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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 8 of 8. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by garnet71 on March 2, 2009, at 22:17:23
So in addition to low vit D, my thyroid test was at the limit for hypo, and my cortisol was low, so far. My doctor wants my thyroid retested in 3 months, and she wants me to take 2 cortisol tests that I can't afford. One of the cortisol tests is preempted by a script-I don't know how much that pill costs either.
I remember reading that for some people, subclinical thyroid issues need treated, and I was wondering if anyone here tried thyroid meds when their levels were just at end of the range rather than out of bounds, and if it helped.
Also if anyone had cortisol issues that were treated, and if it made a difference.
I don't qualify for medicaid unless I am disabled, and I can't get health insurance through my uni since the account was already cashed out with my loans that went to past due bills. I can't pay for any other doctor bills or scripts, am going to run out of psych meds in a week, and don't know what I should do.
Any suggestions in terms of priorities?
Posted by Phillipa on March 2, 2009, at 22:51:49
In reply to thyroid and cortisol issues, posted by garnet71 on March 2, 2009, at 22:17:23
Garnet seriously how did you get a doc to do a cortisol test? Blood , saliva? Did the military hospital do it. Didn't you say you were using one. Maybe not not sure. Love Phillipa
Posted by garnet71 on March 2, 2009, at 23:14:18
In reply to Re: thyroid and cortisol issues » garnet71, posted by Phillipa on March 2, 2009, at 22:51:49
Phillipa,
I asked the endocronologist for the tests. When she said I didn't have all the symptoms of cortisol problems, I reminded her to:
1. look at the huge list of my symptoms (which she had not read during the appt);
2. it could be that other conditions I have mitigate the negative or positive cortisol symptoms she was looking for (she agreed with that point);
3. I had years and years of chronic stress--actually a lifetime of being exposed to high stressors--and subsequently, my health has steadily declined;
4. I've been given psych meds by psychiatrists over and over and over that continually made me worse off.You have to be very assertive and force them to listen or plan to be brushed off to the clinical abyss. Not only that, but doctors (in my view/experience) are always looking for ONE single diagnosis as opposed to multiple problems. And for specialists, I noticed (in my experience) they rarely look outside their area of expertise--they will almost always diagnosis within their specialty--even if its wrong. Always keep that in mind.
I was actually in a state of distress when I got there, but 'something' always kicks in when I need it, allowing me to think rationally while simultaneously having an anxiety attack.
She was a more ideal doctor than I was used to; not because she let me take tests, but because she listened. She was also very sharp and focused-I could tell right away.
Making sure you get the first appointment of the day, before they get behind schedule, most often leads to a better outcome. It also helps if you can get them to think out of the box by asking questions about different angles of looking at things. I don't know-I just guess-that they might be trained to identify a diagnosis as quickly as possible; they always appear a bit hyperfocused on the most common illnesses. It makes sense, well to me, if you think about the way our health care system is designed, and think about all the people who suffer for years being misdiagnosed or underdiagnosed.
My lyme results were negative.
Posted by mav27 on March 3, 2009, at 0:02:13
In reply to Re: thyroid and cortisol issues » Phillipa, posted by garnet71 on March 2, 2009, at 23:14:18
What are the general symptoms of cortisol problems ? I've asked my doc and pdoc a couple times about getting it done but i havn't gotten anywhere so far.. every other test i've asked for has been no problem.. but i ask for cortisol tests and i get a blank stare or they change the subject.
Posted by Phillipa on March 3, 2009, at 10:51:05
In reply to Re: thyroid and cortisol issues » Phillipa, posted by garnet71 on March 2, 2009, at 23:14:18
Agree with specialists. here it's that's not my specialty. They the docs get up and walk away that way they don't have to listen. Like the endo I literally had to force him to even do a blood draw and that was fine. Good that the lymes was negative Western Blot? It's confusing to say they least. Glad your appointment was successful. Phillipa
Posted by bleauberry on March 3, 2009, at 17:10:02
In reply to thyroid and cortisol issues, posted by garnet71 on March 2, 2009, at 22:17:23
Well, you can treat these things yourself.
I can't list the names of the businesses due to board policies, but you can easily get these things via mailorder"
T3
T4
Armour Thyroid
Hydrocortisone
Generic antidepressants
Generic other drugs (but not controlled substances)These are commonly found at places that specialize in life extension or antiaging products. Creative google searches find several sources.
Of course the stumbling block is...it still costs money.
At a health food store you can get Licorice Root Extract. It prolongs the life of existing cortisol and allows it to build up and last longer. You can also get Adrenal Cortex Extract. For antidepressants there is SAMe and St Johns Wort.
Again though, these things are not free.
If you apply a dab of hydrocortisone cream to a thin skinned area, some of it will absorb through the skin. This is the common stuff at drug stores sold for itch or swelling. A quarter teaspoon is approximately a 5mg oral dose. Longterm use can cause skin problems at the site of application.
