and Metavive IV thinking I need more to give me energy. That was 3 days ago, but today I feel a bit more odd than usual - a bit floaty and weak. Dr P is no longer around, so I'm just making stuff up as I go along... and I'm not sure I'm doing a good job.

When I felt a bit better in Feb I think I was eating better. Now I have no energy to cook.

I'm really confused by it all, TBH.

SeasideSusie profile image
SeasideSusieRemembering in reply toNico101

Nico

Are you aware that Adrenavive l and Adrenavive lll are different supplements? Adrenavive lll isn't a stronger version of Adrenavive l.

Adrenavive l is the whole adrenal gland containing the medulla and cortex.

Adrenavive ll and lll are cortex only, with lll being twice the strength of ll.

If you are going to do a 24 hour saliva adrenal test, make sure you do one that tests cortisol plus DHEA not just cortisol alone. Regenerus and Genova Diagnostics both do the cortisol plus DHEA

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

Medichecks and Blue Horizon don't include DHEA.

Nico101 profile image
Nico101 in reply toSeasideSusie

OMG, no! I had no idea. I thought it more convenient than taking loads of separate pills. I assumed they were just increasing strengths of the same thing. Is there a huge difference between the two types?

Nico101 profile image
Nico101 in reply toSeasideSusie

I'm so glad you said this -it has to by why I feel so weird. I've been weepy and depressed today, too, and that is not me at all.

SeasideSusie profile image
SeasideSusieRemembering in reply toNico101

Well, the difference is that one is cortex only and one is the whole gland. Some of us do well with the cortex only, some of us need the whole gland.

I was using Adrenavive cortex only for almost a year, retesting every 3-4 months, and my results were very hit and miss, a bit of an improvement, then back to square one or even worse. Then the supplement disappeared for a while and when it was back in stock the price had shot up from about £36 to £50.

While it was out of stock I couldn't find an alternative of the same strength. I decided to try a whole glandular of a different brand. After 3 months on the whole glandular I retested and my results have improved across the board. So it would seem that the whole glandular does more for me than the cortex only so I will stick with it.

Nico101 profile image
Nico101 in reply toSeasideSusie

May I ask what you now use? I've taken quite a hit with my recent purchase and a cheaper product would be useful. It seems obvious I am better on the whole gland if today is anything to go by.

SeasideSusie profile image
SeasideSusieRemembering in reply toNico101

I'm using Nutricology

amazon.co.uk/Nutricology-Ad...

Amazon mess about with their prices a lot, I paid £18 on Thursday of last week, my first ever bottle was £27 so it's a pretty good price at the moment.

Nico101 profile image
Nico101 in reply toSeasideSusie

Thank you for all the advice. I would never have realised the difference between the Adrenavive's had you not said. You're very kind to spend all that time replying to my questions.

I've saved the Nutricology to my Amazon account for later. I have lots of Adrenavive I left - over a full bottle - so I'll go back to that for now. I guess I'll have to chalk up buying Adrenavive III to ignorance/desperation and ask on here first before making any drastic changes to my regimen.

I think I may try 2 Adrenavive I with breakfast and another one at lunchtime and see if that makes a difference. Hopefully someone else can advise on the Metavive IV (I hope I haven't chucked that money down the drain, too!).

I really don't understand the T3 thing. I think I may need to see the endo and get some tests done (I'll ask for tests recommended on here) before I try and make changes there.

Dr P did seem to think my probs were adrenal based with the thyroid probs resulting from that. It's all a bit of a minefield, isn't it? Thank goodness for this site.

Nico101 profile image
Nico101 in reply toSeasideSusie

Just ordered some - still £18. Fingers crossed it works well for me.

Natalie55 profile image
Natalie55 in reply toSeasideSusie

Did you stop adrenavive before the test? I also would like to do the test but my scared to stop the adrenavive

SeasideSusie profile image
SeasideSusieRemembering in reply toNatalie55

Natalie55

I asked Regenerus about this, told them what adrenal support I was taking plus progesterone cream, their reply was

The items you mentioned will not effect the results.

Your samples will record your current levels of Cortisol and DHEA as they stand with any supplementation you are taking.

So if you want to know what your Adrenavive is doing to your results I would continue as normal but their instructions say

Don't take any supplements until after you have collected all four samples

so I leave everything off on the day of collection, then resume them all the next day. The results of the test will tell you if what you are taking is enough, too much, etc, so you can then decide if you need to change anything.

Nico101 profile image
Nico101 in reply toNatalie55

I did. I felt awful within days. Migraines every day ranging from medium to severe. Then I had to wait an extra 2 weeks after restarting Adrenavive to take my Metavive (since that's how Dr P started me on these meds and I couldn't reach him).

Nico101 profile image
Nico101

Can I ask why you changed to a different brand and if you find it better than Adrenavive?

SeasideSusie profile image
SeasideSusieRemembering in reply toNico101

I changed brand because of Adrenavive being unavailable.

I can't compare them because I never tried Adrenavive l - the whole glandular, I only used the cortex - Adrenavive ll and lll.

The new brand supplement is whole glandular and my results after 3 months on it are my best ever, still a long way to go but it seems to be more promising than the results I was getting with the Adrenavive cortex supplement

Nico101 profile image
Nico101 in reply toSeasideSusie

I've gone back on the whole gland Adrenavive and feel better for it. But I think my may try your one since it's cheaper and I'm sure I read there's an offer on it at the moment.

SeasideSusie profile image
SeasideSusieRemembering in reply toNico101

I didn't try whole gland Adrenavive so can't compare it with Nutricology. I've bought 3 months worth from Amazon as it's currently at £18 per bottle, the first bottle I bought was about £27.

Nico101 profile image
Nico101 in reply toSeasideSusie

I think I'll try it first then try and get more - said there is only 6 bottles left and I just bought 1!

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