Re: Re: New Member hitting a wall with meds - BAD reaction to Isorcort

[Guest guest]

My adrenal function (cortisol) was actually quite low

when I was first diagnosed. My symptoms were so

severe that two doctors thought I had 's

initially. By the time I saw Dr. , my levels

had come up a teeny bit, but he was more alarmed by my

low DHEA. He also did not want to overload my system.

My DHEA levels, at last testing, were somewhere around

1900 out of a range of 0 to above 3000 (I think...

don't have the tests in front of me). The doctor is

aiming for 3000 or higher. When I was initially

tested, my levels were around 860, I think. My body

did NOT like any new thing I tried to add to it,

including vitamins. It still doesn't, really.

Yes, there are specific tests for vitamin levels, as I

know I was given at least a ferritin and a B12 (both

low). My blood cell count was off also, by a small

margin. I wish someone else would answer this

question (JAN? Help!).

I'm guessing your body is very sensitive right now. I

would call the doctor and ask about the order in which

he wants you to try new meds. If you go back to one

of my posts from before the holidays, you'll see my

rules for taking meds. I also would invest in a

really good pill cutter.

I totally understand your frustration.

Best--

Courtenay.

-- randogbert wrote:

---------------------------------

Courtenay,

Thank you for the response!

This is all very interesting. I'm guessing your

adrenal function is OK?

I'm trying to get over a horrible reaction to my trial

with Isocort. I think I mentioned I took a single pill

last Friday and had a poor reaction that lasted until

Sunday. Monday morning I had 1/2 a pill sublingually

and my blood pressure jumped from a norm of 120/80 to

153/83 with a 50 pulse due to so many skipped beats. I

took it at 8:00 AM and got amped around 4:30 PM. I

slept so-so.

I took another 1/2 pill yesterday morning, swallowed

this time. By 1:30 I was having skipped heartbeats and

by 3:30 an unrelenting headache for the rest of the

evening. I had a beer and later took 2 advil and went

to bed at 11:00 or so. I woke up around midnight and

when I shut my eyes I was seeing a green tapestry with

letters of the alphabet (a hallucination!). I awoke at

3:30 completely sweating with arrhythmia and my dreams

were vivid all night long. In the morning I was

dehydrated and had a strange taste in my mouth. I felt

horrible and was hoping I didn't cause myself any

damage! I am better now, but my head is like a brick.

I looked up side effects of Cortef (since I couldn't

find anything on Isocort) and those are all listed...

every one of them! Also, NSAIDS and alcohol are

supposed to increase side-effects. Some of these

side-effects I've had are listed as serious.

Interestingly, my muscles feel better than they have

in a long, long time.

So, I'm wondering from anyone that might know: are

these side-effects signs of over-medication or are

they side-effects unrelated to the actual therapy of

the drug? If it's an overmedication thing and since I

have such a strong reaction to such a small dose, does

that say that my body is in dire need of it or that my

body is rejecting it because it isn't needed?

Finally, what tests are needed for anemia? My doctor

says a CBC covers it and that it would have shown an

iron deficiency (red or white blood cell count?).

What's included in an anemia panel?

>

> Crummy DHEA levels can make everything feel worse

than

> worse, and it will MOST DEFINITELY inhibit your

body's

> ability to absorb Armour. If you're not tolerating

> the 5 mg., you might ask your doctor to prescribe

the

> 2.5 from Women's Int'l Pharmacy (don't be scared by

> the name-- they rock.) and work up from there.

>

> When my DHEA levels were low, I could not tolerate

> even the smallest levels of normal stress, and

> absolutely could not absorb normal amounts of

Armour.

>

>

> I am highly reactive to everything, and I had horrid

> problems trying to increase my Armour levels. In my

> case, it turned out that I had iron anemia (blocks

> thyroid drugs), very low DHEA, very low B12, and

> crummy thyroid levels (worse than your most recent).

> And severe reactive hypoglycemia.

>

> Everything I tried made me want to sleep for a

month,

> until I saw a good doctor, went on a slow prescribed

> regimen to avoid stress and correct the imbalances.

