Weight Control with Florinef? Please help.

[cloud2]

I've been taking Florinef for several months now, to pull my blood pressure up from 98/68 to something more normal for a 6'1" male. Prior to Florinef I would nearly pass out (i.e. not quite black-out, but gray-out enough to have to hold onto walls to not fall over) several times per day.

Having gradually increased to the lowest effectual dose, 0.2mg, I have these episodes maybe once or twice a month now, with BP about 10 points higher.
My problem is that I've put on 20 pounds in the process, in spite of eating healthy foods lightly, and of course, with lots of salt.

Has anyone been successful in keeping weight under contol whle taking Florinef? I eat mostly tart fruits, green veggies, little Gluten-Free bread, meats, peanuts, yogourt... regularly because I have hypoglycemia. so with all that, I also make a point to eat smaller meals.

So.... ohow can I pull that extra 20 pounds back off? It's impacting my sleep, my fatigue, my sleep apnea and well-being.

I am just now after the winter (SAD) able to start exercising again, but very slowly, or else I drop into an aching (weak aching, not muscle ache... I am keenly aware of the difference) stupor.

So... any hints on how to drop extra pounds that Florinef brought along?

[rumpled]

Ah the florinef fluffies. I also take .2. I take 1 gram salt tablets with each tablet for a total of 2 grams of salt plus salt with my food.
I have no adrenal glands as they were removed to cure my cushing's disease. When I took florinef prior to my adrenals being out, I gained a stubborn 10lbs that I was never able to lose. After my adrenals were out and I upped my dose and increased my salt, I did lose but I have plataeaued.
Have you had your renin and aldosterone checked? Renin is next to impossible for me to get checked accurately as it is a very fussy test - it is like ACTH - it has to be spun and frozen immediately and drawn into a chilled lavendar tube. My doc prefers that you stand 30 minutes or so before you get the test taken. Most labs let the tube sit and in which case, the renin breaks down and the results then come out lower than they really are due to lab error! ACTH is the same. I bring ice to the lab and try to get them to spin it right away but while my renin should be high since i have no adrenals... well, they inevitably mishandle it so I never know where I really stand. My one doc looks at the sodium and potassium to guess if my dose is ok since they messed up the renin but that is the test you really need.
Do you take both pills at once? I take one at night, one in the morning.

[kmatthew]

I put on 40 pounds in two months with cortef and florinef. I now exercise 6 days a week for two hours with lots of carido, and I have lost 35 pounds in 4 months. I have had to eat low carbs and limit my calories to 1300 per day. I too have severe hypoglacima and insulin resistance. After a horrible year, I now feel great. I really think exercise is the key to better energy and weight loss. Even if you don't feel like it, you have to make yourself. I have been there believe me.

[cloud2]

Thanks friends.

Rumpled: No, I haven't had renin checked, and it sounds like it would be quite a bother for iffy results anyway. Aldosterone? I thought so, but digging through my folder, I don't see test results. I'll ask my MD my next visit. Sodium/potassium was way out of range when she started my treatment, but we're in balance now. I take my forinef 0.1 in the morning and 0.1 at lunchtime.

Kmatthew: Thanks for the encouragement on that. I'm finally pulling out of the winter fatigue (Seasonal Affective Disorder) and have been able to exercise again. I know what results of good exercise can feel like and am hoping to get there again. Just that from Dec - Jun, exercise has drained me for a couple of days instead of energizing me. I'm trying to keep the carbs down and have reasonable self-control at that. Have just rediscovered tomato juice and V8, so I'm substituting that for a snack or two through the day.

[cloud2]

Here's a new discovery for me that could be helpful for others. Licorice. I've still been rollercoastering through the winter, including exercise intolerance, where if I push myself to 6 minutes on the exercise bike, or just hand-washing my car, it puts me into a 2-day tailspin. (still looking for answers on that part.)

Now, during all that, I started up twice-weekly "super viral" IVs from the local F&F Center, which include 400mg of glycyrrhizinate, the adrenal-boosting component of licorice root. Well, my blood pressure popped up to hypertensive levels (which I've never even approached before!)... So I cut back on my Florinef (fludrocortisone), first to 0.15, then to 0.05. I am still maintaining a more normal BP than I've ever had. Also, for recent water-bloating, the MD gave me a cranberry juice treatment... between that and the reduction of florinef, I've dropped 12 very stubborn pounds... in 2 weeks. Trust me, I had tried everything before to drop the weight and while on florinef... no luck.

Anyway, I've recently gone from the twice-weekly IVs to once-weekly and started supplementing with oral licorice root in an attempt to keep level.

Only consider licorice root if you have low BP, and even then, check it daily. AND... I'm no Dr., so check with your own physician before trying this. My body has become very slow to respond to any meds or supplements, but this one just kicked in strongly for me. Big surprise. I've read that it increases half-life of cortisol as well, but I haven't worked through that part yet.

p.s. no salt cravings the past week! Those have been very consistent for me over the past couple of years.