Cortisol saliva test, my results....

[joey82]

Hi,

I can't seem to post my results on picture format so I will write them down, and advice you kind people have would be welcome. I have ordered Bovine adrenal glandular & pregnenolone from Dr Myhills web site. I have just started taking Aswagandha in the last week twice a day. I would like to improve my adrenal function as I think it is keeping me quite unwell.

Unfortuantley the test result didn't post the times, but I do remember the testing times for the first two tests (CAR).

Cortisol 1, 0600hrs: 3.7 mol/L (range 3.0 - 16.0)

Cortisol 2, 0630hrs: 7.3nmol/L (range 9.0 - 26.0)

Cortisol 3 : 4.0 nmol/L (range 5.0 -19.0)

Cortisol 4: 1.6 nmol/L (range 3.0 - 9.0)

Cortisol 5: 0.3 nmol/L (range 0.5 - 4.0)

Cortisol daily total: 16.8 nmol/L (range 20.5 - 74.0)

DHEA am: 0.48 nmol/L (range 0.20 - 1.67)

DHEA pm: 0.38 mol/L (range 0.17 - 0.91)

My last dose and first dose of the day of T3 has major impacts on the way I feel. Test taken with CNS labs.

Thank you as always, Joe

[TiggerMe Ambassador]

You are able to add only one photo per reply if you need to add more than the one in the header.

Those results are much like mine used to be, along with the reasonable SST, you are seeing a thyroid specialist now are they also guiding you with regard to adrenals? I too started with adrenal cortex (thou didn't really suit my digestion once you up the number) and found a smear of 1% hydrocortisone cream worked a treat for about an hour so then swapped to 5mg hydrocortisone tablet for a good 8 months along with DHEA which I still take with a morning adrenal glandular

I did this off my own back after lots of reading around the subject🙃I'd be wary of ashwaganda as it can work either way and you won't know till you try it what it does for you

[joey82 in reply to TiggerMe]

The results are in PDF so I can't post unfortunately and the summary is 5 pages long so it's a but unwieldily to post on here. My new specialist has given me an adaptogen (Fushi Brahmi) and another adaptogen called HPA - JA and I think it comes in fluid form.

I think he is starting small before going onto more aggressive from of adrenal medications. I have only had 1 appointment.

I didn't think his prescription would arrive before Christmas and in fear I was going to right off another Christmas through feeling rubbish, so I ordered the products on Dr Myhill's site. I was going to try a small dose over the Christmas - new year period to see if there any improvements.

Can DHEA & hydrocortisone only be prescribed by a practitioner?

Yes I've heard this of aswagandha. I will just see how we go...

What do you mean by SST?

I would early love to open my eyes in the morning and not feel like death warmed up!

[TiggerMe Ambassador in reply to joey82]

Oh thanks, I shall have to research those...

Yes, DHEA and hydrocortisone are prescription only over here, you can buy the 1% hydrocortisone cream over the counter if you want to give it a try, my NHS endo utterly poo pooed the idea that it could have any effect but it got me through a ridiculous meeting with her and I had enough in the tank to drive home!

What are your latest thyroid test results like?

Sorry forgot... SST short synacthen test

[joey82]

Ok, I will stick to the adrenal glandular & pregnonlone for the moment.

TSH: 0.01 (0.27 - 4.20)

FT4: 9.9 ( 12.0 - 22.0)

FT3: 6.0 (3.1 - 6.8)

Blood cortisol: 364.0 (73. 8 - 507)

Magnesium: 0.8 (0.7 - 1.0)

Last T3 dose 17hrs before draw.

Have you tried meditating to help the adrenals? I have had small success with helping with stress, but have not done it for weeks, I just don't ever feel like doing it! But lots of people think it is good for adrenal function.

I am going to read Dr Peatfields chapter of his book tonight, the adrenal connection just to refresh my memory. Some of his advice coincides with Dr Myhills....

[TiggerMe Ambassador in reply to joey82]

Do you not like your fT4 higher? fT3 result 17 hours after last dose is a false lowered reading, are you just on a single dose?