Whether you actually respond to positively or negatively to any of the things you try that it appears you may need, is a different story. For me, though borderline hypothyroid, I felt lousy on T3 or T4 or Armour. For hydrocortisone, the only one of benefit to me was oral tabs. At one point I tried Licorice Root one day, and Valerian root the night before, and had a marvelous miraculous day. I could never duplicate it though.
Some doctors, not all, realize that thyroid lab numbers are only a guide and not a Bible. The best treatment is to go by symptoms. One of the best indicators is low average body temperature (average 97.6-98.2) averaged over 2 weeks taken 3 times a day. Regardless, some people feel a lot better with thyroid help even when labs do not support it. You gotta do what works and forget the paper. The so called "normal" range is extremely too broad. You can easily fall within the normal range and yet be hypothyroid. Not only that, but all labs do is measure thyroid in your blood. They don't tell you how much of that is actually getting into the cells where they work. Maybe that's why some people need an extra boost of thyroid help to penetrate the cells, with apparently normal thyroid levels circulating uselessly in the blood.
With money running out, that is a predicament. Not sure what to do about that. Hopefully others will chime in with some good ideas.
Posted by garnet71 on March 3, 2009, at 22:48:57
In reply to Re: thyroid and cortisol issues, posted by bleauberry on March 3, 2009, at 17:10:02
Hmm. I don't feel comfortable treating myself with supplements. There are just too many combination of things and variables that i can't sort out (not confident anyway) on my own.
I think I'll call the endocronologist and ask her about subclinical thyroid--but she wants me retested in 2 months. Unfortunately, i missed her call the other day and she got my vm, so I didn't have a chance to talk to her.
That's funny you mentioned the hydrocortisone creme-I wondered if that was the same thing as the ingested drug. But the topical drug is only like .01% or something like that, right? That would be an interesting experiment..lol..but I'm not brave enough with my health right now to do it.
What I wonder is--has thyroid and cortisol issues been the case for me over the past 3 years or so? I've been prescribed xxRIs over and over for at least that long--only to feel worse. ADs worked for me starting 8 years ago--maybe lasted 2 years. Ever since then, major anxiety. Still would like to check with infectuous disease doctor about Lyme.
I am leaning towards stress burnout from years of chronic stress. There really is no cure for that,but I can't have a stable life until I finish school. Just hope I last that long.
Posted by garnet71 on March 3, 2009, at 23:02:52
In reply to Re: thyroid and cortisol issues » garnet71, posted by mav27 on March 3, 2009, at 0:02:13
Mav, I know you can google too. These lists are about the same everywhere:
Low cortisol:
Addison's disease symptoms usually develop slowly, often over several months, and may include:
Muscle weakness and fatigue
Weight loss and decreased appetite
Darkening of your skin (hyperpigmentation)
Low blood pressure, even fainting
Salt craving
Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)
Nausea, diarrhea or vomiting
Muscle or joint pains
Irritability
Depressionhttp://www.mayoclinic.com/health/addisons-disease/DS00361
Excess cortisol:
Common Cushing's syndrome symptoms include:
Weight gain, particularly around your midsection and upper back
Fatigue
Muscle weakness
Rounding of your face (moon face)
Facial flushing
Fatty pad or hump between your shoulders (buffalo hump)
Pink or purple stretch marks (striae) on the skin of your abdomen, thighs, breasts and arms
Thin and fragile skin that bruises easily
Slow healing of cuts, insect bites and infections
Depression, anxiety and irritability
Loss of emotional control
Thicker or more visible body and facial hair (hirsutism)
Acne
Irregular or absent menstrual periods in females
Decreased libido
Erectile dysfunction in males
New or worsened high blood pressure
Glucose intolerance that may lead to diabetes
Headache
Bone loss, leading to fractures over timehttp://www.mayoclinic.com/health/cushings-syndrome/DS00470
I'm not saying I have Addison's, and have to get further tests, but I have a problem with doctors who say "that's rare", so they don't check into things. Can't tell you how many times I've heard that. When it's 'rare', I'm thinking 1 in 100,000 of the population. So how do these 1 in 100,000 get diagnosed? When they have symptoms of a full-blown disease--that's out of hand, not when they symptoms just appear. Naturally, they can't test everyone who has some of the symptoms, but when you go years and years of feeling like sh*t, it should be considered. I refuse to fall into the clinical abyss once again after falling through the cracks of psychiatric care all these years. Been there, done that. Never again. I want to make sure I'm being treated for the problems i really have--no more trial and error. For some, trial and error is the only way to go--but for me, no way.
I think there is a serious disconnect between the psychiatric and endocrine world, when the systems are too interrelated to be seperated like that. I wonder how many out there go through life with hormonal imbalances and don't know it? Or are prescribed antidepressants when they have a hormonal issue? I briefly asked my endo, who's young so up on the latest education, about the relation bet. anxiety, depression and/or the endocrine system from psych drugs--she said there are no issues from psych drugs that she knew of. But maybe they only read the journals in their own field, I have no clue.
This is the end of the thread.
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