hydrocortisone

[pudsy]

Adrenals low. Starting on hydrocortisone 10mg.

Does hydrocortisone help kick start the adrenals - very afraid and confused.

Thank you

[greygoose]

No, it doesn't kick start the adrenals, you can't do that. Why are you taking it? Do you have adrenal fatigue or adrenal insufficiency? Has it been prescribed by a doctor?

[pudsy in reply to greygoose]

adrenal fatigue, yes it will be prescribed by a Dr. Suffering horribly- fatigue, thyroid etc Thank you greygoose.

[greygoose in reply to pudsy]

OK, so what it does is give your adrenals a helping hand during their busiest time of the day: early morning - you should never take it after 1 pm, then allow the adrenals to work for themselves for the rest of the day. This gives the adrenals a rest and allows them to recover.

However, a lot of doctors think that you have to take it in small doses throughout the day to mimic the action of the adrenals. If you do that, the adrenals will shut down. And once they shut down, they won't start working again. They need to be allowed to continue working in the pm if you ever want to be able to wean yourself of the HC eventually. But if you take it correctly, it's nothing to be afraid of. I took it for a couple of years until my adrenals recovered sufficiently to wean myself off it.

[pudsy in reply to greygoose]

Thank you so much for your reply Greygoose - you are very kind.

[greygoose in reply to pudsy]

You're welcome.

[pudsy in reply to greygoose]

I’m not great with technology- is it possible to send you a private message please.

[greygoose in reply to pudsy]

You can, if you wish. Just click on my name.

[pudsy in reply to greygoose]

Thank you - I think I managed to send you a private message. You are very helpful.

[1eskimo in reply to greygoose]

Hi greygoose , so if you take it morning it does not prevent your adrenals to work, but if you take it through the day it shuts down your adrenals? Why is it like this? I take some hydrocortisone (2,5, very little) in the middle of morning since few days and even if it is little dose it really helps me through the day, and I was wondering if I could add a bit at noon without harm. But it seems it is not a good idea.

[greygoose in reply to 1eskimo]

The adrenals have their busiest time first thing in the morning, producing the highest level of cortisol of the day to get you out of bed and active. Taking HC at that time just lightens their load a little, but doesn't stop them working.

In the afternoon and evening, they produce much less because you don't need as much. So, if you continue to take HC after 1 pm, they will stop producing cortisol altogether, because the body just doesn't need that much. And if they once stop producing it, they can't start again. That's what I was told by the hormone specialist I saw, and I'm inclined to believe him because he took it himself for adrenal fatigue.

Why are you taking HC? Was your cortisol very low around 8 am? And why the middle of the morning? It's best taken first thing.

[1eskimo in reply to greygoose]

My cortisol is too high when waking up around 6 to 7 AM but crashes down over the day. So I feel better with 2,5 around 9 or 10 AM and really really great all day when adding 2,5 at 1PM but then don’t sleep at night.

[greygoose in reply to 1eskimo]

If you don't sleep at night, then your cortisol is probably too high at that point. So, perhaps not a good idea to taking it at 1 pm.

You've done a 24 hours saliva cortisol test, then? If I were you, I'd start a new thread asking about all that, giving the results of your saliva test so that we can see exactly what you're talking about. That way, you'll get a variety of comments and opinions.

[ainslie in reply to greygoose]

I’m on 7.5 at say 9am or 10 am, 5mg at say 1pm and 2.5mg at 4-5pm, since 2008, suggested by Hertoghe and then Peatfield, Hertoghe believes 8am and noon then nothing but Peatfield and a few others reckoned we need some every 4 hours hence 4pm etc. I wondered about trying to come off altogether as I wonder if it does me any good, always fatigued, do we reckon it’s possible to come off if been on this regime for so long. Hertoghe takes 30mg first thing in the morning and that’s it,seems a bit unusual.

[DubStar in reply to ainslie]

Hi, I was put on hydrocortisone by Dr Peatfield in 1999. I took 20 mg in 2 divided doses at 9am and 5pm for over 20 years.I weaned myself off by reducing my dose by a tiny amount every 3 weeks every other day.

It took over a year.

This helped me come off it completely without crashing.

I have severe chronic fatigue syndrome and my adrenals aren't great so I now use adrenal glandulars.

I didn't test my adrenals after coming off hydrocortisone but didn't feel any worse once I had come off it. So it is possible.

I had the help of a functional Dr (she's now retired)

It really depends what the problem is with your adrenal glands in the first place as to whether you can come off it and it's worth finding someone who can support you.

[Eton in reply to DubStar]

Hi Dubstar can I ask what adrenal glandular you use and how effective you find it please. I have low cortisol and would like to try a glandular in an attempt to feel better. Thank you

[DubStar in reply to Eton]

Hi, I use SFI Health Adrenal Cortex x120 250mg from Welzo. I have one 9am and one at 1pm.

I think they help.

I have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome so often hard to tell what's working and what isn't!

Probably best to try and see.

SFI ADRENAL CORT

[Eton in reply to DubStar]

Thank you so much. I will follow up. Anything is worth a try!

[greygoose in reply to ainslie]

Well, it all depends on your diagnosis. Were you diagnosed with Adrenal Fatigue or Adrenal Insufficiency? If it's Adrenal Fatigue then Hertoghe was right. And the way he takes it himself is not at all unusual for Adrenal Fatigue. He's just giving his adrenals a helping hand at their busiest time.

[ScriptMaz]

I was the same. After a short synacthen test I was told my cortisol levels were low. I got prescribed hydrocortisone 10mg in the morning and 5mg at lunchtime. To be honest it didn’t make me feel any better. It has made me itch constantly so I’m being weaned off it so just look out for that. It’s taken me 9 months to realise this as normally people get prescribed steroid treatment for itchy skin. This is the reason why I suffered so long. My endocrinologist said I was the first person he has seen with this issue

[Dino40]

Adrenal Fatigue is not a recognised condition in the UK.

It would be secondary adrenal insuffciency or tertiary adrenal insuffciency diagnosed by a before 9am cortisol test.

Secondary or tertiary adrenal insuffciency has a pituitary cause usually caused by long term steroids say for asthma or arthritis.

There is an autoimmune primary version as well called Addison's Disease.

It is diagnosed by a blood draw before 9am measuring your cortisol levels. The saliva tests you see around are only accurate for too much cortisol except there are trials taking place in Sheffield to see if salvia tests with the right lab equipment could measure low levels of cortisol.

It's a very individualistic thing as to when you take it. Endocrinologists don't always like to follow what is known as the circadian rhythm of your natural cortisol levels however this can work better for some and stop night time wakenings such as the 4am natural complete drop in cortisol.

Usually if your cortisol is low then they do another blood test called an SST (short sythen test) to see how your body reacts to basically being artifically stimulated.

pituitary.org.uk/informatio...

Depending on that result they can take things from there.

If they're hoping your adrenals will improve and they haven't atrophied they will wean you off slowly to see if they recover.

What was your cortisol levels in the morning?