Posted by glenn on January 16, 2003, at 11:43:54
In reply to Cortisol testing, posted by Dinah on January 15, 2003, at 21:12:22
I am not sure I can agree with some of the above, in particular the idea that high cortisol is only an effect of stress/anxiety.
Recently the emphasis seems to have shifted to the idea that cortisol may well be the cause and not just an effect of depression/ anxiety.
The problem is that endocrinologists in my experience tend to lose interest if you do not have cushings disease or addisons disease and there are not many good medications to treat high cortisol if you have it. Ketoconazole and Metyrapone are pretty awful and one has to rely in the main on finding out what helps in the supplement/ herb area as very few docs seem to know about this.
The breakthrough may be ru 486 which lowers cortisol dramatically and dramatically seems to help some people who have apparent trd.
As it is the abortion drug and very very expensive it has sadly its own set of problems.
I would agree that it is worth having the test, the salivary one seems to have a better reputation than the urinary one and unless the doc is prepared to try you on one of the above, have a look at holy basil (ocimum sanctum) and seriphos ( as opposed to phosphatidyl serine which is more expensive and less effective)
Good luckGlenn
poster:glenn
thread:136050
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030113/msgs/136103.html