Cortisol

[Guest guest]

I started this subject on the Social W & R list, but I think this list

is probably more appropriate.

, I was hoping you could give me some further advice, as

the high cortisol is a big problem now. I've been doing everything I

can think of to deal with it, but it isn't helping much.

I've been doing tai chi and/or meditation every evening. I've done

some CBT work regarding the job situation and am trying to forget

for the moment that I was ever willing or able to get one; as I

cannot apply for anything until I'm back from the US trip, it's

important not to get dejected by that and just get on with life.

(The worries about getting a job were what spurred the cortisol to

go so high I think -- triggered, maybe, by the sugar I had a couple

of weeks ago.) I'm taking ginkgo and ashwagandha at night. I take

Cherry Plum when I wake up in the middle of the night. I'm limiting

my time on the computer and didn't use it at all yesterday. I do not

watch TV at night when it is dark.

I think I was doing OK yesterday, but it doesn't take much to

trigger things off. I was visiting Chris' aunt and she started

talking about the US trip. I quickly changed the subject; but before

I did so, I felt the cortisol pumping through my system.

Now I'm only sleeping 4 or 5 hours before I wake up with my heart

pumping. I'm having diarrhoea every day. I have no appetite and

sometimes the thought of food makes me feel sick. I've gained weight

even though I haven't changed what I'm eating.

Is there anything else I can do or take to try to get some control?

Inositol? If so, how much? I will do whatever it takes, as I do not

want to carry on feeling like this.

Many thanks,

.

[Guest guest]

How do you know for sure it's cortisol? I have an

anxious feeling all of the time and don't sleep too

and for a long time I assumed it was high cortisol.

But it turns out my adrenals are actually burned out

and my cortisol is low.

--- wrote:

> I started this subject on the Social W & R list, but I

> think this list

> is probably more appropriate.

>

> , I was hoping you could give me some

> further advice, as

> the high cortisol is a big problem now. I've been

> doing everything I

> can think of to deal with it, but it isn't helping

> much.

>

> I've been doing tai chi and/or meditation every

> evening. I've done

> some CBT work regarding the job situation and am

> trying to forget

> for the moment that I was ever willing or able to

> get one; as I

> cannot apply for anything until I'm back from the US

> trip, it's

> important not to get dejected by that and just get

> on with life.

> (The worries about getting a job were what spurred

> the cortisol to

> go so high I think -- triggered, maybe, by the sugar

> I had a couple

> of weeks ago.) I'm taking ginkgo and ashwagandha at

> night. I take

> Cherry Plum when I wake up in the middle of the

> night. I'm limiting

> my time on the computer and didn't use it at all

> yesterday. I do not

> watch TV at night when it is dark.

>

> I think I was doing OK yesterday, but it doesn't

> take much to

> trigger things off. I was visiting Chris' aunt and

> she started

> talking about the US trip. I quickly changed the

> subject; but before

> I did so, I felt the cortisol pumping through my

> system.

>

> Now I'm only sleeping 4 or 5 hours before I wake up

> with my heart

> pumping. I'm having diarrhoea every day. I have no

> appetite and

> sometimes the thought of food makes me feel sick.

> I've gained weight

> even though I haven't changed what I'm eating.

>

> Is there anything else I can do or take to try to

> get some control?

> Inositol? If so, how much? I will do whatever it

> takes, as I do not

> want to carry on feeling like this.

>

> Many thanks,

> .

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

Hi Amy,

Many thanks for your post. Can I ask what your strategies are for

coping when you get little or no sleep? That must be hard.

I'm pretty sure that high cortisol is the problem in my case.

Funnily enough, it wasn't actually a problem until I picked our

family budget back up and started looking for a job. Then it became

difficult to get it under control, I suppose because the baseline

was lifted by the stresses in my life.

I agree, exercise is a wonderful help. I attended a gym regularly

for a couple of years and it felt really good. I don't think it's

going to be possible for me to go back there, but if I get the job

that I'm interviewing for next week, then it will mean a healthy

bike ride twice a day, five times a week. I think that will do me a

lot of good -- as long as I can muster up the energy.

Thanks Amy,

[Guest guest]

Just very quickly -- this is still a problem. I have been unable to

string the necessary 3 days together for the cortisol to settle, and

my life is going to be in an uproar for about a month now -- it looks

like a job is on the way, so that's tossing around in my head, as well

as the trip to the US, and the long journey there. And if I can't get

the cortisol to settle here, it isn't going to there, with relatives

and trips out and a wedding going on. I'm still doing tai chi etc, but

whatever I try seems powerless in the face of this chemical.

