Need help please. Cortisol test results. I am really shocked tbh. I thought my cortisol would be on the floor with how I’ve been feeling lately. I don’t have any stressors I can currently remove. This is against a background of upping levothyroxine to 100ug over three months ago. Then a few weeks ago I crashed in spite of resting from work. I thought it was cos my adrenals crashed. But seems like they’re at it like crazy. What shall I do? I have Thorne adrenal cortex to try. I thought this is for low cortisol but I’ve noticed people take it for both?? As in perhaps it gives own adrenals a rest?? Please don’t tell me to mediate more etc. That will just stress me more as I try my best to be as calm as I can be in an awful life situation 🙏🏻. Can this high cortisol be the reason I crashed?? I thought I should feel energetic. Wired. I’ve done my thyroid test so waiting for that. I’m sure I’m not over medicated as my temp readings are up and down but around normal. Not entirely sure what to make of all this. Quite gutted really because I expected low cortisol to be the answer for feeling suddenly worse after feeling the best I have for two years. I am so shocked it is almost double of normal in the mornings. I feel like shit first things. Mornings are my absolute worst. I thought it would be very little. Should I take the adrenal gland? I’ve just spent a ton of money on other supplements so can’t buy any more stuff. Thank you 🙏🏻
Saliva cortisol test results please help - Thyroid UK
Saliva cortisol test results please help
hey agyk, I had similar results to you about 3 years ago, with high cortisol you can feel extremely fatigued, you can have insomnia, fast pulse, a feeling of a total crash.
I personally would not take any adrenal meds, but that is me, I dont believe in them.
Hypothyroid patients often can have high cortisol, when not treated properly as your body runs on adrenaline. Also, when you raise your meds too fast , this can also cause high cortisol.
I assume that you didn't have any sugary drinks or coffee, or even dark chocolate (caffeine) hours prior to this test?
Do you have any previous thyroid results? Were you put straight onto 100 mcg levo 3 months ago?
Edit: read your other posts quickly. I see you were gradually increasing. You felt improvement and then ups and downs and decline again. For me this is normal and screams for an increase. Your results were very low on 50 mcg. I suspect you still have a good bit to go. I personally think you should not wait 3 months for bloods, when I was very ill I was going for bloods every 4-6 weeks on levo.
I went from 50ug to 75 only for a few days and then straight up to 100ug. I am super curious what my latest thyroid results will be. I know adrenals can’t cope with the thyroid hormones that’s why they’ve gone nuts but not entirely sure what to do about it. Increasing Levo will only stress my adrenals more. I read that one should always take adrenal support with thyroid. Otherwise I don’t know what to do.
That increase then might have been a bit too quick, I had same reactions on an increase. My experience is that adrenals eventually settle on their own, but if your thyroid dose is still too low for you, you may have crashes and adrenaline rushes as you don't have enough hormone to keep you going.
Re taking adrenal support with meds, this depends on a situation and if you had very low cortisol. I have never taken it personally and I was practically bedbound for 2 months and got out of it eventually. If I raised my meds from 50 to 100 straightaway I would feel very sick. I think we need to see your thyroid results to have a full picture.
I have read a bit of your history, my doctors thought I had post viral fatigue, MS, ME, CFS, lymphoma...it was all hypothyroidism.
I read that one should always take adrenal support with thyroid.
Adrenal support doesn't have to be adrenal cortex or whole adrenal supplements. It can be just vitamins and minerals e.g. B Complex, vitamin C and magnesium for a start, but there are several others you might need. For good adrenal health you also need good levels of sodium (salt) and potassium.
See the following link for other suggestions :
adrenalfatiguesolution.com/...
Please don't assume that you need all the supplements listed in the above link. Always check several other sources for information on benefits, warning and dangers of any supplements. One I would suggest you should be wary of is licorice - it can raise blood pressure quite dramatically.
The one I've been taking that has helped me the most is Holy Basil. But it doesn't suit everyone.
healthmonthly.co.uk/swanson...
Good luck.