> We slowly added in the Armour, Iron and DHEA. Then,

> we went on to add more Armour, more DHEA, and B12.

> This process is ongoing, and the increments have

been

> miniscule, but I feel much better.

>

> Given your history of cancer, you know that some of

> your major vitamin levels are probably depleted. You

> might want to have a standard anemia panel run, if

> they haven't already, and add in those things as

well.

>

> Hope this helps.

>

> Courtenay.

>

[Guest guest]

My adrenal function (cortisol) was actually quite low

when I was first diagnosed. My symptoms were so

severe that two doctors thought I had 's

initially. By the time I saw Dr. , my levels

had come up a teeny bit, but he was more alarmed by my

low DHEA. He also did not want to overload my system.

My DHEA levels, at last testing, were somewhere around

1900 out of a range of 0 to above 3000 (I think...

don't have the tests in front of me). The doctor is

aiming for 3000 or higher. When I was initially

tested, my levels were around 860, I think. My body

did NOT like any new thing I tried to add to it,

including vitamins. It still doesn't, really.

Yes, there are specific tests for vitamin levels, as I

know I was given at least a ferritin and a B12 (both

low). My blood cell count was off also, by a small

margin. I wish someone else would answer this

question (JAN? Help!).

I'm guessing your body is very sensitive right now. I

would call the doctor and ask about the order in which

he wants you to try new meds. If you go back to one

of my posts from before the holidays, you'll see my

rules for taking meds. I also would invest in a

really good pill cutter.

I totally understand your frustration.

Best--

Courtenay.

-- randogbert wrote:

---------------------------------

Courtenay,

Thank you for the response!

This is all very interesting. I'm guessing your

adrenal function is OK?

I'm trying to get over a horrible reaction to my trial

with Isocort. I think I mentioned I took a single pill

last Friday and had a poor reaction that lasted until

Sunday. Monday morning I had 1/2 a pill sublingually

and my blood pressure jumped from a norm of 120/80 to

153/83 with a 50 pulse due to so many skipped beats. I

took it at 8:00 AM and got amped around 4:30 PM. I

slept so-so.

I took another 1/2 pill yesterday morning, swallowed

this time. By 1:30 I was having skipped heartbeats and

by 3:30 an unrelenting headache for the rest of the

evening. I had a beer and later took 2 advil and went

to bed at 11:00 or so. I woke up around midnight and

when I shut my eyes I was seeing a green tapestry with

letters of the alphabet (a hallucination!). I awoke at

3:30 completely sweating with arrhythmia and my dreams

were vivid all night long. In the morning I was

dehydrated and had a strange taste in my mouth. I felt

horrible and was hoping I didn't cause myself any

damage! I am better now, but my head is like a brick.

I looked up side effects of Cortef (since I couldn't

find anything on Isocort) and those are all listed...

every one of them! Also, NSAIDS and alcohol are

supposed to increase side-effects. Some of these

side-effects I've had are listed as serious.

Interestingly, my muscles feel better than they have

in a long, long time.

So, I'm wondering from anyone that might know: are

these side-effects signs of over-medication or are

they side-effects unrelated to the actual therapy of

the drug? If it's an overmedication thing and since I

have such a strong reaction to such a small dose, does

that say that my body is in dire need of it or that my

body is rejecting it because it isn't needed?

Finally, what tests are needed for anemia? My doctor

says a CBC covers it and that it would have shown an

iron deficiency (red or white blood cell count?).

What's included in an anemia panel?

>

> Crummy DHEA levels can make everything feel worse

than

> worse, and it will MOST DEFINITELY inhibit your

body's

> ability to absorb Armour. If you're not tolerating

> the 5 mg., you might ask your doctor to prescribe

the

> 2.5 from Women's Int'l Pharmacy (don't be scared by

> the name-- they rock.) and work up from there.

>

> When my DHEA levels were low, I could not tolerate

> even the smallest levels of normal stress, and

> absolutely could not absorb normal amounts of

Armour.