Just a last plea, because it's hard being sick from this -- still not

advisable for me to take anything to help, apart from what I've

already got (cherry plum, ginkgo, ashwagandha)?

Thanks,

.

[Guest guest]

" then it will mean a healthy

bike ride twice a day, five times a week. "

Why not bike ride now? could have a child seat on the back of

your bike?

Don't get over concerned about how much sleep you are or aren't

getting, it will sort itself eventually.

Go get some fresh air!

Love x

[Guest guest]

" I'm still doing tai chi etc "

, are you doing the Tai Chi with intent, or just empty movements?

Does that make sense to you?

You know in your posts, you seem incredibly wound up by this cortisol

thingy, giving it this much of your energy and emotions will help keep

it up.

Do you have a copy of the post Kim wrote to you in socialwand? The CBT

type one?

x

[Guest guest]

, all I'm doing is repeating myself here. Your problem is that the

cortisol is unstable. It can be high, it can be low. Does it make sense to

take something more to lower it?

If you can't or won't curtail the things that trigger it, accept this

is how you will feel as a result.

Anything that raises your blood sugar too high will also raise

cortisol. Stress will raise cortisol. Most stress is a result of how

people regard things.

Your use of the word " plea " is indicative of a state of mind. Your

desperateness only keeps your cortisol high. Try counting your blessings

and gifts instead of always looking at that which you consider negative.

Look aruond you in the world. There are millions of people many times worse

off than you in many ways. Put your situation in perspective.

C

Re: Cortisol

Just very quickly -- this is still a problem. I have been unable to

string the necessary 3 days together for the cortisol to settle, and

my life is going to be in an uproar for about a month now -- it looks

like a job is on the way, so that's tossing around in my head, as well

as the trip to the US, and the long journey there. And if I can't get

the cortisol to settle here, it isn't going to there, with relatives

and trips out and a wedding going on. I'm still doing tai chi etc, but

whatever I try seems powerless in the face of this chemical.

Just a last plea, because it's hard being sick from this -- still not

advisable for me to take anything to help, apart from what I've

already got (cherry plum, ginkgo, ashwagandha)?

Thanks,

.

[Guest guest]

,

Does high or low cortisol cause your adrenaline glands to increase? It

always feels like my mouth is full of saliva.

best,

Chad

[Guest guest]

Last July I had three injections on the same day of cortisol (different areas of the body. The physician was giving me the injections in at least two sites twice a month. My body was a mess. Craved sweets, and so restless I cried for hours. Walking was the only thing I could do to comfort me. Finally discovered being with someone at all times who knew my problem helped great. Ate lots of protein and toke my vitamins and supplements and got myself back together. My pain is back. My days tolerate the pain are few. But I do not want any more cortisol. Hang in there. I'll keep my ears open and be here for you. Marilyn++++++++++++++++++++ wrote: Just very quickly -- this is still a problem. I have been unable to string the necessary 3 days together for the cortisol to settle, and my life is going to be in an uproar for about a month now -- it looks like a job is on the way, so that's tossing around in my head, as well as the trip to the US, and the long journey there. And if I can't get the cortisol to settle here, it isn't going to there, with relatives and trips out and a wedding going on. I'm still doing tai chi etc, but whatever I try seems powerless in the face of this chemical.Just a last plea, because it's hard being sick from this -- still not advisable for me to take

anything to help, apart from what I've already got (cherry plum, ginkgo, ashwagandha)?Thanks,.

Stay in the know. Pulse on the new Yahoo.com. Check it out.

[Guest guest]

Somewhere I found some information stating that over the long haul that SSRI's causes cortisol to increase, thus the weight gain after being on the likes of poisons like paxil after a period of time . . . Is this a correct statement?C Creel wrote: , all I'm doing is repeating myself here. Your problem is that the cortisol is unstable. It can be high, it can be low. Does it make sense to take something more to lower it?If you can't or won't curtail the things that trigger it,

accept this is how you will feel as a result.Anything that raises your blood sugar too high will also raise cortisol. Stress will raise cortisol. Most stress is a result of how people regard things.Your use of the word "plea" is indicative of a state of mind. Your desperateness only keeps your cortisol high. Try counting your blessings and gifts instead of always looking at that which you consider negative. Look aruond you in the world. There are millions of people many times worse off than you in many ways. Put your situation in perspective.C Re: CortisolJust very quickly -- this is still a problem. I have been unable tostring the necessary 3 days

together for the cortisol to settle, andmy life is going to be in an uproar for about a month now -- it lookslike a job is on the way, so that's tossing around in my head, as wellas the trip to the US, and the long journey there. And if I can't getthe cortisol to settle here, it isn't going to there, with relativesand trips out and a wedding going on. I'm still doing tai chi etc, butwhatever I try seems powerless in the face of this chemical.Just a last plea, because it's hard being sick from this -- still notadvisable for me to take anything to help, apart from what I'vealready got (cherry plum, ginkgo, ashwagandha)?Thanks,.

