Does anyone know if hydrosortisone or prednisone will make a affect thyroid blood tests

[Angel54]

Hi everyone,

I have beeen advised to take hydrocortisone or prednisone for really low adrenals. I wonder will this make a difference to thyroid blood tests ie TSH FT4 or FT3. Could anyone help with this please?

[donna]

hi l take dhea/pregnenalone..l ased my Dr (private wether l would do better on hydracortisone or prednisone..

his reply ( as l have been reacting to lots of meds)and still unwell

if pregnenalone is a riffle

hydrocortisone a bazooka

and prednisalone an atomic intercontinental missile...l am not opposed to trying hydracotisone but for prednisalone you need to find another prescriber..

SO l know people take it...but l thought l would pass this gem on! he isnt reknowned for humor..

good luck!.

[Chippysue in reply to donna]

Donna - sorry I have read this a few times and don't understand it.

would you mind repeating what your Dr said? don't want to sound dim but are you talking about 3 different drugs here?

Angel, is this a doctor that has advised you?

[donna in reply to donna]

sorry ! no l am not taking three drugs.l take dhea and pregnenalone.l had asked my dr as lm reacting LOTs to these and other meds( terrible sweats hypo/hyper.. when l take them lm ill and end up hyper in two days and when l dont l feel ill and SO low) as l had heard on the blog, of other people taking hydracortisone,and prednisalone ,,when l emailed him telling him what was going on with me and how like s,,, l felt l asked his opinion on trying something else ..and in the 1st blog that is exactly his email back to me...

he is saying in other words if you imagine the pregnenalone has the power of a rifel and the hydracortisone a power of a bazooka gun....the prednisone has the power of the missile.....so very strong...

to add to this l saw Dr peatfield today..he said that the pregnenalone was not sufficient suppoet for my adrenals and l was toxic ( hence the sweats and not tollerating any doses of tablets without going hyper) for me and suggested that hydrcortisone might be the way forward when l see my other dr... l will blog about my visit to dr peatfield AND my gp visit tomorrow to exhausted tonight !

[helvella Administrator]

I don't believe that steroids will directly affect thyroid test results. That is, they will not interfere with the test itself.

But as your adrenals are so low you may not be able to fully utilise the thyroid hormones - whether made in your thyroid or taken as tablets. As the steroids have their effects you might find that your ability to utilise thyroid hormones also changes and this would have an effect on the test results.

All the best

Rod

[Angel54 in reply to helvella]

Hi Rod,

Thanks for answering that, Dr Peatfield looked at my adrenal saliva test and said that i do need them as they are really low, so yes maybe down the line i may be able to use levothyroxine better. last test i had was

TSH 11.9 ref range 0.4-4.0

FT4 15.3 ref range 12.0-22.0

FT3 4.2 ref range 3.0-6.2

They are from private Dr i see in Lancs whilst on 150mcg levothyroxine so now im on 175mcg so will wait to see if i have any improvements . I understand now since joining here that i need to get FT4 to the top of the range and then hopefully my symptoms will reduce.

Thanks again Rod and Best Wishes

[helvella Administrator in reply to helvella]

Can I just check that you are taking the thyroxine well away from food, drinks (other than water) and other medicines/supplements? All too many people have had increasing doses without the expected benefits because of interactions.

All the best

Rod

[Angel54 in reply to helvella]

Hi Rod,

I take levothyroxine about 6am about an hour before i have breakfast, i then take vitamin C 2000. I take CoQ10 100 Dr Peatfield advised me to take them. I also take Vit B12 sublingually as the receptionist at my nhs GP said it was low but GP said it wasnt a problem but i thought it would make sense to supplement with it. Then halfway through the day i take Vitamin C 1000 Is an hour long enough to wait ?

Best wishes

Angel