I can't clearly see your results but they are very high & warrant further investigations, it could be that you have Cushing's syndrome. Have you been on long term steroids? Symptoms of Cushing's can be weight gain especially around your tummy, easy bruising, insomnia, thin skin, stretch marks, hair thinning but with excess facial hair. It can be caused by a benign tumour on either the pituitary or adrenal gland. I would show your GP these results & ask him to do an early morning blood cortisol & a 24 hour urine test. Have a look on the Pituitary Foundation's website for more information. If you are on Facebook then you could join the Cushing's UK group for help & advice. Please don't ignore it or take any adrenal support until you have been further investigated.
Isn’t raised cortisol a result of a fast levo increase? I don’t have symptoms of cushings...
Not necessarily, your cortisol is rather high.
It may be, I had this problem 3 years ago, cushings was ruled out, serum cortisol normal, salivary cortisol through the roof on 4 readings, all of it because they took me off all my thyroid meds and then increased them abruptly. But then, everyone is different...
I took adrenal supplements with over the range cortisol several years ago. I wouldn't recommend it. It made me jittery, anxious, irritable, angry and (almost) homicidal.
That was also my understanding humanbean
Haha you were right, you must have a crystal ball 
Cortisol is tricky, but to be completely honest...and I won't be popular with my beliefs. I don't believe in adaptogens (tried several for high cortisol years ago and they did nothing...), adrenal support can be stimulating so I was steering clear of it. Both low and high salivary cortisol can be signs of hypothyroidism, recovery of being hypo, low progesterone, stress, infections....so many things it blows my mind Also, I was reading reasearch showing that DHEA from saliva is completely inaccurate and needs to be blood serum, even is salivary cortisol is tested. So I think it is important to know why cortisol is abnormal to be able to treat it if that makes sense.
Just realised I said it backwards high cortisol depleats progesterone via pregnenolone steal, which is a precursor.
Aaaah! I hate that word "balance". I give my reasons in this thread :
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
I think "balance" is a meaningless weasel word.
Have you tried DHEA? Have you tested it?
I'm afraid it's something I know nothing about, so I can't really comment.
I also ca not t see the results very well I can just see the red lines are higher on the left, maybe you could take two photos instead as unable to see much the way it is now it's just too small
I agree with what PaulineS says, If your cortisol is that high presuming you have not had any steroids etc, I would go to the GP and ask for a serum cortisol test and 24hr cortisol urine test for Cushing's, but check out the cushings pages PaulineS suggests as they will know much more... You can show your GP the Saliva test but they will probably not take much notice as they are not taught saliva tests so many wont know what they mean.. if you have symptom's of Cushing especially weight gain in middle, skinny arms and legs, maybe a buffalo hump on back and stretch marks on tummy it will no doubt be Cushings..
I really would not mess around with cortisol or hormones unless you have tests for all hormones and deal with the ones that our out of range.
Hormone work together and if one is out they tend to knock others out, you will need a hormone specialist if GP doesn't understand them or sent to an Endocrinologist.. you could go on the pituitary foundation uk web page they have a telephone helpline everyone who has answered me has bent over backwards to help me they are brilliant so worth giving them a call. They also have a proper endocrine nurse that will answer any questions.
All I can say is unless you understand how hormones work I would suggest you dont play around remember everyone is different and what works for one may make you unwell..
But definitly go to GP get a serum cortisol and if they will give you a cortisol 24hr urine test...
I suggest you get tested for Cushings you don’t necessarily have to have every symptom everyone is different but high cortisol is a good indicator good luck
I don't mean to hijack your post, just wanted to say that when I was going through an early menopause (just 40) 24 years ago, I took wild yam to help with low progesterone/oestrogen dominance. I also took black cohosh and agnus castus. Amazingly, I had no night sweats and hardly any hot flushes.
I hope you feel better soon.
As you know my mother died of breast cancer in her 40s and I have never taken hormone replacement except when my consultant decided I needed the mirena coil which I had removed after 15 months 10 years ago. I do worry that I should be taking something but my aunt has never taken anything either and she had a hysterectomy when she was 40. She is now 71 and has arthritis which my grandmother also suffered with. Do you think I should be taking some kind of supplement? I don't feel ill or have any symptoms like hot flushes etc.
Wild yam won't do anything for progesterone as it can't be converted in the body. Only natural progesterone will raise your levels.
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