I'm sorry, I feel an 'am cortisol' would be a start for an animal, dog, etc.
But I'd be wanting a 4x in one day salivary cortisol (and you CAN get that ...pm me if you want to know where, I am NOT selling anything, it's a lab that will ship online...and then tell you where to send it too for results that come back to you, there are quite a few, you may already KNOW a few).
I have 22 YEARS experience in advocation with doctor's list who do well with thyroid..but also some for adrenal. WE (myself and another poster) who MUST take steroids ALL the time to sustain our lives...are 'different cases' and I was 'fortunate' to find a doctor who knows this (and even MORE fortunate to have had the research background to 'know the difference and stand toe to toe to 'argue' my point to a physician).
Also, have your ferritin and iron checked (if ferritin is LOW and they give you thyroid hormone, the low ferritin will have the same response as knackered adrenals)...ferritin under 60 is not good, and same for under 70 in iron. Also...lots of people in distress have a good 'morning cortisol' especially on a BLOOD DRAW...my next three salivary takes are HUGE ...all day, all night...who CARES what it looks like in the morning?? It doesn't to me.
If iron and ferritin are low, than an ACTH is going to ALSO be 'off'. It's like dominoes....a 'chain of endocrine' events.
Be aware, also, that if you are taking any sex hormones, they BIND the T4 to T3 conversion (so does black cohosh, evening primrose oil and soy that is not fermented...all can all but stop your incoming thyroid hormone depending on your body's response). That includes taking birth control.
Iron must be taken SIX hours away from thyroid incoming (T4) and calcium is four hours. Or it also 'binds it in the bloodstream'..so THAT is WHY you have the doc do FREE T's...they show what's actually usable...Total T4 and Total T3 only shows what's 'circulating around'.
If you take NO T3 before the test, then a FT3 test is not testing anything at all (except your ability to be able to afford that test). It's up to YOUR doctor..not ME, but MINE wants me to take HALF my daily dose of Armour (if I was taking 10mg. cytomel am he'd want me to take half that) and then he wants that blood drawn at PRECISELY the five hour after mark. Up to the doc.
No, you started at one GRAIN Armour (60mg.). And that should have been 'split' half and half most likely..I would have had heart palps, but, AGAIN, we don't know your adrenal status with a 4x sal. panel, don't know your iron, ferritin, progesterone, etc.
OH, I only 'suggested' Cytomel cuz most T4 huge amount giving docs won't Rx. it!!!
If it were ME??? I'd go back to 60mg. Armour and take half in am and half about five hours later and re test six weeks.
Pam
Last edited by Neanderpam : Sat, Dec-10-11 at 11:25.
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