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Extremely tired/sleepy Hydrocortisone

Martial

Senior Member
Messages
1,409
Location
Ventura, CA
@Starfive

Cats Claw is good but some have allergies to it, Prima Una De Gato is Cat's Claw just a TOA free version.. This makes it hit deeper into the CNS system to treat infection, and is less toxic on the system as well as creating less oxidative stress..

This does not mean that Cat's Claw is useless though or that it is highly toxic, It actually works quite well and If you have it I would definitely use it! Maybe try Prima Una De Gato if you have issues or side effects with Cat's Claw though those are usually pretty minor..

One thing though be sure to work your way up slowly! Do not jump to whatever recommended dose they offer immediately.. Try one drop a day and work your way up if needed.. If you are trying to treat a long term bacteria infection like Lyme and its co infections or even syphilis you do not want to create too strong of a herx at once, this will mean it is more then your system could handle..
 
Messages
93
@Starfive

Cats Claw is good but some have allergies to it, Prima Una De Gato is Cat's Claw just a TOA free version.. This makes it hit deeper into the CNS system to treat infection, and is less toxic on the system as well as creating less oxidative stress..

This does not mean that Cat's Claw is useless though or that it is highly toxic, It actually works quite well and If you have it I would definitely use it! Maybe try Prima Una De Gato if you have issues or side effects with Cat's Claw though those are usually pretty minor..

One thing though be sure to work your way up slowly! Do not jump to whatever recommended dose they offer immediately.. Try one drop a day and work your way up if needed.. If you are trying to treat a long term bacteria infection like Lyme and its co infections or even syphilis you do not want to create too strong of a herx at once, this will mean it is more then your system could handle..
Thanks Martial...will give it a try slowly!
 

heapsreal

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Messages
10,089
Location
australia (brisbane)
@Martial Is the active ingredient of cats claw, samento?
Can u elaborate on how it works eg does it have direct antibacterial effects or does it stimulate the immune system somehow??
 

Martial

Senior Member
Messages
1,409
Location
Ventura, CA
@heapsreal It is a direct antibiotic that works best for specific types of bacteria that come up as spirochates like Lyme.. Traditional ABX do not work as well when bacteria burrow into cysts to hide from innoculation, as well as the fact it doesn't reach all stages of life.. That is why they always recommend long term IV antibiotics that are pulsed to meet the life cycles. Also always on the side most LLMD Lyme Specialists reccomend cats claw (Samento) or Banderol, and other similar structured herbal antibiotics.. Cats Claw is a natural Anti biotic, Anti Bacterial, and anti Fungal.. It is especially practical for Lyme because it also is effective against the common co infections, where as some other herbs and pharm abx are not..

I do not think it stimulates the immune system in much regard though, usually people take other things along side it to do that... Exercise is a huge one to create oxidization and raise internal body heat, also Saunas, or other hyperthermic therapies which is a toxic enviromnent for the bacteria. many supplements are also used for immune system regulation though I am sure everyone here is familar with those!

One of the challenges with lyme is that it literally high jacks the immune system for its benifit so it can be a challenge to get that back to a normal structure.. They hide in white blood cells and when killed off too quickly can produce very low WBC also lowered RBC, or other places it burrows.

It is also pretty common to have hypoperfusion of some organs in the body,especially the brain.. This can make symptoms of POTS more apparent.


@Grigor Sorry! I think this stuff is something you should really look into though! It may be just the treatment for the infection you have and can finally give you remission!
 
Messages
1
Grigor: you may be taking too little. This site might be helpful, starting at question 20:
http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/adrenal-info/faq/

This same thing happened to me and my MD increased my dosage to 15 mg/day divided into three decreasing doses. I have just started that so can't report on it yet.

good luck.




Hello. I'm new to the forum not new to ME. Got it for about 8 years now. But started HC after having it tested by a 24h saliva test and the morning is too low.

Anyways I'm now on 2,5 mg HC but I'm so crazy sleepy because of it . So I wake up make some food. Which I already hardly managed before the HC and now after the HC kicks in I need to go straight to bed till basically it's night time.

It's day 4 now. Will this wear off ?? Cause otherwise this might not be for me . Wayyyy to sensitive to meds anyways.

Hope someone has similar experiences and can help me out . ( Sorry for my english )

Grigor .
 

Grigor

Senior Member
Messages
462
Location
Amsterdam
Hi . Yeah read that too but on the other hand it's all not sure :) It may :)

How is it working out for you ??
 

Wayne

Senior Member
Messages
4,300
Location
Ashland, Oregon
Hi Grigor, I take 20 mg of HC (Cortef) daily, and have done so for about the past 15 years. I was EXTREMELY sensitive to it in the beginning. My initial dose was 5 mg, and it made me feel like I had drunk several cups of coffee. So I reduced it to half that (your current dose of 2.5 mg), and though a bit intense, was able to handle it. My body adjusted within a few short days, and I then increased fairly rapidly up to 20 mg/day. It took me from functioning at about 4% to around 10%. Today I'm at about 20%-25%.

My suggestion? Be patient and cautious. Don't do more than what your body is telling you it can adjust to. Listen to your body over your doctor. Doctors can only give guidelines that work for X% of people, they don't often take individual differences into consideration. If you feel you want to continue this, I would back off to 1 mg, or even less. If your body can't adapt to that, then you probably shouldn't be taking it. (It soon became apparent to me that my body craved it). --- Good luck!