Free T4 (fT4) 9.9 pmol/L (12 - 22) -21.0%

Free T3 (fT3) 6 pmol/L (3.1 - 6.8) 78.4%

T4:T3 Ratio 1.650 

Have you in the past tried to get both to around 70% which works as a good starting point for many? Too much T3 could be adding to your cortisol issues and without enough cortisol won't be able to get to your cells

I'm not much for meditation but have many mindful moments and generally avoid stress, also get to bed early and get plenty of Vit C and salt

[joey82 in reply to TiggerMe]

Yes I would like to add more T4 in but,Back in the summer I was on 45t3 & 75t4 (3 doses of t3) and things were starting to look good.

Encouraged by this I thought of going to 35t3 and 100t4 as I've always converted the t4 okish. This failed and made me quite unwell. I've tried going back to 75t4 & 45t3 but it's been a bit of a nightmare. This is when I took the cortisol saliva test.

I've read from a couple of sources poor adrenal function can inhibit conversion of t4 to t3.

I currently take 20t3 at 6am, 17.5 at 2pm and 7.5 at 10:30 am. T4 taken at 6am with the t3.

[TiggerMe Ambassador in reply to joey82]

I'm thinking it's the sums that are causing the issue 25mcg of T4 wouldn't fully replace 10mcg T3

T4 is less well absorbed and only a % is converted to fT3 where as T3 is generally well absorbed and ready for action and considered 3-4 times stronger than T4 though obviously that's like comparing apple and pears

If you previously converted T4 well how have you ended up on a T3 heavy regime?

I'm guessing that to get your fT4 around 70% you'd need to add 25mcg let it settle for 6 weeks then add another 25mcg test and repeat, though changing two things at once isn't a great idea dropping your T3 by no more the 5mcg at a time to see if you can get back to a more normal ratio which could look something like 150mcg T4 and 15-20mcg T3, have you ever been on this kind of ratio?

I'll have a look back through your history to see if I can gather some more clues

[joey82 in reply to TiggerMe]

I'll get back to you later tigger, I've just got to the gym but you have some good points.

[TiggerMe Ambassador in reply to joey82]

Looking back a couple of years your levels looked pretty good on 150mcg T4 and 10mcg T3, though at the time you were battling with other issues, 175mcg put you too high... healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

[joey82]

I felt horrendous on 150/10, bad tinnitus as well. After this I went onto 175 levo only and things settled somewhat. 6-8 weeks after going up to 175 levo my endo suggested trying 10mcg t3 added in. I felt awful. Bad RT3 I think. This is when I write that post.

I think you are correct on the swapping 25mcg for 10t3, it never occured to me but yes I think you are correct.

You are right, my t3/t4 ratio isn't great, but I have tried adding in levo taking me to 100/45 (FMP's suggestion)and I felt really rough, bad mental health as well. I honestly think my low cortisol is holding me back from adding in more t4 and reducing my t3. I think I have been battling low cortisol ever since I started to experience hypo symptoms, and not addressing this has left me unwell for to long.

When ever I try to change outside my current dose 75/45 I become even more unwell, so I am little hesitant to make another change. I would like to address my adrenal issues 1st.

Back in summer 2022 i was on 100/20 and felt really good. But I didn't know anything then. I took the t3 dose once when I got up. This worked well for around 3 months, but I started feeling rough in the mornings, then one day, bang I got up and felt awful. Ever since that day I have tried and tried to get well, but it's been a tough journey. Going back to combo therapy last year didn't really work. I am sure taking one dose of t3 per day messed up my adrenal function, and until I sort that i don't think I will ever get well.

I hope sorting my adrenals will allow me to adjust my t4/t3 ratio and I can be on a more sensible dose. My adrenal glandular and pregnenolone turned up today so we will see how that goes.

hope you are well.

[TiggerMe Ambassador in reply to joey82]

Tinnitus could be due to low Vit D (which was low at the time) and or B12?

[joey82]

I have the B12 injections and I currently use the Vet D mouth spray, 4000iu's per spray. I am using 2 sprays per day as it's winter. I am having my levels checked 5th Jan.

Last b12 count was 1103 pmol/L (range 145 - 569). next jab is in feb.

I don't really know what is causing the tinnitus. I am just glad it's much better than when I first had it. On my bad days it's an annoyance, some days I don't get it at all.