High cortisol

[MiniMum97]

Hi

Does anyone know anything about cortisol? I had a BH blood test to use up in December which happened to test cortisol. It unexpectedly came back high - . 678.0 (6am - 10am 113 - 456 nmol/L).

I will pass this onto my endocrinologist but just wondered if anyone knew what this meant as I know very little about cortisol. Googling just brings up Cushings but the symptoms don't fit. I was a little stressed (not massively but I had rushed to the early morning appt, I hadn't slept very well the night before, and I am slightly on edge being out near anyone else these days!). Could this have caused it?

Is it particularly high for cortisol, or do people see levels much higher when there's something more serious going on? How high is high?

Is high cortisol linked in any way with an underactive thyroid as I my levels are on the low side at the moment (am on watch and wait with endo as have recently come out of an overactive period - I have Graves' with periods of being under and then over active).

Many thanks

[SlowDragon Administrator]

High cortisol is common when thyroid hormones are low. Adrenal hormones try to compensate for lack of thyroid hormones

[MiniMum97 in reply to SlowDragon]

Ok thank you that’s interesting.

[Salphy]

My cortisol is 645 and was 616 6 months ago. I'm considered borderline but could very well be normal. Especially if it was done first thing in the morning as that's when it's at it's highest and drops through the day.

I am starting testing for cushings because I have symptoms and raised prolactin too but my thyroid is stable and managed with t4 + t3.

My endo said a cortisol level around 600 is normal for a lot of people.

If you don't have any symptoms I would wait and retest when you're less stressed

[Hidden]

It is relatively on the high side, I'm not sure what a BH blood test is but it might be worth asking your GP to do an early morning blood cortisol to check it again, he can also do a 24 hour urine test for cortisol. You can have high cortisol if your thyroid is not working as well as it should, so it would be good to get these checked out as well. Another reason could be if you have been on long term steroids, the oestrogen contraceptive pill & HRT can also give elevated results too; as can severe depression & alcoholism. With Cushing's you don't have to have all of the symptoms either. but it is worth following it up.

[kiefer]

Insomnia can cause high levels of cortisol for up to 24 hours. Being tested following a night of normal sleep might show a different result.

Rushing to your appointment could result in a rise in cortisol. The "perception" of stress doesn't give an accurate account of the amount of cortisol produced, as a study done on ER nurses who reported having no stress while on duty were determined to have elevated cortisol levels.

High cortisol levels have a direct impact on thyroid function, as cortisol lowers the conversion of T4 to T3 and increases the level of Reverse T3.

There was a study done that showed people with a TSH over 2.0 tended to have elevated cortisol levels.

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

[MiniMum97 in reply to kiefer]

Very interesting thank you.

My TSH was over 2 when tested. It’s steadily creeping up (as I expected it would).

[jrbarnes]

I ordered a saliva cortisol test and it came back mid range in mornings, high at 5pm and high-normal at 11pm. The problem is connected to my low T3 levels.

[MiniMum97 in reply to jrbarnes]

That’s interesting. My FT3 was just below range. So maybe the high cortisol is due to this. I will mull all of this but am minded to wait to retest the cortisol when my thyroid hormones have stabilised.

[jrbarnes in reply to MiniMum97]

Do you wake up early in the mornings perhaps with feelings of a pounding heart? Have trouble staying asleep or falling back asleep?

[MiniMum97 in reply to jrbarnes]

No never! I have always had trouble going to sleep and I need a LOT of sleep. I also sleep procrastinate on top of this but I have ADHD so sleep issues like this are common. Once I am asleep though I generally stay asleep and unless I am working I rarely see the morning 😊

I have for about a year though had problems with a prominent heartbeat - no cause found. Currently on beta blockers which helps. It’s there whatever my thyroid hormones are doing (ie high, low or optimal).

[jrbarnes in reply to MiniMum97]

I know it can affect everyone differently. I don't have trouble falling asleep but like clockwork I wake up 4-5 hours after falling asleep. If your T3 levels are under range it could be the cause of your high cortisol.