Yes I do - my endo had me do a 24hr urine free cortisol test and a dexamethasone suppression test to determine that my adrenal glands are ok and that the high levels are due to stress! I read somewhere that B vitamins can help lower the levels and I started taking them and in fact this past blood test did show a drop. But the blood tests are tricky because the cortisol level changes a lot over a 24 hr period, so he had to see them high for 3 months or more and do the other tests to make sure....hope this helps...
Best wishes,
Kathy
Do you remember what your blood level was? Mine was 29 with 22 being the high end normal. I am doing the 24 hour urine this weekend. Was yours stress??
Actually - the 24 hour urine test came out high (not the desired result - the cortisol was high)- so that's when the endo decided to next do the dexamethasone suppression test - all you do with that is take a pill at midnight and then have blood drawn first thing in the morning. That one came out fine and that proved the adrenal glands were working fine and it was just stress. So don't worry if the 24 hr test doesn't go well - it can still be caused by stress - the dexamethasone test will determine it for sure....I think there's one other test they can do beyond that - I can't remember (thyroid) what it is but I didn't have to have it.
My husband says that stopping periodically through the day to take two deep breaths has helped me! I did start walking 30-45 min a day and that helped too - I didn't like doing it at first - but after while I started looking forward to it to burn off the nervous energy - unfortunately, I have plantar fasciitis (foot problem) and I had to stop walking - that was a bummer because it also brought my blood pressure down. Have to find something else now - I think maybe yoga - tried it last year and it was pretty good. Anything to de-stress will help bring the cortisol down (and when that comes down it's easier to lose weight too). I think the B vitamins have helped me a lot too - the stresstabs....let me know how it turns out....
take care,
Kathy
I will! Did you feel bad? I feel like the stress runs right through me like a fire and that I can not handle life!! What led you to test for it? Just your normal thyroid panel? Did you feel strange after taking the dex test? Can I have your e mail address in case I need you? Mine is [ please carefully review the posting rules - no emails ]
Thanks!!!
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Hi again - Yes I feel like I'm wound up tight all the time - actually I think my synthroid was too high and that was making me all hyped up too....I do sometimes feel like I can't take it - but hang in there because things never stay the same and it will get better...My endo noticed that the cortisol (which he tests every six weeks or so) was 29, 28 and 29 I think and thought he ought to test the adrenal thing - I'd rather not put my email up on the board since it's a work email address - but I will be glad to chat with you on the boards about this - I'll try to check in regularly as I can....Even though my thyroid tests were all normal I did have thyroid nodules - so I'm sure that plays a role in my hormone imbalances and general not feeling well too....I didn't feel strange at all after taking the dex pill - didn't even notice it at all...try not to worry too much - if there is an andrenal problem it's very treatable with pills as I understand.....Much like the thyroid I think....and the worry will make your cortisol go up! - I know that's much easier said than done - I am the queen of worry (thus high cortisol)...but try to just take one thing at a time, cross each bridge only as you come to it, and maybe pick just one thing to do today to get your mind off things - watch a movie or take a hot bath, anything to relax just a little for a little while (I think I'll do the same! I'm such a worry wort!)...After all my cortisol tests - everything was okay - so hang in there!!! I'll be thinking of you and will check for your posts....
Take care,
Kathy
You know it is interesting because I felt like after I got really sick and lost weight that my levoxyl was too high! After 7 months of still not feeling well I just reduced it.. I will see what happens. I was wondering if it had anything to do with the cortisol being higher than normal? I was feeling anxious all the time and worked from home for 7 months to reduce stress.. that helped a bit but I am not sure that I might have some depression too.. who wouldn't be dpressed when not feeling well for so long! Did you ever lower your dose? I am going to get a lot of blood work done this week so we will see. I really appreciate your insight as this has been a long and painful process! I really want to get well and rejoin the world. I am 46 and feel like 100!!! I am making major life changes and will not go back to the previous level of stress of I can help it. My glucose is getting high at 114, my cholestoral is getting out of whack.. I am too young for all this! The doc mentioned Metabolic Syndrome.. have you heard of that??
Kathy read the last post then this one.. I just got my period.. figures! Do you think it is ok to take the unrine tomorrow? I can't ask the lab since they are closed.. Did you have any problems with skin burning or teeth sensitivity? Thanks again!!
Hi
I wish I would have lost weight like you! But I just got really anxious and my blood pressure went up etc....One way to see if the high cortisol might have been from levox too high is to see if you ever had it tested before you started taking the levox - I had asked my doc if the synthroid could have caused the high cortisol and he thought that was a reasonable enough question to look back at my test before synthroid. In my case, it was pretty high (but not out of the range) before synthroid so he thought that wasn't it.
