Got Hormone test, need some help/opinions with results.

[supeg]

Hey all. Been suffering for the last year or so.

I am a 35 year old Male in decent health. I started getting a really jittery feeling that lasts mostly all day and dies down quite a bit in the evening around 7:00pm. It seems to ALWAYS be worse in the morning and during the day. I Totally changed up my diet, and nothing has helped. Only thing I have noticed is it might get worse if I eat Yogurt or Bananas...

Symptoms are.

Jitttery feeling inside
Wake up very very cold
Cold fingertips and Toes randomly
Neck stiff most of the day (so tight it hurts to turn it)
Random anxious thoughts
Memory seems much much worse mind randomly goes blank.
When I am falling asleep I get a random shock and my arm or leg will twitch and wake me up, can happen like 10 times a night...

I have tried a ton of supplements and even tried Benzos given by my doctor (he thinks Anxiety) but they did absolutely nothing.

I decided to get my Adrenals done as I suspected possible Adrenal issues.

Here is my Results, does anyone have any opinions?

 

[SOC]

@supeg
This is a forum for people with a very serious illness, ME/CFS, which includes multiple dysfunctions in a number of different body systems. While many of us have adrenal issues and might be able to give you some insight, most of our information is in the context of this illness. Much of what is true for us about adrenal function may not apply to you. You might get more appropriate (to you) answers or opinions from a dedicated adrenal dysfunction forum.

 

[JaimeS]

I don't mind giving it a shot, even if he doesn't have ME. I wasn't diagnosed when I arrived here and I had a lot of the same symptoms.

Your cortisol is dropping very low in the evening. Yet it sounds like your body is doing better with the low cortisol than the higher, more normal values in the AM. That suggests you are perhaps a little over-sensitive to cortisol (which I also am). In that case, I would not necessarily leap to supplementation with cortisol! The shock-like sensations you're experiencing coupled with cold extremities, tight neck and anxiety reallyreallyreally sounds like thyroid to me, however. The brain fog, too.

1) If you over-exert yourself, do you find yourself completely drained of energy? Does it take days to recover, where it's hard to move and hard to think? This is PEM and it's the hallmark of myalgic encephalomyelitis. If you don't have that symptom, you may not have ME.

2) Have you noticed that you've gained or lost weight recently? If so, that further points to thyroid.

@supeg, try Mdjunction; you will be able to have conversations regarding general adrenal issues on their adrenal forums there. But IMHO, there is no question that it's the thyroid you'll want to look at next: TSH, T3, T4, anti-thyroid antibodies. I'm shocked your doc didn't say as much.

-J

 

[Ema]

You're too low at all points in the day in my non medical opinion. The day readings should be in the top of the optimal ranges and the night readings are ok towards the bottom (but should not be under range).

You say you've tried a lot of supplements...but with those results and a normal DHEA, I would think adaptogens like licorice (if no high blood pressure) and high dose Vit C before hydrocortisone. You might also try an adrenal cortex extract like the one from Thorne. I avoid whole glandulars as the adrenaline part makes me feel awful.

If those interventions are not successful, then you might talk to your doctor about a trial of HC. Sometimes the only way to know if something will be helpful is to try it.

There's no question your thyroid is off with low cortisol but you have to fix the cortisol first in order to tolerate the thyroid hormones. It's frankly dangerous to take thyroid hormone without solid adrenal function or proper replacement. Make sure to test the free thyroid hormones, FT3 and FT4. However, if low cortisol is the problem, the thyroid issues often resolve themselves once that is corrected.

 

[WoolPippi]

hi. I have adrenal issues first and ME second (if at all) and I recognize your posting as being of the adrenal problem kind.

stay away from bananas and kalium rich foods. Your adrenals need natrium/sodium, vit C, full animal fat and a way for you to snap out of the jittery modus. You are in Fight or Flight modus. Your body thinks it ought to be and you will have to apply your mind to convince it otherwise. Keep dismissing worrisome thoughts and keep breathing and relaxing, until your body follows your lead and stops the ravage that Fight or Flight havocs on the system. (while you take action to take away the reason it wants to be in Fight or Flight)

Best book around is Adrenal Fatigue by Wilson. You will recognize all your symptoms and get an explanation for them.

you can stop reading here. Get the book.

It also will show you you are on a dangerous road and need to take action before you crash severely. Why is there "adrenal phase 2" on your chart? To me that refers to the 4 phases of adrenal exhaustion. You do now want to be in phase 2, this is the road to disaster.

I think you are right that you are not well. I think you are right it has to do with the adrenals, you correctly identified your symptoms. Good for you for noticing and taking action. Causes can be age (all endocrine glands dwindle after age 25) or a series of stressors in your life. Or just plain Western life with cities, coffee, games and careers.

You need to take action now and it will be a full scale action. It involves supplements, food and ABOVE ALL life style change. It will take months if not a year for your body to heal. And after that you cannot return to the life style you've had before. It's my opinion that you've walked soundly into the road sign at this split in the road of your life. Boiing!

Besides the book an endocrinologist who can interpret broad spectrum hormones might be of help too. There are not many endos who can do this. Educate yourself on the adrenal hormonal cascade. Something is trying to compensate for a shortage further down the line and it's not working.

I do advocate supplementing dwindling hormones, in contrast to most people on this forum. Just go low and go slow and go by symptoms. But only after that special endo dr. has done a full spectrum analysis and knows how to do this HRT.

HRT will only scaffold your system; you will still need to change your pace of life, your foods and the way you handle stress. But that's ok, really. You might see it as a chance to prepare for the next phase of your life: middle age, where you get to not care about what anybody thinks of you and it will last in reasonable good health for decades if you manage to protect your adrenals. Grow lustrous ear hair!

One more thing: digestion is tasking on the body. Your stomach acid is solely made out of cortisol, it seems. Aid your adrenals by taking HCL with your meal and by laying down a lot because blood pressure also takes a toll on the adrenals. I find a non-vegetable diet the least taxing. Chicken soup for the win.

 

[Tammy]

@Ema.................I'm not seeing a normal DHEA?............the test results show High DHEA.

 

[Ema]

@Ema.................I'm not seeing a normal DHEA?............the test results show High DHEA.

You're right. I should have been more clear.

I meant normal in the sense that it is not low...once DHEA falls low, there is only so much one can do with adaptogens and most need to go on to replacement. Before that point, with adequate precursors like DHEA and lifestyle modifications, one may be able to reverse course.

 

[WoolPippi]

Before that point, with adequate precursors like DHEA and lifestyle modifications, one may be able to reverse course.

very much so. I hope Supeg understands that it's now or never. There's still a decent chance as long as DHEA hasn't lowered.

I felt better on DHEA supplements but dr. Hertoghe feared I might grow a moustache and preferred Progesteron and Hydrocortisone for me. (because conversion from DHEA to Testosterone cannot be moderated, the body does what is does. And DHEA is not regulated here in Europe, who knows how much is in these body builder pills that I got over the internet? But I did feel good on it. Better than now.)