Hello All, I tested for low cortisol at noon and 4 pm and I think it’s dropping overnight and giving me adrenaline rushes. How do I treat this, especially night I’m so tired from waking at 4!am every night ? Thank you in advance
Saliva cortisol test
Waking 7:30 20.7 (6-21) (on one night I managed to sleep)
12pm 4.31 (1.5-7.6)
4pm 1.86 (0-5.5)
Bedtime <1.5
3:40 am 10 (12-55)
I wrote a lot of replies for another member with low cortisol - you may find it helpful for you:
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
If you want answers to your questions you are much more likely to get them if you give us the numbers and the reference ranges. It's almost impossible to answer with no data.
humanbean great information here and in other link you posted. I’d like to check my adrenal/cortisol function. Can you recommend a test? Thanks in advance
For a saliva cortisol test there are two good ones :
1) thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...
regeneruslabs.com/products/...
2) thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...
gdx.net/uk/product/adrenal-...
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Personally I would use the first one because Regenerus Labs will deal directly with the public. Genova Diagnostics won't, and there is a bit of a palaver involved in getting your results because they use Thyroid UK as a middleman.
Thank you, I’m currently taking 3 ACE noon and 3 4 pm, and 2x adrenal cocktails per day. what do you suggest for overnight ? I’m still dying and raising t3 on 100 mcg currently
Is that a typo
T3 dose at 100mcg?
Are you currently taking levothyroxine as well
How much levothyroxine? And how long at that dose?
When did you start adding T3?
T3 should be started EXTREMELY slowly at just 5mcg
Typically dose of T3 alongside levothyroxine is 3 x 5mcg per day
Before considering adding T3 it’s always essential to get levothyroxine dose fine tuned and all four vitamins optimal
For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 plus both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested. Also EXTREMELY important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12
Low vitamin levels are extremely common, especially if you have autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto's) diagnosed by raised Thyroid antibodies
Do you have Hashimoto’s
Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and before eating or drinking anything other than water .
Last dose of Levothyroxine 24 hours prior to blood test. (taking delayed dose immediately after blood draw).
This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip)
If/when also on T3, make sure to take last third or quarter of daily dose 8-12 hours prior to test, even if this means adjusting time or splitting of dose day before test
Is this how you do your tests?
Private tests are available as NHS currently rarely tests Ft3 or thyroid antibodies or all relevant vitamins
List of private testing options
thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...
Medichecks Thyroid plus antibodies and vitamins
medichecks.com/products/adv...
Thriva Thyroid plus antibodies and vitamins By DIY fingerpick test
Thriva also offer just vitamin testing
Blue Horizon Thyroid Premium Gold includes antibodies, cortisol and vitamins by DIY fingerprick test
bluehorizonbloodtests.co.uk...
If you can get GP to test vitamins and antibodies then cheapest option for just TSH, FT4 and FT3
£29 (via NHS private service ) and 10% off if go on thyroid uk for code
thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...
monitormyhealth.org.uk/thyr...
Hi SlowDragon
No I’m 100mcg Tiromel t3 only. No t4 I was on it but I didn’t feel very well and have high RT3. I have a suspicion I have impaired resistance to thyroid hormone. Increasing 5 mcg every 5-10 days.
I am 5.9 (3.1-6.8 ) with hypo symptoms brain fog and insomnia the worst
Cortisol I am:
Morning optimal top of range
Noon bottom quarter range
4pm bottom eighth range
Night time bottom range
Over night below range
All vitamins optimal b12 folate iron and vit d.
I don’t have Hashimotos
Just wondering if there’s anything I can do about that nighttime low cortisol. I take ACE x 3 12 pm and 4 pm
So when did you start on T3
Bloods should be retested 6-8 weeks after starting on LOW Dose (20mcg as 2 or 3 divided doses) ....before even considering increasing
For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 plus both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested.
EXTREMELY important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12
Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and before eating or drinking anything other than water .
when on T3, make sure to take last third or quarter of daily dose 8-12 hours prior to test, even if this means adjusting time or splitting of dose day before test
Please add last test results
Reverse T3 can be caused by numerous issues, including low ferritin
Private tests are available as NHS currently rarely tests Ft3 or thyroid antibodies or all relevant vitamins
List of private testing options
thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...
Medichecks Thyroid plus antibodies and vitamins
medichecks.com/products/adv...
Thriva Thyroid plus antibodies and vitamins By DIY fingerpick test
Thriva also offer just vitamin testing
Blue Horizon Thyroid Premium Gold includes antibodies, cortisol and vitamins by DIY fingerprick test
bluehorizonbloodtests.co.uk...
If you can get GP to test vitamins and antibodies then cheapest option for just TSH, FT4 and FT3
£29 (via NHS private service ) and 10% off if go on thyroid uk for code
Please add actual results and ranges on vitamin levels
I switched from armour 1.5 grains so went on to 75 mcg over a few weeks then tested.
I am
Tsh 0.0027
T4 8 (12-22)
T3 5.9 (3.1 - 6.8h
No tpo or the other one
Folate 19.5 (3-20)
B12 >150
Vit d 90 (50- 175)
Iron 25 (5.8 - 35)
Ferritin 64 (13-150) then I supplemented iron for 6 weeks
I’m fine really it’s just the cortisol. And the brain fog still have
Thank you
Have you tried strictly gluten free diet?
Or had ultrasound scan of thyroid
20% of Hashimoto's patients never have raised antibodies
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
Paul Robson on atrophied thyroid - especially if no TPO antibodies
paulrobinsonthyroid.com/cou...
Other members who are on only T3 may pop along
I’m gluten sugar dairy alcohol free for months.
No I hadn’t thought of that, how do I go about getting a scan? My nhs gp doesn’t even know I have thyroid issues as they fobbed me off for years so I went private.
I think I have a pituitary issue, can I request a scan for that also?
Also, do you know how I deal with overnight low cortisol? Nobody seems to know 😂
Thank you
Private ultrasound scan about £150
I have details on London scan companies if you want to pm me
Pituitary would need MRI, guessing not cheap
What would a scan tell me ? Will it make a difference.
I was going to go to my go and request an mri on the basis of fatigue and thyroid medication. Not a ct?
I think it’s MRI .....can’t remember...long time since I had one ....you put your head in a large machine
Looking for pituitary tumour (almost always tiny and difficult to spot)
Ultrasound scan of thyroid shows Hashimoto’s if antibodies are negative, or atrophied thyroid, or small thyroid etc
Hi human bean, I added my cortisol test results. I’d be ever so grateful if you could make a suggestion on how to deal with my over night low to help me sleep or get back off to sleep. I’m awake 3-5am every night after 4 hours sleep and suffer badly with depression and exhaustion as a result
I take 3 x ACE Thorne at 12 pm and 4 pm
Thank you 😊
Liquorice root is the only thing that raises cortisol, and I have found the Vital brand the only one that works for me... I buy it from Dr. Michael Culp from the Natural Wellness Centre (in the Harley Street area) when I can afford to.. They have an online shop, but you may need to see him.. It is, an American brand... Taking phosphatidylserine supplements at night actually lowers cortisol, and so does drinking salted orange juice... I have found that taking coleus forskohli helps with balancing adrenalin, and I have bought mine from Piping Rock, as they are very reasonably priced...I have also been taking their melatonin, aas they are also reasonably priced, but two tablets or three, as they don't seem to be as strong as, some other brands... Sleep is very important!
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