However, the anxiety, nervousness etc...I believe have been exacerbated by my synthroid - I was at 150 mcg and he just agreed Thurs to lower it - I think it's going to help because I was a little better at 137. I've always had anxiety/depression problem (perhaps related to undiagnosed thyroid disease) for a long time....I am 40 and I feel 100 too. I think I get discouraged and depressed a lot too from not feeling well for so long....My work has suffered too. I'm glad you're getting a lot of tests done - hopefully that will help determine what can be adjusted to make you feel better. My cholesterol is 292 and was 241 when I was 31. But I've only been on synthroid for about 1 1/2 years...When I first went on synthroid my cholesterol was 277 and after several months it got down to 203! So certainly they are related and it's just a long process of adjusting and readjusting to cope with the disease.
I do want to tell you though that I am so much better than when I was first diagnosed in 8-03. I had gained 60 lbs and was a mental zombie, very depressed and could hardly get out of bed. I've lost about 25-30 lbs and can think again sometimes - but still have terrible fatigue and memory problems. So have hope, things will get better, keep trying and don't give up - keep working with the doctors....I sure hope you will be better soon....
As for the 24 hr test and period - I don't know at all the answer to that question - sorry - you might try asking on the "cushings" or "addisons" boards since they deal with adrenal stuff....
Thanks for all the info! I went to get more blood work done yesterday but have been feeling bad and have my ... so probably not the best time to test cortisol! I am doing the 24 hour urine this weekend.. My glucose is up too.. do you have that problem? I really need a program for health.. this thyroid/hashi thing scares me and is so hard to control.. I will eat spinach and work out forever if it will make me feel better! I am going to a doctor week after next who looks at the big picture.. we will see.. how are you doing on the lowered dose? I lowered mine a lot and am very achy and tired.. feel fluish!
Hi Fireplace,
I was wondering how you were doing - The week before I did the 24hour test, my Grandmother passed away - so I was very stressed when I took the test - probably why it came out high - but then I am always high anxiety so for me it probably stays high a lot....then the night of the dex suppression test I didn't sleep - so I figured that one would come out bad too - but it didn't - it came out good....so hang in there....as for lowering the synthroid - The doc agreed to lower it from 150 to 137 and I am feeling a little better - The anxiety is a little better...so I think it was contributing....my gluscose generally runs in the upper 90's but there were a test or two that I had over 100 - I think it was 120 and 110 or something like that - then it came back under 100 and has stayed there....I cut back on sugars....(I have a terrible weakness for pepsi (not diet))....Glad to hear from you - I felt fluish at first when it was lowered - but that seems some better now - also I am trying to rest more - that seems to make a huge difference in how much I ache....If I do too much the next day I ache all over (and too much isn't much if you know what I mean)...I'm glad you are getting more tests...let me know how they come out....
Take care,
Kathy
Thanks for the reply.. When I messed with my meds I got my period two weeks after the last one so that and the med change have me down.. It is interesting how all these things are tied together.. cortisol blocks thyroid absorption and messes with sugars.. I am just trying to get a lot of rest and go with it for a bit longer until the blood work comes in.. I ma afraid it will not be good since I feel soooooo bad!! How long did it take you to feel better on the lowered dose? I feel like a truck hit me and have weird back pain.. didn't know if it was all affecting my adrenals.. you have hashi's right?
Hi - I don't have hashis I don't think - I have nodules and hypo symptoms mostly (except for being hot all the time and high blood pressure)....My AB were negative - I think it took a week or two to get rid of the achy feeling - but also I was/am under a lot of stress and I know that does it to me too - sleeping well at night is the best thing I can do for the general "feeling like a truck hit me" feeling....hope that helps - My labs weren't bad at all compared to how I felt - so you never know - hang in there!!
Kathy
The saga continues.. I was messing with my thyroid meds and was on and off and then on a much lower dose.. my TSH today was 2 so I am praying that it will hold with the ,.25 levoxyl... they sent me for an MRI and it showed that my left adrenal was mildly enlarged and said that could be everything from normal to mild adrenal hyperplasia which I can not figure out.. it sounds like it has to do with adrenal insufficiency and my cortisol is high!! I am doing another 24 hour urine and the dex supression to see whats up!! I hate this!! How are you doing??
Hi Wendy -
so did you 24 hour test come out high? Mine did - and then how was the dex supp test? That one came out normal for me - They did a CT of the adrenals - but I think they must have been normal because I did not hear a report on that...but when my dec supp test was ok - my endo pronounced it stress and have not heard about it since then....I don't know what adrenal hyperplasia means - maybe someone else has had it?? I think it might be important to make thyroid med changes slowly - so I would try to hold it steady for awhile - but I'm not a doc - so check with you doc - but I've heard that rapid changes can really throw you for a loop.....take care and please let me know how things come out.....
I am doing ok - having a lot of trouble with anxiety - but having a lot of stress too - which reminds me I should take my B vitamins!
Take care,
Kathy