>

>

> I am highly reactive to everything, and I had horrid

> problems trying to increase my Armour levels. In my

> case, it turned out that I had iron anemia (blocks

> thyroid drugs), very low DHEA, very low B12, and

> crummy thyroid levels (worse than your most recent).

> And severe reactive hypoglycemia.

>

> Everything I tried made me want to sleep for a

month,

> until I saw a good doctor, went on a slow prescribed

> regimen to avoid stress and correct the imbalances.

> We slowly added in the Armour, Iron and DHEA. Then,

> we went on to add more Armour, more DHEA, and B12.

> This process is ongoing, and the increments have

been

> miniscule, but I feel much better.

>

> Given your history of cancer, you know that some of

> your major vitamin levels are probably depleted. You

> might want to have a standard anemia panel run, if

> they haven't already, and add in those things as

well.

>

> Hope this helps.

>

> Courtenay.

>

[Guest guest]

You are doing just fine. I actually invited Randy to our board so that you and the others who have had difficulty tolerating meds could share with him.Courtenay wrote: My adrenal function (cortisol) was actually quite lowwhen I was first diagnosed. My symptoms were sosevere that two doctors thought I had 'sinitially. By the time I saw Dr. , my levelshad come up a teeny bit, but he was more alarmed by mylow DHEA. He also did not want to overload my system.My DHEA levels, at last testing, were somewhere around1900 out of a range of 0 to above 3000 (I think...don't have the tests in front of me). The doctor isaiming for 3000 or

higher. When I was initiallytested, my levels were around 860, I think. My bodydid NOT like any new thing I tried to add to it,including vitamins. It still doesn't, really.Yes, there are specific tests for vitamin levels, as Iknow I was given at least a ferritin and a B12 (bothlow). My blood cell count was off also, by a smallmargin. I wish someone else would answer thisquestion (JAN? Help!).I'm guessing your body is very sensitive right now. Iwould call the doctor and ask about the order in whichhe wants you to try new meds. If you go back to oneof my posts from before the holidays, you'll see myrules for taking meds. I also would invest in areally good pill cutter.I totally understand your frustration.Best--Courtenay.-- randogbert

wrote:---------------------------------Courtenay,Thank you for the response!This is all very interesting. I'm guessing youradrenal function is OK?I'm trying to get over a horrible reaction to my trialwith Isocort. I think I mentioned I took a single pilllast Friday and had a poor reaction that lasted untilSunday. Monday morning I had 1/2 a pill sublinguallyand my blood pressure jumped from a norm of 120/80 to153/83 with a 50 pulse due to so many skipped beats. Itook it at 8:00 AM and got amped around 4:30 PM. Islept so-so.I took another 1/2 pill yesterday morning, swallowedthis time. By 1:30 I was having skipped heartbeats andby 3:30 an unrelenting headache for the rest of theevening. I had a beer and later took 2 advil and wentto bed at 11:00 or so. I woke up around midnight andwhen I shut my eyes I was seeing a green tapestry withletters of the alphabet (a hallucination!). I

awoke at3:30 completely sweating with arrhythmia and my dreamswere vivid all night long. In the morning I wasdehydrated and had a strange taste in my mouth. I felthorrible and was hoping I didn't cause myself anydamage! I am better now, but my head is like a brick.I looked up side effects of Cortef (since I couldn'tfind anything on Isocort) and those are all listed...every one of them! Also, NSAIDS and alcohol aresupposed to increase side-effects. Some of theseside-effects I've had are listed as serious. Interestingly, my muscles feel better than they havein a long, long time.So, I'm wondering from anyone that might know: arethese side-effects signs of over-medication or arethey side-effects unrelated to the actual therapy ofthe drug? If it's an overmedication thing and since Ihave such a strong reaction to such a small dose, doesthat say that my body is in dire need of it or that mybody is rejecting it

