What is wrong with me? Please help

[Caspian]

Hello

I am new here. I was directed here from the stopthethyroidmadness forum. Im pretty desperate to find solutions and answers for my miserable condition and I would be very grateful if someone could help or have an idea what to do next. My problem is very likely hormonal because all my other blood tests are fine. Im 31-year old. So here we go:

My symptoms:
*severe fatigue
*severe anxiety, nervousness, sometimes almost panic attacks
*cant handle ANY stress
*cant concentrate
*shaking, trembling
*often rapid pulse
*depression, lack of motivation, mood swings, crankiness
*gerenal weakness
*some muscle and joint pains/aches, tension in muscles
*cracking joints
*suddenly run out of energy
*feel unwell and ill most of the time
*low blood pressure
*lost a lot of weight
etc

Test results:

Thyroid labs:
free t4 12.2 (12-22)
free t4D 8.1 (8-21) dialysis method
free t3 4.1 (2.8-7.1)
TSH 2.8

Saliva tests:
Cortisol
8 AM 0.19 depressed - range: 0.27-2.06
noon 0.61 normal - range 0.03-0.77
4 PM 0.16 low normal - range 0.03-0.56
11PM 0.06 low normal - range 0.03-0.5
DHEA
8 AM 408 elevated - range 14-277
DHEA/Cortisol 2147 elevated - range 35-435


Serum ACTH: 47 high (range: below 46)

Serum Testosterone 13 (10-33)
SHBG 35 (15-48) "sex hormone binding globuline"

Testo/SHBG*1000 (free androgen index) below the range 371 (410-1400)
(=biologically active testosterone?)

FSH 3.2 (1.5-12.4)
LH 5.7 (1.7-8.6)

Potassium 3.9 (3.3-4.8)
Sodium 143 (137-144)

Im currently on 15 mg hydrocortisone daily but so far I havent noticed much improvement. I started taking it a couple of weeks ago and gradually upped the dose. Im also using Paxil 10 mg for the depression but that hasnt helped much.

Thanks a lot for your comments!!

 

[firedude]

Hello

I am new here. I was directed here from the stopthethyroidmadness forum. Im pretty desperate to find solutions and answers for my miserable condition and I would be very grateful if someone could help or have an idea what to do next. My problem is very likely hormonal because all my other blood tests are fine. Im 31-year old. So here we go:

My symptoms:
*severe fatigue
*severe anxiety, nervousness, sometimes almost panic attacks
*cant handle ANY stress
*cant concentrate
*shaking, trembling
*often rapid pulse
*depression, lack of motivation, mood swings, crankiness
*gerenal weakness
*some muscle and joint pains/aches, tension in muscles
*cracking joints
*suddenly run out of energy
*feel unwell and ill most of the time
*low blood pressure
*lost a lot of weight
etc

Test results:

Thyroid labs:
free t4 12.2 (12-22)
free t4D 8.1 (8-21) dialysis method
free t3 4.1 (2.8-7.1)
TSH 2.8

Saliva tests:
Cortisol
8 AM 0.19 depressed - range: 0.27-2.06
noon 0.61 normal - range 0.03-0.77
4 PM 0.16 low normal - range 0.03-0.56
11PM 0.06 low normal - range 0.03-0.5
DHEA
8 AM 408 elevated - range 14-277
DHEA/Cortisol 2147 elevated - range 35-435


Serum ACTH: 47 high (range: below 46)

Serum Testosterone 13 (10-33)
SHBG 35 (15-48) "sex hormone binding globuline"

Testo/SHBG*1000 (free androgen index) below the range 371 (410-1400)
(=biologically active testosterone?)

FSH 3.2 (1.5-12.4)
LH 5.7 (1.7-8.6)

Potassium 3.9 (3.3-4.8)
Sodium 143 (137-144)

Im currently on 15 mg hydrocortisone daily but so far I havent noticed much improvement. I started taking it a couple of weeks ago and gradually upped the dose. Im also using Paxil 10 mg for the depression but that hasnt helped much.

Thanks a lot for your comments!!

I'll trust you have had all of the blood and system test's you can. if your not sure check the threads that suggest what other test's to have done. If you are on a/d is thr rx from your g/p or from a mental health doc? Your s/s are like severe depression and low test. If your not seeing a mental health doc give it a try as they can better diagnose depression just a thought. Try all possibilities to zero in on the undelying problem. good luck.

 

[1cc]

How are you taking the hydrocortisone? What doses at what times?

Blood DHEA Sulfate is more reliable than saliva. Saliva is best for cortisol only.

Have you done a Free Testosterone lab?

 

[1cc]

Are you following a diet as described below.

Hypoglycemic diet:
The most important thing you can do is to eat something small every 2 hours. Make sure you get more protein and lots of vegetables, complex carbs are okay. Do not have anything sweet, even fruit, and check the labels of everything to ensure that there is no sugar. You cannot have white bread, potatoe, white rice, white pasta or anything made with white flour. Before you go to bed, it is very important to have something to eat so that you do not have hypo symptoms during the evening (if you do get hypoglycemic symptoms in the evening).

