Re: How safe & effective is Hydrocortisone for AF

It is important to know your adrenal function in order to treat it. The best way to test it is with saliva, taken at different times of the day. Canaryclub.org or diagnostechslabs do this with a home test you mail back to them. I did a test with canary that was only saliva for $144.00. I believe that was with a discount, which is easily available. If you need help with this you can go to stopthethyroidmadness.com or realthyroidhelp.com If the adrenal function is very weak then isocort is usually not strong enough to help. Dr. Wilson's book on Adrenal Fatigue is excellent, but his remedies are also not strong enough if one's function is at a certain level. His stuff may work if one doesn't have to work and can rest all day and live without stress. I needed to take hydrocortisone or medrol to be able to work and function. HC generally has less side effects but it can be tricky to dose because it only lasts 3-4 hours in the body. It is usually taken first thing in the morning and then in the afternoon, 2 0r 3 times a day. Some people take small doses many times a day, but my doctor believes the brain does not recognize a dose less than 5mg. I switched to medrol because it can be more effective and easier to dose, as it lasts almost 24 hours in the body. Side effects for me were rashes, and I am now lowering the dose as my energy improves. It is best to take it short term and to work on improving your health to wean off it. It is important to have a good doctor who understands adrenal function, along with thyroid and other hormonal issues. This type of doctor is rare, and most endocrinologists don't fit the bill. To accurately test one's adrenals you have to be off isocort or any other meds/supplements for at least two weeks or the tests won't be valid.