because it isn't needed?Finally, what tests are needed for anemia? My doctorsays a CBC covers it and that it would have shown aniron deficiency (red or white blood cell count?).What's included in an anemia panel?>> Crummy DHEA levels can make everything feel worsethan> worse, and it will MOST DEFINITELY inhibit yourbody's> ability to absorb Armour. If you're not tolerating> the 5 mg., you might ask your doctor to prescribethe> 2.5 from Women's Int'l Pharmacy (don't be scared by> the name-- they rock.) and work up from there.> > When my DHEA levels were low, I could not tolerate> even the smallest levels of normal stress, and> absolutely could not absorb normal amounts ofArmour. > > > I am highly reactive to everything, and I had

horrid> problems trying to increase my Armour levels. In my> case, it turned out that I had iron anemia (blocks> thyroid drugs), very low DHEA, very low B12, and> crummy thyroid levels (worse than your most recent).> And severe reactive hypoglycemia.> > Everything I tried made me want to sleep for amonth,> until I saw a good doctor, went on a slow prescribed> regimen to avoid stress and correct the imbalances. > We slowly added in the Armour, Iron and DHEA. Then,> we went on to add more Armour, more DHEA, and B12. > This process is ongoing, and the increments havebeen> miniscule, but I feel much better.> > Given your history of cancer, you know that some of> your major vitamin levels are probably depleted. You> might want to have a standard anemia panel run, if> they haven't already, and add in those things aswell.> > Hope this

helps.> > Courtenay.

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[Guest guest]

Anemia will show up in a serum ferritin before it shows up on a CBC. And the range for ferritin goes too low. Bottom of the range should be about 50.randogbert wrote: Courtenay,Thank you for the response!This is all very interesting. I'm guessing your adrenal function is OK?I'm trying to get over a horrible reaction to my trial with Isocort. I think I mentioned I took a single pill last Friday and had a poor reaction that lasted until Sunday. Monday morning I had 1/2 a pill sublingually and my blood pressure jumped from a norm of 120/80 to 153/83 with a 50 pulse due to so many skipped beats. I took it at 8:00 AM and got amped around 4:30 PM. I slept so-so.I took another 1/2 pill yesterday

morning, swallowed this time. By 1:30 I was having skipped heartbeats and by 3:30 an unrelenting headache for the rest of the evening. I had a beer and later took 2 advil and went to bed at 11:00 or so. I woke up around midnight and when I shut my eyes I was seeing a green tapestry with letters of the alphabet (a hallucination!). I awoke at 3:30 completely sweating with arrhythmia and my dreams were vivid all night long. In the morning I was dehydrated and had a strange taste in my mouth. I felt horrible and was hoping I didn't cause myself any damage! I am better now, but my head is like a brick. I looked up side effects of Cortef (since I couldn't find anything on Isocort) and those are all listed... every one of them! Also, NSAIDS and alcohol are supposed to increase side-effects. Some of these side-effects I've had are listed as serious. Interestingly, my muscles feel better than they have in a long, long time.So, I'm wondering from anyone that might know: are

these side-effects signs of over-medication or are they side-effects unrelated to the actual therapy of the drug? If it's an overmedication thing and since I have such a strong reaction to such a small dose, does that say that my body is in dire need of it or that my body is rejecting it because it isn't needed?Finally, what tests are needed for anemia? My doctor says a CBC covers it and that it would have shown an iron deficiency (red or white blood cell count?). What's included in an anemia panel?>> Crummy DHEA levels can make everything feel worse than> worse, and it will MOST DEFINITELY inhibit your body's> ability to absorb Armour. If you're not tolerating> the 5 mg., you might ask your doctor to prescribe the> 2.5 from Women's Int'l Pharmacy (don't be scared by> the name-- they rock.) and work up from

there.> > When my DHEA levels were low, I could not tolerate> even the smallest levels of normal stress, and> absolutely could not absorb normal amounts of Armour. > > > I am highly reactive to everything, and I had horrid> problems trying to increase my Armour levels. In my> case, it turned out that I had iron anemia (blocks> thyroid drugs), very low DHEA, very low B12, and> crummy thyroid levels (worse than your most recent). > And severe reactive hypoglycemia.> > Everything I tried made me want to sleep for a month,> until I saw a good doctor, went on a slow prescribed> regimen to avoid stress and correct the imbalances. > We slowly added in the Armour, Iron and DHEA. Then,> we went on to add more Armour, more DHEA, and B12. > This process is ongoing, and the increments have been> miniscule, but I feel much better.> > Given your

history of cancer, you know that some of> your major vitamin levels are probably depleted. You> might want to have a standard anemia panel run, if> they haven't already, and add in those things as well.> > Hope this helps.> > Courtenay.

