Val anyone I am posting this for Dawn she can't post from work.

[Guest guest]

I got this this morning and don't know what to tell her so any help I

will forward back to her.

Thanks Phil

A Cut and Paste

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One other note...this was simply a blood level cortisol test, taken

at approx. 10:45 am...not an ACTH test (never had one of those).

Dawn

>>> On 1/3/2007 at 8:59 am, in message

, Dawn Furlong wrote:

Hi Phil,

I wanted to post this question to the group, but am at work and can't

access that site from work. :-(

I have been trying to track down info on testing cortisol levels

while on HC (from either Peatfields or Jeffries perspective, since

they are the " experts " on this).

I had a doctor's appt on 12/20/06 where my doctor checked my cortisol

levels (I am on 30 mg HC). I went to the lab when it was time for my

2nd dose (I was starting to feel a little shaky). Needless to say,

the cortisol reading came back way low. A note, she tested my

cortisol level in October, while I was on Prednisone. My cortisol

level was low then...but apparently the Dec level was lower. The Dec

level of my DHEAS was very low (as opposed to normal in October). I

take my HC 10 mg - 7.5 mg - 7.5 mg - 5 mg. The DHEA I was on caused

major side effects, so I dropped that in October. I resumed it at

1/3 the previous dose since my DHEA levels dropped so

substantially...we'll see how that goes.

So, the nurse calls me and tells me the doctor wants me to wean off

the HC. I don't think I can do that at this point. I am only on 2 +

1/8 grain of Armour and am having a very hard time going up on my

Armour dose. I am only raising 1/8 grain at a time every week to

week and a half, and I have to stress dose even when doing that. I

have hypo symptoms returning as I can't go up fast enough or in big

enough doses on my Armour. If I cut the HC...I think that will

precipitate a big crash. Plus, she seems to be telling me to come

off fast (I was in shock when the nurse was telling me this...so I

only vaguely recall cutting out 1 dose, every other day, then another

dose...she thinks I dose 2x daily though I told her I dose 4x daily).

Admittedly, she doesn't know a lot about treating the adrenals this

way. She treats more naturally (for some reason she seems to be

indicating that taking DHEA will help cortisol levels????? I have

found nothing on this. DHEA seems to be separate from cortisol...it

just happens to be produced by the adrenal glands as well).

I have ordered HC on my own. I would prefer to have doctor backing.

I have an appt. tomorrow. It has been indicated on the Stop the

Thyroid Madness site that cortisol testing while on HC is worthless.

I need to know what either Peatfield or Jeffries say in their books

(my doctor read Peatfields article that is posted on the Stop the

Thyroid madness site, agreed with it...yet seems intent on pulling me

from HC before we get my Armour dose optimized). Doctor's

experiences/opinions will be what holds weight with her.

Can you shed anymore light on this? Do you have any words of wisdom

on this? I know she is worried about shutting my adrenals down. I

wouldn't like that either...but me at this point...I am worried about

having a life. I had no life prior to HC. I am right to go on my

own and self-treat? Am I taking a big, big risk?

By the way, I will post my saliva test results below (taken mid-

September) so you can see where I started. I have been diagnosed

hypo since 2001, Hashimoto's. I have also been diagnosed

hypoglycemic (Nov 2006)...with most symptoms resolving since starting

back on Armour and HC. I am also anemic (also in 2006). I believe

undertreated hypothyroidism is the cause for the other issues.

Thanks,

Dawn

Cortisol

7:00 to 8:00 am 8 depressed 13-24 nM

11:00 am to Noon 4 depressed 5-10 nM

4:00 - 5:00 pm 5 normal 3-8 nM

11:00-Midnight 6 elevated 1-4 nm

Cortisol Burden:

DHEA 1 depressed 3-10 ng/ml