Stay in the know. Pulse on the new Yahoo.com. Check it out.

[Guest guest]

>

> ,

>

>

> Does high or low cortisol cause your adrenaline glands to increase?

It

> always feels like my mouth is full of saliva.>>

The glands that involve cortisol are adrenal glands. Are you

confusing these with the salivary glands?

Fluctuating hormonal levels can be at fault as can mercury

poisoning or a condition known as pseudobulbar palsy which happens due

to damage to the brain stem. Any of these things are possibilities.

C

[Guest guest]

----- Original Message -----

From: Tatum

<<Somewhere I found some information stating that over the long haul that

SSRI's causes cortisol to increase, thus the weight gain after being on the

likes of poisons like paxil after a period of time . . . Is this a correct

statement?>>

** Not exactly. SSRIs cause adrenaline to be pumped up from the first

dose. The weight gain results from a disturbance to the metabolism of

glucose. When serotonin is elevated, insulin is elevated. Where serotonin

goes, insulin goes. Basically, a person's cells become insulin-resistant.

Excess cortisol will eventually show itself in the way a person is shaped.

Where this has become severe, a person will have an abdomen shaped in such a

way as to appear pregnant.

C

[Guest guest]

Thank you everyone for the support here, I'm really touched. I did

promise myself to strictly limit my computer-time, as that seems to

be a factor in how I feel, so I will try to be brief, I hope you

don't mind.

Marilyn, thanks. I'm horrified, however, to hear that you were

getting actual cortisol injections. I'm not surprised you ended up

feeling like you did; I've been there too, though probably not as

severely. Why on earth would a doctor do that to you?

, thanks for re-posting Kim's message. I have a print of it

in my files but yes, this was a good time to refer back to it,

because I again find myself in the same situation. She talks about

learning to accept the situation and make the best of it. Believe it

or not I've made some progress there. I just get hung up on things

sometimes and start to obsess, and it can be hard to pull myself out

of that.

I always do tai chi with intent, as you say, or I don't do it. It's

no good just going through the motions is it. However, I need to re-

visit my group, if nothing more for now than to get help with how to

do the last few moves, which I've forgotten. I can do it all through

Fair Lady Plays Shuttles and then get lost, LOL.

My bike is actually the main way I get around, as takes the

car to work, and getting it off him means taking him to work and

collecting him -- not an attractive thought as it means several

trips through rush hour traffic. I have a child seat on the back of

the bike and comes with me. I haven't gone very far these

past several months, though, as I've been lacking energy and

fitness -- but the biggest fear is that the exercise would be yet

another cortisol trigger. If it's actually a healthy thing for me to

be doing right now, then I'll be happy to do more. We had another

mini heatwave here recently, didn't we, but hopefully the heat seems

to have gone for good now. (Exercising in the heat seems to make me

sick.)

, your points are noted. I guess I'll be honest, I keep

thinking of how Glitter complained about cortisol and weight gain

(what you said about cortisol explains why all the fat went to my

middle the past year), and she was told she could take something.

You've told me that my cortisol fluctuates so the cases aren't the

same. I got tempted into thinking that I'm right, because as far as

I can see I've felt like this since I've been looking for a job, the

only difference being briefly after eating sugar -- which I was sure

could be attributed to the high that it gives. But if all of us on

these lists thought like this, the lists wouldn't work, you wouldn't

be here. You are the expert and I promise I will stop complaining.

Yes I do get frustrated when I've had a good day or two, and a

thought, a conversation, or just typing an email sets off a flood of

cortisol. But I'm trying to learn to accept it and work with it. I

hope I'll get better at that.