P.S. Here's a pretty extensive thread for you to check out if you're interested:

http://forums.phoenixrising.me/inde...tisol-and-feeling-drastically-improved.12837/
 
Last edited:

Grigor

Senior Member
Messages
462
Location
Amsterdam
Ok thank you very much. I'm hesitant after my last experience with it but well.

Now that I'm on nothing ( supplements) I feel tired but less stressed. On HC I feel wasted and not realy abe to lead a normal life. But yeah maybe I need to even start lower.
 

concepcion

Senior Member
Messages
118
hey! i had exactly the same experience as you!!
everyone said be careful cus you will feel like you have had a ton of coffee (ithought great! i could use that..). but it just made me soooooo tired and sleepy!

I did this two years ago with 2.5 and gave up because it made me worse.

I am currently trying it again tho! after researching it seem if you have this reaction you need to start at a higher dose.. so just a few days ago I started cortef at 5mg waking, 2.5 four hrs later, and another 2.5 four hours after that.

first day was great, but then i started to feel soooooooo tired and sleepy, like i was in a coma.

yesterday I increased to 10mg waking, and 5mg 4hrs after, and another 5. 4hrs after that (total of 20mg)
yestersay I felt pretty good, and today well we will see...
i can keep you updated tho!

i find it weird though how so many people feel overstimulated, its hard to find other people who get sleep/more tired with the cortisol, im not really sure what that means.. but. im hoping that doing the higher dose will fix that
 

Grigor

Senior Member
Messages
462
Location
Amsterdam
Thank you for your response. Actually everything makes me tired and sleepy but the HC for sure.
I'm a little scared to take more.
Also that I will have a huge relapse.
 

heapsreal

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Messages
10,089
Location
australia (brisbane)
Thank you for your response. Actually everything makes me tired and sleepy but the HC for sure.
I'm a little scared to take more.
Also that I will have a huge relapse.

Acetyl tyrosine and dopa macuna may help with an energy boost as it increases dopamine and noradrenaline. I find it good for occassional use. Otherwise could try modafinil??
 

Grigor

Senior Member
Messages
462
Location
Amsterdam
Hi Tyrosine also kicks my behind. When taking it I get super tired.
For me the reason is it reacts on my intestines. Probably with some lose stool. And that makes the fatigue.
I bought NAC to try but read that it will give diarrhea so it will be hard for me. Specially as there is nowhere written if it is temporarily or something that stays.
 

heapsreal

iherb 10% discount code OPA989,
Messages
10,089
Location
australia (brisbane)
Another suggestion or thoughts about pregnenolone which can be given by a transdermal cream, it can increase cortisol levels as well as other neurotransmitters that may help with energy. One warning is to start low and go slow. research it more though.
 

bertiedog

Senior Member
Messages
1,738
Location
South East England, UK
Oh well all this goes to show how different we can be. I needed 12.5 mg h/c in the morning to notice any real difference and then another 10 mg lunchtime and a small dose of 2.5 mg late afternoon. That was 12 years ago and since then I have switched to 6mg Prednisolone taken as 5mg early am. 1mg late afternoon and just 2.5 mg h/c late afternoon.

The reason I have done better on the Pred is because it is long acting. H/c ran out far too quickly with me and gave me false highs when I would do too much and then I would get low. Prednisolone doesn't do this to the same extent, no highs at all just sort of normal but I can always tell when I am going low again which starts around 3 pm in the afternoon.

If your body has been really low in cortisol for a period of time I think it can sort of overreact when you do get it. I also recommend reading the stopthethyroidmadness site and also to get hold of the book would be helpful.

Pam
 
Messages
61
Hello. I'm new to the forum not new to ME. Got it for about 8 years now. But started HC after having it tested by a 24h saliva test and the morning is too low.

Anyways I'm now on 2,5 mg HC but I'm so crazy sleepy because of it . So I wake up make some food. Which I already hardly managed before the HC and now after the HC kicks in I need to go straight to bed till basically it's night time.

It's day 4 now. Will this wear off ?? Cause otherwise this might not be for me . Wayyyy to sensitive to meds anyways.

Hope someone has similar experiences and can help me out . ( Sorry for my english )

Grigor .

Hey @Grigor. My doc just put me on 2.5mg hydrocortisone twice a day to help with allergy symptoms that I have from the treatment plan we've started and I have been sleepier as well. But for me I'm willing to be sleepier if it means less allergy symptoms and I can keep taking the protocol we are trying to calm down my overactive immune system. I've had cfs for 3 years. God bless.
 

Grigor

Senior Member
Messages
462
Location
Amsterdam
Long time I didn't write here.

I'm still the same. Lots of reaxyyice hypoglycemic issues etc. Cortisol probably still low in the morning. Considering trying HC again. Of course I will get tested first but my GP is pretty sure nothing has changed. But I keep being scared of HC.

Anyone else had improvements since then?
 

roxie60

Senior Member
Messages
1,791
Location
Central Illinois, USA
I'm having same sleepiness Grigor. Just started HC two weeks ago. This is so not what I needed to happen. I was expecting more energy and focus not less. Very frustrated. Does this end?