Re: Advice for taking HC with a General Anasthetic in hospital? (UK)

[Guest guest]

I would tell them what you are taking. I would not take any chances at all -

you may be able to stop the HC but why take the chance if you are going under an

anesthetic?

Do you feel better for taking the HC and T3?

Chris

>

>

> I have also swapped 1 of the 25mcg T3 for 2grains Armour (they wont prescribe

Armour, but they are at least " tolerant " of it). The T3 side I think I can

handle, but I am concerned about the HC - I seem to be OK today on just the 10mg

HC, and will try 7.5 tomorrow, but wonder if I can realistically cut it down to

zero by next weds, or whether I should own up to the " physiological dose " of

10mg. just in case I have a problem under the anesthesia.

[Guest guest]

> Do you feel better for taking the HC and T3?

Absolutely! From last Dec to this Oct I have been better than I can remember -

it wasnt instantaneous, but when I added a reasonable dose of iron as well

things really began to improve. Then mid Oct I started the bleeding and here we

are Hopefully it will be a polyp or something they can easily rid of, because

I dread going through a hysterectomy and having to re-balance those hormones as

well

I am 54, btw

>

> I would tell them what you are taking. I would not take any chances at all -

you may be able to stop the HC but why take the chance if you are going under an

anesthetic?

>

> Do you feel better for taking the HC and T3?

>

[Guest guest]

well it sounds like you're doing the right things then if you are feeling

better!

please do tell the anaesthetist though - my opinion is that it's very important

they know about what you are taking in case there are any problems. if you are

self treating it's not like you have to worry about what your endo or gp say is

it.

>Hopefully it will be a polyp or something they can easily rid of, because I

dread going through a hysterectomy and having to re-balance those hormones as

well

fingers crossed.

chris

>

> > Do you feel better for taking the HC and T3?

>

> Absolutely! From last Dec to this Oct I have been better than I can remember -

it wasnt instantaneous, but when I added a reasonable dose of iron as well

things really began to improve. Then mid Oct I started the bleeding and here we

are Hopefully it will be a polyp or something they can easily rid of, because

I dread going through a hysterectomy and having to re-balance those hormones as

well

[Guest guest]

Alyson,

An operation will tax your adrenals, If you need cortisone, then this is the

one time you shouldn't be trying to reduce the dose.

When I told my dentist I was on HC he wasn't very happy about my self treating,

but none the less, said I must take a double dose on the day of a tooth

extraction.... Which I did and it helped massively.

I took HC for 2 years in all, I didn't force myself off it, just dropped when I

thought I could. Have been off it for about 4 months now and am fine.

Can't imagine how the HC you take would affect the anesthetic....... In fact

if you do a search on anesthesia and cortisone, you'll find articles which say

you may need more cortisone.... here is one:

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=-YI9P2DLe9UC & pg=PA1290 & lpg=PA1290 & dq=anesthes\

ia+and+hydrocortisone & source=bl & ots=ci_gghvbS3 & sig=xVprHY-vlnGTayVxLYH6A7ZtB6M & h\

l=en & sa=X & ei=_Sz1TvyhF4yA8gPfwcHVAQ & ved=0CC0Q6AEwAA#v=onepage & q=anesthesia%20and\

%20hydrocortisone & f=false

You dread the thought of a hysterectomy.... I had one aged 39. It was done as

a keyhole op, I was up and about next day and although I was a bit slow for 6

weeks, I was fine. In fact best thing I ever did, it solved all the problems.

I have only a 1cm scar on my stomach. They left the ovaries and I never took

HRT or anything until a couple of years ago when I started using progesterone

cream. (I'm 54).

Hope this helps

x

>

or whether I should own up to the " physiological dose " of 10mg. just in case I

have a problem under the anesthesia.

>

> I know that it is ludicrous that we have to resort to subterfuge, but I have

to find a work round for this situation as best I can!

>

> Many thanks for any suggestions

>

[Guest guest]

Thanks - I had a " funny turn " at the dentist 6 months ago - racing heart

and diziness after the injection, so I must mention this to the anesthetist I

guess,even tho I am on a lower dose of HC now. I had reduced it very easily from

25 to 15 over the past 3 months, with no apparent ill effects, so I think I will

come off it soon in any case.

My letter came today - it says to take BP and other pills at 6am on morning of

admission, but not Insulin and/or diabetic tablets (I am not diabetic).

I guess I take my T3 and 5 mg HC at 6 am then?

Thanks to all for the speedy advice

>

>

> Alyson,

>

> An operation will tax your adrenals, If you need cortisone, then this is the

one time you shouldn't be trying to reduce the dose.

>

> When I told my dentist I was on HC he wasn't very happy about my self

treating, but none the less, said I must take a double dose on the day of a

tooth extraction.... Which I did and it helped massively.

>

[Guest guest]

....If I tell them that I take 100mcg T3 and 20mg HC they will probably try and cart me off to the pysch ward.

The steps that I have taken over the past 3 months (knowing something was "up" )have been to (very slowly) reduce my HC from 25mg (6 months ago) to 15mg, andover past couple of days to 10mg.I have also swapped 1 of the 25mcg T3 for 2grains Armour (they wont prescribeArmour, but they are at least "tolerant" of it). The T3 side I think I can handle, but I am concerned about the HC ....

Hello Alyson,

Quite possibly you are worrying yourself sick over nothing. is right – if you need extra cortisol, then stressful times like having an op is not the time to reduce or wean off.

Look at it this way.... a perfectly healthy pair of adrenals would produce between about 50 and 200 mg of cortisol per day, in accordance with extra stress and the body's needs.... so your 20 mg of cortisol makes no difference one way or another... if anything, it helps.

When the anaesthetist comes to your bedside and asks if you take any medication – frankly – I would only own up to thyroid medication and say you take "Armour" and explain that it is a combination of T4 and T3.... in my experience most anaesthetists have never heard of it and they might ask you to how much of Levo this would equate. Just play dumb, and say that your thyroid figures are all in the normal range and that you feel fine. In my own experience the anaesthetists might be bemused, but since you have an established diagnosis of Hypothyroidism they will just accept it. I never had any problems with it. Just do not "look guilty"; be confident and look it.

The 10 or 20 mg of HC will not make any difference to the anaesthetic side of things... in any "normal" body under stress one would expect a higher cortisol output in times of stress.... so who is to know what you have taken or what your adrenals have produced? If anything, a physiological dose of HC will help with the stress.

Good luck,

[Guest guest]

Hi Alyson,

I live in the UK, Scotland, and last June I came clean to an endo, long story!,

that I was self medicating with 25mg HC.

He wasn't happy about it and said I had knackered my adrenals by doing this, I

disagreed of course, but since he now knew I was on HC for 2 years, he started

prescribing it for me on the NHS, as we all know I can't just stop HC cold

turkey as it could be fatal.

You never know, just don't tell them your full dosage. He asked me to cut to

20mg as he believed 25mg was too much. So maybe you could tell them your dosing

20mg??

Jean

Sent from my iPad

[Guest guest]

BTW Alyson,

Following on from my last response........I underwent an op on my foot in Oct,

and because they knew I was on HC, I was given 100mg HC while I was under. So

it is dangerous not to tell them. I had read from the forum that this was what

they should give, so my husband was a bit worried in cases they didn't know

this. The anesthesiologist offered this information before hand, which relaxed

me big time!

Jean

Sent from my iPad