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help with my adrenal saliva test results

can somebody explain my results to me:

Age ground female 41-50

post waking test 12.1 (range 12-22)
+ 5 hours 6.8 (range 5-9)
+5 hours 3.2 (range 3-7)
+5 hours 1.4 (Range 1-3)

Daily total 23.5

DHEA mean 0.05
DHEA: Cortisol 0.19

Secretion IgA 600+

Resistance stage 3 - maladaptation

My cortisol levels are in the normal range and my DHEA are low and my secretion IgA is high and I would like to know what Resistance stage 3 - maladaptation means also - am I in stage 3 adrenal exhaustion

Thanks
 

Ema

Senior Member
Messages
4,729
Location
Midwest USA
Your AM result should be at the top of the range, your noon result should be in the top third of the range, your 5PM should be in the bottom half of the range and your evening result should be near the bottom of the range to produce the appropriate circadian rhythm of cortisol secretion.

Your results are too low in the AM and at noon and are fine in the evening. This looks like a flat line when graphed and represents a type of HPA axis dysfunction.

The test kit should explain what they mean exactly by Stage 3 maladaption. I take it to mean that you are not producing enough cortisol (or DHEA) in the morning and at noon based on those results.

Do you have symptoms of low cortisol?

It's unusual for sIgA to be high when cortisol is low. sIgA is a mucous like substance that provides a first layer of defense against pathogens in the gut, nose, mouth, etc. I have also read though that sIgA can be very high in the presence of infections. Have you been evaluated for the typical stealth pathogens?

Ema
 
could my high sigA be caused by heavy drinking - i read that somewhere. My fatigue problems got unbearable when I gave up alcohol and caffeine - I think these covered up my problems, I was really disappointed when I felt worse for giving up the booze!

II wake every morning at 4.30am and am unable to get back to sleep and feel really tired all day and then perk up in the evening. I have anxiety and low mood, quick to anger etc/ My symtoms seem to worsen a week before my period PMS, etc.

These past 4 years have been really stessfull, but I was surprised to be a stage 3 - I thought I would be at stage 1 or 2
 

Ema

Senior Member
Messages
4,729
Location
Midwest USA
I know very little about alcohol and sIgA but a quick googling turned this up:

"High levels of serum sIgA were found only in patients with severe cirrhosis accompanied by jaundice"

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1419709/

I think you would have other symptoms than just fatigue if you had severe cirrhosis. I think infections would be more likely.

Alcohol and caffeine both stimulate cortisol. It may be frustrating to give them up and feel worse but I think long term, it is probably wise until you get things under control.

Did your doctor order the test? Do you have plans to treat the low cortisol?

Ema
 
Hi Ema,
I don't have any liver problems I didn't drink that much - just more than I was comfortable with iykwim and I don't seem have any infection symptoms that I am aware of? (unless the insomnia and fatigue are the symtoms)
I have seen a nutritional therapist and she has given me a prescription, but I am finding the cost of the appointments, supplement and tests too much, I am in the UK so maybe I could go to my doctor with the results and see if I can get any help on the nhs?
If my test results were stage 1 or 2, I probably would have just helped myself with all the things suggested (lifestyle,diet excercise)
Alcohol I am fine giving up - nearly 4 months now- caffeine is a struggle - I still have about 3 coffees per week and I eat fruit still
Anyway, thanks for you replies
Sam
 

ukxmrv

Senior Member
Messages
4,413
Location
London
My experience with the NHS was that they didn't accept a saliva test as being relevant to any disease or process. The idea of adrenal fatigue wasn't accepted by any of my GP's or by either of the NHS Endocrinologists that I saw. I'm not a big fan of the idea myself but I at least wanted to be able to talk through a possible problem in that area that could be causes my terrible morning symptoms. My AM cortisol barely registered on the test and was well under the range.

The NHS could only offer a" short Synacten" test which is for Addison's disease and although I had the test and my response was blunted it wasn't blunted enough for full blown Addison's and so they were not interested.

The private saliva cortisol test I had doesn't say anything about stages or resistance so much be another company. If you type your result into Google you will find other patients with the same words from their tests and discussions on it. It may be related to a theory of "adrenal exhaustion" that claims that it occurs in stages and one of those stages is resistance. Your testing company may be following that model to report back. That won't mean anything to the NHS as they don't accept such a process medically occurs.