The main message I will take away with me is to put things in

perspective, like you said . I end up zeroing in on

something, ignoring the big picture, and perseverating. I think this

is largely due to the fact that my brain works and works, and when

there isn't much for it to work on in the day, it goes over and over

things. if I were better occupied then this wouldn't happen. I think

it is likely that I will get that teaching assistant job, and it

will be good for me and my family. Just the thought of it has really

lifted my spirits and helped me to feel better, despite the cortisol

problems, and I'm very pleased about that.

Thanks again for all the advice and support

.

[Guest guest]

Cortisol injections may be offered to manage the pain in arthritis-

this was what I had in the past.

ikam

>

> Thank you everyone for the support here, I'm really touched. I did

> promise myself to strictly limit my computer-time, as that seems to

> be a factor in how I feel, so I will try to be brief, I hope you

> don't mind.

>

> Marilyn, thanks. I'm horrified, however, to hear that you were

> getting actual cortisol injections. I'm not surprised you ended up

> feeling like you did; I've been there too, though probably not as

> severely. Why on earth would a doctor do that to you?

>

> , thanks for re-posting Kim's message. I have a print of it

> in my files but yes, this was a good time to refer back to it,

> because I again find myself in the same situation. She talks about

> learning to accept the situation and make the best of it. Believe

it

> or not I've made some progress there. I just get hung up on things

> sometimes and start to obsess, and it can be hard to pull myself

out

> of that.

>

> I always do tai chi with intent, as you say, or I don't do it. It's

> no good just going through the motions is it. However, I need to re-

> visit my group, if nothing more for now than to get help with how

to

> do the last few moves, which I've forgotten. I can do it all

through

> Fair Lady Plays Shuttles and then get lost, LOL.

>

> My bike is actually the main way I get around, as takes the

> car to work, and getting it off him means taking him to work and

> collecting him -- not an attractive thought as it means several

> trips through rush hour traffic. I have a child seat on the back of

> the bike and comes with me. I haven't gone very far these

> past several months, though, as I've been lacking energy and

> fitness -- but the biggest fear is that the exercise would be yet

> another cortisol trigger. If it's actually a healthy thing for me

to

> be doing right now, then I'll be happy to do more. We had another

> mini heatwave here recently, didn't we, but hopefully the heat

seems

> to have gone for good now. (Exercising in the heat seems to make me

> sick.)

>

> , your points are noted. I guess I'll be honest, I keep

> thinking of how Glitter complained about cortisol and weight gain

> (what you said about cortisol explains why all the fat went to my

> middle the past year), and she was told she could take something.

> You've told me that my cortisol fluctuates so the cases aren't the

> same. I got tempted into thinking that I'm right, because as far as

> I can see I've felt like this since I've been looking for a job,

the

> only difference being briefly after eating sugar -- which I was

sure

> could be attributed to the high that it gives. But if all of us on

> these lists thought like this, the lists wouldn't work, you

wouldn't

> be here. You are the expert and I promise I will stop complaining.

>

> Yes I do get frustrated when I've had a good day or two, and a

> thought, a conversation, or just typing an email sets off a flood

of

> cortisol. But I'm trying to learn to accept it and work with it. I

> hope I'll get better at that.

>

> The main message I will take away with me is to put things in

> perspective, like you said . I end up zeroing in on

> something, ignoring the big picture, and perseverating. I think

this

> is largely due to the fact that my brain works and works, and when

> there isn't much for it to work on in the day, it goes over and

over

> things. if I were better occupied then this wouldn't happen. I

think

> it is likely that I will get that teaching assistant job, and it

> will be good for me and my family. Just the thought of it has

really

> lifted my spirits and helped me to feel better, despite the

cortisol

> problems, and I'm very pleased about that.

>

> Thanks again for all the advice and support

>

> .

>

[Guest guest]

,

Yeah I miswrote is it salivary glands? I feel like I have a mouth full of

saliva all the time.

Could it be high histamine? How can I correct this? I've had it before I

starting reducing.

Btw: I've reduced Klonopin by 10%, first week I had a little confusion and

trouble sleeping but I seem to be doing fine for the past couple weeks, it's

about the 3rd week.

thanks,

Chad

>> >

> >

> > Does high or low cortisol cause your adrenaline glands to increase?

>It

> > always feels like my mouth is full of saliva.>>

>

>

>

> The glands that involve cortisol are adrenal glands. Are you

>confusing these with the salivary glands?

>

>

> Fluctuating hormonal levels can be at fault as can mercury

>poisoning or a condition known as pseudobulbar palsy which happens due

>to damage to the brain stem. Any of these things are possibilities.

>

>C

>

>

>

>

>

>