Anyone taking hydrocortisone? Any Relief ?

[Everydaystruggle]

I’m a patient of Defy medical and was diagnosed months ago with adrenal fatigue and was told I was a pretty complex case. Started me on natural supplements of the course of months and did another saliva test and the values on the test did fluctuate more in the right direction. Unfortunately I do not feel any better and my sleep is getting worse. In fact no sooner then I fall asleep I’m back up and its like that all night every night. I woke up 12 times in 5 hours. I don’t even think I’m really getting to sleep before waking back up. At my consults hydrocortisone was brought up on something we could try. I was wondering if anyone is on it and what kind of results you had? Any help with falling or staying asleep. I do need to get tested for sleep apnea but I unfortunately don’t have the funds. Thank you all. Also any other help is appreciated.

 

[Vince]

This Thread made be useful to you.

Hydrocortisone for Cortisol Deficiency - Any experience?

https://www.excelmale.com/forum/sho...tisone-for-Cortisol-Deficiency-Any-experience

 

[Everydaystruggle]

Thank you Vince.

 

[ratbag]

Yeah I have the same problem and eventually was put on hydrocortisone full time. It was a huge improvement because low cortisol also stops thyroid from working. So going on hydrocortisone got my thyroid working and I felt so much better. Try it and see how you feel. If you feel better then you know you need it. I sleep way better on cortisol than I do with out. It seems weird but when your body is short of it everything seems to suffer. Going on hydrocortisone also helped by lower back pain and knee pain. Apparently low cortisol people have those problems as well as the fatigue.

 

[Everydaystruggle]

Ratbag, what mg are you taking and how are you taking it? I also use found I’m hypothyroid as well. Did you have the constant adrenaline feeling? Like your stuck in the fight or flight response?

 

[ratbag]

Yes I did along with so many other symptoms that can be found online. My MD Rx'd cortef (pills) 10mg each. I take 15mg when I get up. I take 10 at lunch and 5 at supper for a total of 30mg daily. It's the same therapy as one gets when you have addisons disease. I had a head injury when I was 7 years old that damaged my pituitary. So it compromised my body's ability to make it's own hormones. Unfortunately they didn't figure it out until I was 50. It wasn't until my hormone MD did a saliva test and he learned that I was low at all 4 times.

 

[Everydaystruggle]

Wow that’s crazy! In 7th grade I had my head slammed into a cement wall when playing basketball. I’m not sure if that’s what causes my hypogonadism, hypothyroidism and adrenal fatigue but it makes me wonder. I’m currently waiting to hear back from Defy so see if hydrocortisone is still an option for me. What other symptoms did you have if you don’t mind me asking?

 

[CoastWatcher]

I take cortisone for Addison's Disease, primary adrenal insufficiency. Rare, a familial issue, the cortisone improved my thyroid function dramatically.

 

[ratbag]

I take cortisone for Addison's Disease, primary adrenal insufficiency. Rare, a familial issue, the cortisone improved my thyroid function dramatically.

Since addisons is an autoimmune related disease I wonder if sodium bicarbonate would help... perhaps the damage is already done. Do you have other autoimmune diseases? Hashimoto's perhaps?

 

[Everydaystruggle]

Not that I know of. I had my antibodies checked when I had my thyroid test done and that came back ok. Just a high reverse t3z. So now I’m taking t3 for my thyroid. I have secondary hypogonadism which is an issue with my pituitary gland I believe so if just makes me wonder.

 

[Everydaystruggle]

Started 5mg of hydrocortisone in the mornings per Dr. Saya recommendations. Unfortunately I feel with recently starting the thyroid medication and the hydrocortisone that it’s mke me sweat a lot and increase that adrenaline feeling I have. I’m hoping it’s something that my body just has to adapt to. The goal is to take 5mg of hydrocortisone 3 times a day.

 

[Gianluca]

Starting Hydrocortisone as well, I will have a consult with Doc soon to see the protocol on that, but I do feel running on adrenaline most of the time I need to do something such as catching a flight or some social/ work meeting type of activity

Ratbag, what mg are you taking and how are you taking it? I also use found I'm hypothyroid as well. Did you have the constant adrenaline feeling? Like your stuck in the fight or flight response?

 

[Gianluca]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUqjOXeoFRo

 

[DB32]

cortisol supplementation absolutely ruined me personally, I shut down very quickly on low doses and my adrenals spiralled out of control.

Not saying this happens to everyone but HC is to be treated with caution and respect.

 

[Gianluca]

what dosages frequency were you using? you still on it?

cortisol supplementation absolutely ruined me personally, I shut down very quickly on low doses and my adrenals spiralled out of control.

Not saying this happens to everyone but HC is to be treated with caution and respect.