The NHS hospital I was seen could offer a DHEA test but when that came back low they just shrugged their shouldered.

My experience with nutritional therapists has been very bad. A huge waste of time and money. They can be just as dangerous as the NHS doctors who don't understand post exertional problems in people with ME and CFS.

The IGA test may have been for food allergies or a gut related test.

We really are stuck now in the UK. Apart from Dr Myhill, the Breakspear and the odd doctor here and there, we have few knowledgeable people left. That may be why so many are going to Belgium.
 
Oh god, that doesn't sound promising - I have just ordered the prescription - £180!!!!!!! ouch!

I will see how I go for a month - if I feel better I won't need to go again - the nutritionist I saw is a specialist in CFS and came recommended - but £100 per consultation - I just can't afford it long term. Anyway, I will give it a month - that is all the money that I can spare at the moment - I just hope that I havn't wasted it:(
 

ukxmrv

Senior Member
Messages
4,413
Location
London
It's impossible to comment on any individual who claims to treat CFS unless we know what they are offering. Could be up to date and the latest attempt or the same old stuff nutrionists were selling in the 80's and 90's when I saw some.

Wishing you all the best. Hope the prescription is good!
 
Here is the prescription:

for insomnia:
Somnolin x 2 before bed
Relax x 2 before bed

for adrenal support and DHEA
Adreset x 2 with breakfast
Buffered Vit C x 2
7 Keto- Zyme x 1 three times per day with meals

let me know what you think. I have a months worth and going to see how I go with that before I spend any more money.

I have been taking (for the past 3 weeks) patrick holfords mood food, vit B complex, 200mg of Vit C and magnesium before bed and have seen some improvement - so hopefully the prescription will kick start me into healing. I have changed my eating habits and am seeing an EFT Therapist to reduce my responses to stress and I think he is really helping me in many ways.
 

Bluebell

Senior Member
Messages
392
samantha waterhouse

Samantha, I am in your age band and I also recently had a DHEA and Cortisol test, which came back as very low on DHEA and a little bit high on bedtime Cortisol. I have not seen a medical professional about this, at least not yet.

I was interested to see what your prescription was for the adrenals/DHEA, and it looks as though at least 2 of the 3, or reasonable substitutes of them, could be purchased relatively inexpensively without a prescription, in case you decide the prescription is too expensive after this first trial month.

Did the nutritionist say why she put you on 7Keto DHEA instead of straight DHEA?

Will you have a follow-up saliva test after this month to see if your numbers have improved?

Please keep us up to date with how you get on. Good luck!
 

Ema

Senior Member
Messages
4,729
Location
Midwest USA
Here is the prescription:

for insomnia:
Somnolin x 2 before bed
Relax x 2 before bed

for adrenal support and DHEA
Adreset x 2 with breakfast
Buffered Vit C x 2
7 Keto- Zyme x 1 three times per day with meals

let me know what you think. I have a months worth and going to see how I go with that before I spend any more money.

I have been taking (for the past 3 weeks) patrick holfords mood food, vit B complex, 200mg of Vit C and magnesium before bed and have seen some improvement - so hopefully the prescription will kick start me into healing. I have changed my eating habits and am seeing an EFT Therapist to reduce my responses to stress and I think he is really helping me in many ways.
Sorry I did not see this before, samantha waterhouse.

Honestly, this would not be the route I would take if I had your saliva results. I do like Metagenics products for the most part, though I find them quite expensive. But I don't think a flatlined profile is going to be very responsive to herbal supplements.

I'm not sure what is in the Relax formula as I couldn't find anything with that exact name.

I also would have concerns with that 7-Keto DHEA formula. First, I don't think it has the same mechanism of action as regular DHEA. It still may be helpful but it does not replace DHEA in my opinion. Also, the dose is extremely low at 5 mg. For example, I take 100 mg of 7-Keto DHEA along with 10 mg of regular DHEA.

I do hope this is working for you and my comments are totally off base in this case. But if it were me, I would want to bump my cortisol up in the morning, with licorice if not Isocort or HC. A flatlined panel is far from ideal. I would also want to take regular DHEA.

I do like buffered C though!

Ema