Re: hydrocortisone/cortisol

Hi Meg

I was on Cortef for 10 months, I had low cortisol in AM and high cortisol in PM. I switched from synthroid to armour and my Adrenal problems showed up. After my Dr did a saliva test that's what my cortisol rhythm was. I started very slow,
2.5 in a.m for 3 days
2.5 a.m. then 4 hours later 2.5 for 3 days then
2.5, 2.5, 2.5 every 4 hours for 3 days
5, 2.5, 2.5 every 4 hours for 3 days then
5, 5, 2.5
5, 5, 5,
7.5, 5, 5,
7,5, 5, 5, 2.5

Graph your temps according to this website
http://www.drrind.com/tempgraph.asp


during illness or stress I had to stress dose, that meant adding in an extra 2.5 or 5 mg until the stress passed. At one point I was up to 30 mg daily. Then weaned off Cortef after 10 months. I feel much better, but my cortisol is now high 24 hours a day and I'm trying to bring it down. I still feel better than I did with low cortisol.
I also switched from Armour to Cytomel, straight T3 10 months ago. I feel much better. I had some thyroid resistance and Reverse T3 problems so staying away from T4 corrected that and opened up the receptors. I'm thinking of making the switch back to Armour. See how it goes.

Jill