 

[DB32]

I came off any medication a very long time ago , I was a very bad responder to glucocorticoids and I have had gradual improvement in my cortisol levels since by resting and using very basic supplements.my issues are now "tuning up" my hormonal system without knocking out the cortisol.

I have a very sensitive system since my adrenals fully crashed and even certain vitamins (and of course testosterone) seriously effects my cortisol levels.

Dosing HC is a very unique thing and dependant on wether you are prepared to fully shut off your own production.what may seem logical on paper doesn't always work in practice with adrenals.. I found the smallest dose shut totally me down regardless whereas some can take very small amounts and their HPA adjusts down but can remain in tact.

What are you trying to achieve from using HC?

 

[Gianluca]

you mention you have a very sensitive system since adrenals crashed, to my understanding with low cortisol we are sensitive to pretty much anything, environment, medications, toxic people (no laughing here it's true) stress, arguments etc..etc..so that make sense, regarding Testosterone I had a chat just this week with my Doc, as I do believe TRT worsen my cortisol production, although I realize now I have had this issue for at least 10 years, even prior T deficiency, I may think there is some genetic involved,

anyways you did not mentioned what was your HC protocol

obviously I'm trying HC to achieve higher levels of Cortisol in my blood, I'm on HCG pregnelonone and I even tried progesterone last year but nothing really doing it fully, and if I take HCG off I'm really bad

here a very good read from one of the pioneer of HRT http://www.townsendletter.com/Jan2018/cortisol0118.html

I came off any medication a very long time ago , I was a very bad responder to glucocorticoids and I have had gradual improvement in my cortisol levels since by resting and using very basic supplements.my issues are now "tuning up" my hormonal system without knocking out the cortisol.

I have a very sensitive system since my adrenals fully crashed and even certain vitamins (and of course testosterone) seriously effects my cortisol levels.

Dosing HC is a very unique thing and dependant on wether you are prepared to fully shut off your own production.what may seem logical on paper doesn't always work in practice with adrenals.. I found the smallest dose shut totally me down regardless whereas some can take very small amounts and their HPA adjusts down but can remain in tact.

What are you trying to achieve from using HC?

 

[DB32]

you mention you have a very sensitive system since adrenals crashed, to my understanding with low cortisol we are sensitive to pretty much anything, environment, medications, toxic people (no laughing here it's true) stress, arguments etc..etc..so that make sense, regarding Testosterone I had a chat just this week with my Doc, as I do believe TRT worsen my cortisol production, although I realize now I have had this issue for at least 10 years, even prior T deficiency, I may think there is some genetic involved,

anyways you did not mentioned what was your HC protocol

obviously I'm trying HC to achieve higher levels of Cortisol in my blood, I'm on HCG pregnelonone and I even tried progesterone last year but nothing really doing it fully, and if I take HCG off I'm really bad

here a very good read from one of the pioneer of HRT http://www.townsendletter.com/Jan2018/cortisol0118.html

My cortisol "protocol" was prescribed by a local GP and local endo who had limited knowledge on replacement outside of the standard issue.

I would burn through HC so fast that I needed rediculous doses and nobody could stabilise me,I switched to prednisone which made me feel worse not to mention the dreadful side effects.

I ended up bed ridden and weened myself off (under supervision) and made small steps over a long period of time to get back to about 50% adrenal health, the recovery plateaud and I have been slowly improving over the last ten years since the event.

Exogenous cortisol is no joke, if you are one of the lucky ones that can take sub clinical doses without whacking out your entire HPA then fantastic, for the unlucky ones like me I literally lost a huge chunk of my life going down that road...

 

[Gianluca]

sorry to hear that, it is well known that Prednisone, if used long term, will shout down 100% adrenals because it has a 24H acting, that is why it should not be used for this purpose, beside having the side effects of super physiological intake. You mentioned you needed allot of HC, what does that mean? you still not putting down any dosages frequencies you were using, AKA protocol! my Doc told me to go max 30mg per day divided in three dosages, which is the right Protocol used to treat adrenal insufficiency, if you read the link I attached there is a very good explanation of HC treatment, up to 30mg a day in men shouts down 20-35% adrenals. Good info to educate your doctor there

I understand being low Cortisol is not fun, I'm 10 days in it right now, on 20/25mg daily, it's making a difference, especially on my exercising that would constantly giving me low blood sugar, and I fall at sleep much faster, I feel more calm as well, I will try it out for sometime, eventually going off

 

[Saul]

Any help with falling or staying asleep. I do need to get tested for sleep apnea but I unfortunately don’t have the funds. Thank you all. Also any other help is appreciated.

That is the worst. My only suggestion is to try prop up your back/head with at least 3 pillows to aid breathing. That cured my waking up in the night due to not breathing correctly/short of breath. I also take magnesium about an hour before bed. Those two things really helped me. Good luck.