 

[Caspian]

How are you taking the hydrocortisone? What doses at what times?

Blood DHEA Sulfate is more reliable than saliva. Saliva is best for cortisol only.

Have you done a Free Testosterone lab?

Hi

I'm taking 5 + 5 + 5 mg (morning, noon, 4 pm)

Hmm I thought that biologically active testosterone which I mentioned above is the same thing as free testosterone. It isn't?

 

[Caspian]

Are you following a diet as described below.

Hypoglycemic diet:
The most important thing you can do is to eat something small every 2 hours. Make sure you get more protein and lots of vegetables, complex carbs are okay. Do not have anything sweet, even fruit, and check the labels of everything to ensure that there is no sugar. You cannot have white bread, potatoe, white rice, white pasta or anything made with white flour. Before you go to bed, it is very important to have something to eat so that you do not have hypo symptoms during the evening (if you do get hypoglycemic symptoms in the evening).

Yep I'm trying to follow that diet. I didn't know that potatoe was that bad though.

 

[Caspian]

I'll trust you have had all of the blood and system test's you can. if your not sure check the threads that suggest what other test's to have done. If you are on a/d is thr rx from your g/p or from a mental health doc? Your s/s are like severe depression and low test. If your not seeing a mental health doc give it a try as they can better diagnose depression just a thought. Try all possibilities to zero in on the undelying problem. good luck.

Yes I got Paxil from the mental health doc. I don't think that the problem is psychological though but its rather hormone related.

 

[1cc]

Hi

I'm taking 5 + 5 + 5 mg (morning, noon, 4 pm)

Hmm I thought that biologically active testosterone which I mentioned above is the same thing as free testosterone. It isn't?

Are you taking it with food or before food?

 

[Caspian]

Are you taking it with food or before food?

Usually with food to avoid stomach problems.

 

[1cc]

Usually with food to avoid stomach problems.

You need to take it before food and wait for about 30 minutes before eating. You need to take it first thing in the morning on rising with a glass of water with 1/2 teaspoon salt added. Make sure the salt has no iodine added. Read the following thread for more information.
https://thinksteroids.com/community/threads/134243796

It looks like your cortisol is lowest in the morning, which is usually the case. Your noon numbers are not low at all, so it was not necessary for you to take HC at that time. It would be better to try 7.5mg in the morning and reduce the noon dosage by 2.5mg. You should also reduce your late afternoon dosage by 2.5mg. Try this for a week.

Check your blood DHEA Sulfate. If it is low, then suplement per the instructions in above thread. DHEA is very important for blood sugar control.

Take vitamin C per the above thread.

Your thyroid needs to be treated as well.

If that number is your Free Testosterone, then it needs to be treated as well. Doing TRT really helps the adrenals and helps control blood sugar.

Your anxiety is being caused by the hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) that accompanies Adrenal Fatigue. Once you stabilise your blood sugar, your anxiety will go away. The Paxil treats the symptoms of your anxiety and not the source which is the Adrenal Fatigue.

Potato is very bad.

I highly recommend you see Marianco. He is a member here and he is a doctor. He is a psychiatrist and also treats hormone problems. I'm not sure what his procedures are for taking patients and doing treatment long distance. Perhaps he will answer your thread and give details on how to go about seeing him. He is very knowledgeable and I believe seeing him would be the quickest way for you to get treated and healed.

 

[Caspian]

Thanks 1cc for your post!

Yeah, I'd love to see Marianco but the problem is that I live on the other side of the globe.

 

[Caspian]

You need to take it before food and wait for about 30 minutes before eating. .

Are you sure this is important? HC can irrirate my stomach if i take it before anything else.

 

[greyowl]

Thanks 1cc for your post!

Yeah, I'd love to see Marianco but the problem is that I live on the other side of the globe.

Where do you live? If you can't find a HRT doctor you trust, maybe you could find a doctor who would be prepared to consult with Marianco on your behalf via e-mail , phone, etc.

 

[1cc]

Are you sure this is important? HC can irrirate my stomach if i take it before anything else.

From the moment we open our eyes in the morning we need cortisol. So, either you give your body cortisol, or it's going to battle to make some. The sooner you get the cortisol into your body, the less stress is placed on your adrenals, which is the objective of taking HC in the first place, to relieve the stress on the adrenals so that they have a chance to heal.

Check page 217 of "Adrenal Fatigue" by James Wilson. "Jefferies recommends 5 or 7.5mg orally BEFORE each meal and at bedtime".

I have been taking it on an empty stomach (with a large glass of water) for a quite a while without any stomach upset. If it bothers your stomach try taking it with a large glass of water, fruit juice or milk.

 

[Caspian]

I have been taking it on an empty stomach (with a large glass of water) for a quite a while without any stomach upset. If it bothers your stomach try taking it with a large glass of water, fruit juice or milk.

I see.

So you are suffering from Adrenal fatigue too? How much are you taking HC? Helpful?

I live in Scandinavia.

