LymeNet Flash: ADRENAL SUP NEEDED PRE THYROID?

This is topic ADRENAL SUP NEEDED PRE THYROID? in forum Medical Questions at LymeNet Flash.

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Posted by surfbabe (Member # 8157) on :

Hi all [hi]

My LLMD has just prscribed me synthroid & cytomel as latest thyroid tests show up as hypo (hardly surpsrising as i've gained 20 lbs in a month)

BUT do i need adrenal support first? [confused]

as i keep reading thyroid articles that state adrenal support is often needed first. i am low on adrenal side too & have low tolerance to stress but my LLMD said no just take the synthroid & cytomel . i'm a bit concerned to start for fear of crashing my adrenals!

any advice? experience from others when starting thyroid tx?
thanks [Smile]

Posted by trueblue (Member # 7348) on :

Sorry, no clue, boosting this so someone else can see this and maybe provide some insight.

Posted by sickandtiredofbeingsandt (Member # 10189) on :

Hi Surfbabe,
I am a thyroid patient. I take Armour and Levoxyl. I am not a fan of Synthroid but that is another subject. It took me years to convince my doctor that I needed to support my adrenals. He finally, reluctantly, prescribed Cortef. I took it for over a year then went off it for the most part.

I only take it now if I'm under extroidinary stress.

If you want good info about your thyroid and adrenals, go to About.com to the thyroid discussion board. There are a lot of well informed people there.

Posted by surfbabe (Member # 8157) on :

thsnks for the advice. you mentioned cortef

quote:
Originally posted by sickandtiredofbeingsandt:
It took me years to convince my doctor that I needed to support my adrenals. He finally, reluctantly, prescribed Cortef.

is cortef not a steroid? that's not recommended for lymies?
[confused]

Posted by TheCrimeOfLyme (Member # 4019) on :

I have taken them both at the same time. Only thing that happened was I felt better.

Posted by sickandtiredofbeingsandt (Member # 10189) on :

Steroids such as Prednisone are usually taken in therapeutic (high)doses and that is what is bad for Lyme. Cortef is taken in physiological doses, very low, like what your adrenals would normally produce. And if you are resting your adrenals with Cortef, they will not be producing any more than you need.

You need cortisol to live. So, taking the small doses of Cortef is not any different than what your body would produce.