Are my cortisol levels low?
A bit about why I am posting re: your message. I, too, have found conventional doctors hostile to the idea of saliva tests much less the results. What I have also found is the recommendations in Dr. Wilson's book or on line failing to remedy my problem. The good friend who had the Wilson book now tells me I just need to think more positively. When I read what the last person wrote, I felt like there is at least one person who knows what I am going through. I am 39 and female.
I have wondered if I am too toxic to absorb things like ginseng or ashwaganda or any number of supplements I seemingly wasted money on this past year. What do you think about someone with AF needing the flushes and cleanses on the market? I have done minor cleanses and fasts yet I lack the stamina to do something intense nor do I feel much better.
The lab that did my saliva tests stated that my cortisol was low to low normal. I was wondering what you and others think:
Cortisol AM saliva 2.9L ng/ml Range 3.7-9.5
Cortisol noon 0.9L ng/ml Range 1.2-3.0
Cortisol Evening 0.6 n/ml Range 0.6-1.9
Cortisonl Night 0.5 ng/ml Range 0.4-1.0
Progesterone was 61Lpg/ml Range 75-270 Premenopaulal
Ration:Pg/E2 28L Range Optimal: 100-5000 when E2 1.3-3.3 pg/ml
DHEAs 21.8 ng/ml Range 2-23
Testosterone 20 pg/ml
I had an ACTH test by an endocrinologist who seems to do everything in his power to ignore me and deny that I have any glandular issues. However, I learned the ACTH was borderline and he wanted me to go back to do another one, just to make sure. This is a blood test where the phlebotomist punctured my vein multiple times due to her difficulty accessing it and me sitting in pain for the half hour with that needle sitting in my arm. It took a month for the vein to heal.
The results were not given to me with the ranges despite my efforts in contacting the office:
What I have is:
Cortsol, Total Serum 8.4 ug/dl
ACTH plasma 15 Range,46-pg/ml
Cortisol, total serum 15.6 ug/dl
Time +30 min
Testisterone Rotal serum, 31.0 ng/dL
Apparently this was a low dose ACTH stimulation test which should increase from 8.4 to 15.6. the threshold is 18.
I have no guidance what to do next: should I follow a carb free diet?, should I eat more meat? Less meat? No meat? Eggs?No eggs? Exercise? How much? this is the tip of the ice berg of what to do or not.
If you or anyone have recommendations or perspective on these tests, please let me know.