 

[1cc]

So you are suffering from Adrenal fatigue too? How much are you taking HC? Helpful?

I take 5mg in the morning only. Very helpful. I don't experience fatigue any more. I used to have many of the same symptoms you now have.

 

[marianco]

Hello

I am new here. I was directed here from the stopthethyroidmadness forum. Im pretty desperate to find solutions and answers for my miserable condition and I would be very grateful if someone could help or have an idea what to do next. My problem is very likely hormonal because all my other blood tests are fine. Im 31-year old. So here we go:

My symptoms:
*severe fatigue
*severe anxiety, nervousness, sometimes almost panic attacks
*cant handle ANY stress
*cant concentrate
*shaking, trembling
*often rapid pulse
*depression, lack of motivation, mood swings, crankiness
*gerenal weakness
*some muscle and joint pains/aches, tension in muscles
*cracking joints
*suddenly run out of energy
*feel unwell and ill most of the time
*low blood pressure
*lost a lot of weight
etc

Test results:

Thyroid labs:
free t4 12.2 (12-22)
free t4D 8.1 (8-21) dialysis method
free t3 4.1 (2.8-7.1)
TSH 2.8

Saliva tests:
Cortisol
8 AM 0.19 depressed - range: 0.27-2.06
noon 0.61 normal - range 0.03-0.77
4 PM 0.16 low normal - range 0.03-0.56
11PM 0.06 low normal - range 0.03-0.5
DHEA
8 AM 408 elevated - range 14-277
DHEA/Cortisol 2147 elevated - range 35-435


Serum ACTH: 47 high (range: below 46)

Serum Testosterone 13 (10-33)
SHBG 35 (15-48) "sex hormone binding globuline"

Testo/SHBG*1000 (free androgen index) below the range 371 (410-1400)
(=biologically active testosterone?)

FSH 3.2 (1.5-12.4)
LH 5.7 (1.7-8.6)

Potassium 3.9 (3.3-4.8)
Sodium 143 (137-144)

Im currently on 15 mg hydrocortisone daily but so far I havent noticed much improvement. I started taking it a couple of weeks ago and gradually upped the dose. Im also using Paxil 10 mg for the depression but that hasnt helped much.

Thanks a lot for your comments!!

Adrenal treatment is a passive treatment. It requires time to work, along with minimizing stresses. Serotonergic medications such as Paxil may help reduce stress. In worse case scenarios, such as people who have severe posttraumatic stress disorder, it may take a year or two to see improvement.

Once adrenal treatment is begun, when energy improvement is one of the primary targets of treatment, then optimizing thyroid function is necessary. The adrenal glands need to be healthy enough in order to tolerate thyroid hormone treatment. Thyroid hormone will also actively improve adrenal gland function by increasing the number and size of mitochondria in every adrenal gland cell.

Checking carbohydrate metabolism (e.g. chekcing for the presence of insulin resistance) is important to improve energy level. Clues may be found from a fasting or postprandial glucose, lipid panel, 3-hour glucose tolerance test, hemoglobin A1c.

Once adrenal and thyroid hormone functions are addressed, it may be important to optimize testosterone level if low, to help improve mood.

There are other areas to examine should these measures not be fully effective for improving mood, where the analysis becomes highly complex.

 

[Caspian]

I take 5mg in the morning only. Very helpful. I don't experience fatigue any more. I used to have many of the same symptoms you now have.

Wow. That's great. Did you start to improve right after you started hc or how long did it take? Are on any thyroid meds?

 

[Caspian]

Adrenal treatment is a passive treatment. It requires time to work, along with minimizing stresses. Serotonergic medications such as Paxil may help reduce stress. In worse case scenarios, such as people who have severe posttraumatic stress disorder, it may take a year or two to see improvement.

Once adrenal treatment is begun, when energy improvement is one of the primary targets of treatment, then optimizing thyroid function is necessary. The adrenal glands need to be healthy enough in order to tolerate thyroid hormone treatment. Thyroid hormone will also actively improve adrenal gland function by increasing the number and size of mitochondria in every adrenal gland cell.

Checking carbohydrate metabolism (e.g. chekcing for the presence of insulin resistance) is important to improve energy level. Clues may be found from a fasting or postprandial glucose, lipid panel, 3-hour glucose tolerance test, hemoglobin A1c.

Once adrenal and thyroid hormone functions are addressed, it may be important to optimize testosterone level if low, to help improve mood.

There are other areas to examine should these measures not be fully effective for improving mood, where the analysis becomes highly complex.

Okay many thanks for your advice! I'm planning to start Armour very soon. My fasting glucose has always been within range (about 5-5.6, the range is here 4-6) but that doesnt tell enough? My hemoglobin has always been low.

 

[1cc]

Wow. That's great. Did you start to improve right after you started hc or how long did it take? Are on any thyroid meds?

Prior to taking HC, I had taken other cortisol supplements. Yes, I felt better immediately. I don't take thyroid meds.

You have multiple hormone problems. They all complement each other. After taking DHEA (if you need it), and Testosterone and thyroid, you will feel much much better than with only HC.