Reply to thread

Message

Quick follow-up - I heard from the Defy medical staff today and was advised to continue with anastrozole 0.25mg EOD, so no changes there. 53 is a little high, but they believe e2 could still be in the process of coming down and stabilizing so better to leave things alone until I speak with Dr. Saya next month.
.
One small additional observation - since discontinuing rhodiola and ashwaganda and beginning licorice root about 6 weeks ago, I've had several bouts of insomnia. Insomnia is not something that historically has been an issue for me, and while I'm not experiecing it nightly, it does seem to hit roughly one night each week. Maybe it is unrelated to the adaptogen changes, but I did notice that with my April labs (taking rhodiola and ashwaganda, but not licorice), my midnight cortisol was <0.010. With my June labs (taking licorice but not rhodiola and ashwaganda), my midnight cortisol was 0.054. Similarly, 4pm cortisol was 0.023 in April and 0.059 in June.
.
Just wondering if higher afternoon and evening cortisol levels could be contributing to the recent onset of sporadic insomnia. I haven't otherwise noticed any changes in energy levels throughout the day and they remain quite low, espcially in the late-morning and through the afternoon.

<blockquote data-quote="Esq" data-source="post: 74661" data-attributes="member: 15250">Quick follow-up - I heard from the Defy medical staff today and was advised to continue with anastrozole 0.25mg EOD, so no changes there. 53 is a little high, but they believe e2 could still be in the process of coming down and stabilizing so better to leave things alone until I speak with Dr. Saya next month..One small additional observation - since discontinuing rhodiola and ashwaganda and beginning licorice root about 6 weeks ago, I&#039;ve had several bouts of insomnia. Insomnia is not something that historically has been an issue for me, and while I&#039;m not experiecing it nightly, it does seem to hit roughly one night each week. Maybe it is unrelated to the adaptogen changes, but I did notice that with my April labs (taking rhodiola and ashwaganda, but not licorice), my midnight cortisol was &lt;0.010. With my June labs (taking licorice but not rhodiola and ashwaganda), my midnight cortisol was 0.054. Similarly, 4pm cortisol was 0.023 in April and 0.059 in June. .Just wondering if higher afternoon and evening cortisol levels could be contributing to the recent onset of sporadic insomnia. I haven&#039;t otherwise noticed any changes in energy levels throughout the day and they remain quite low, espcially in the late-morning and through the afternoon.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Esq, post: 74661, member: 15250"] Quick follow-up - I heard from the Defy medical staff today and was advised to continue with anastrozole 0.25mg EOD, so no changes there. 53 is a little high, but they believe e2 could still be in the process of coming down and stabilizing so better to leave things alone until I speak with Dr. Saya next month. . One small additional observation - since discontinuing rhodiola and ashwaganda and beginning licorice root about 6 weeks ago, I've had several bouts of insomnia. Insomnia is not something that historically has been an issue for me, and while I'm not experiecing it nightly, it does seem to hit roughly one night each week. Maybe it is unrelated to the adaptogen changes, but I did notice that with my April labs (taking rhodiola and ashwaganda, but not licorice), my midnight cortisol was <0.010. With my June labs (taking licorice but not rhodiola and ashwaganda), my midnight cortisol was 0.054. Similarly, 4pm cortisol was 0.023 in April and 0.059 in June. . Just wondering if higher afternoon and evening cortisol levels could be contributing to the recent onset of sporadic insomnia. I haven't otherwise noticed any changes in energy levels throughout the day and they remain quite low, espcially in the late-morning and through the afternoon. [/QUOTE]

Verification

TRT Hormone Predictor Widget

Understanding Your Hormones

Estradiol (E2)

A form of estrogen produced from testosterone. Important for bone health, mood, and libido. Too high can cause side effects; too low can affect well-being.

DHT

Dihydrotestosterone is a potent androgen derived from testosterone. Affects hair growth, prostate health, and masculinization effects.

Free Testosterone

The biologically active form of testosterone not bound to proteins. Directly available for cellular uptake and biological effects.

Scientific Reference

Lakshman KM, Kaplan B, Travison TG, Basaria S, Knapp PE, Singh AB, LaValley MP, Mazer NA, Bhasin S. The effects of injected testosterone dose and age on the conversion of testosterone to estradiol and dihydrotestosterone in young and older men. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2010 Aug;95(8):3955-64.

DOI: 10.1210/jc.2010-0102 | PMID: 20534765 | PMCID: PMC2913038