Yahoo! Photos Ring in the New Year with Photo Calendars. Add photos, events, holidays, whatever.

[Guest guest]

Thanks, Jan! That makes me feel useful.

Best--

Courtenay.

--- Jan wrote:

> You are doing just fine. I actually invited Randy to

> our board so that you and the others who have had

> difficulty tolerating meds could share with him.

[Guest guest]

Ferritin of 70 is fine. Not sure about B12 tests.randogbert wrote: Thanks Jan.I believe mine was in the 70's last time checked about a year ago.So, measure both ferritin and B12? Those are the two I asked my doctor about last time out. He said guys are rarely iron deficient and it would have shown up on my CBC. He's pretty open-minded though so maybe I'll push it a bit.Randy>> Anemia will show up in a serum ferritin before it shows up on a CBC. And the range for ferritin goes too low. Bottom of the range should be about 50.

Yahoo! DSL Something to write home about. Just $16.99/mo. or less

[Guest guest]

There are two tests that actually determine B12 deficiency. One is the

Methylmalonic Acid Urine test. The other one is the Schilling test, which

is more drawn out and complicated and in stages, according to a recent

source. I read all the details on that one, though I've never had either of

those two tests for it, only a serum B12. For the Schilling test, the

doctor would have to have lots of incentive to perform that test, from what

I read, but it's supposed to be the best testing. For Folic Acid, the Red

Blood Cell Folate is better than the serum test. B12 and Folate are married

to each other, and both can cause megaloblastic anemia, in the worst

scenario, and they both look like each other on the RBC testing, so it's

best to have both of these tested together. Serum iron means nothing,

except for what you ate in the last few hrs. The test for the

" transportation system " substance that carries the iron in and out of

storage, together WITH the ferritin test will be the best testing for iron.

No, it's not common for men to have iron shortage, that is, unless they have

thyroid disease, then all bets are off, as we can't metabolive ANYthing

right, if we are still hypothyroid. That would include men and women. No

discrimination in this disease! It's not actually CALLED an anemia until it

shows up in the red blood cell values, even though the person may already be

short on the nutrient, any nutrient.

Re: New Member hitting a wall with meds -

BAD reaction to Isorcort

> Thanks Jan.

>

> I believe mine was in the 70's last time checked about a year ago.

>

> So, measure both ferritin and B12? Those are the two I asked my doctor

> about last time out. He said guys are rarely iron deficient and it

> would have shown up on my CBC. He's pretty open-minded though so maybe

> I'll push it a bit.

>

> Randy

[Guest guest]

Darn, Randy. I'll have to hunt for it. I will repost

it when I find it.... If you spend any time in this

group, you get to know everybody pretty well

Courtenay.

--- randogbert wrote:

---------------------------------

Courtenay,

I fingered through all your messages since

Thanksgiving and couldn't

find it. At least I do feel I know you pretty well

now.

Randy

[Guest guest]

My husband had stomach cancer, before I met him.

Maybe that's where I got the notion. I'll ask him.

--- Jan wrote:

> I have not heard that, nor have I had any problems

> in that area. But I have taken vitamins for years in

> my quest to feel better.

>

[Guest guest]

One more thing: I found the message with the

directions I use for trying new drugs/vitamins. It's

message no. 16665, Randy. Hope it helps.

--- Courtenay

wrote:

---------------------------------

My husband had stomach cancer, before I met him.

Maybe that's where I got the notion. I'll ask him.

--- Jan wrote:

> I have not heard that, nor have I had any problems

> in that area. But I have taken vitamins for years in

> my quest to feel better.

>