posted
Hello, just had more blood work done by Lyme PA and these were some of the results:
Cortisol 25.4 ranges are 2.3-19.4 Hemoglobin A1C 5.7 ranges are 4.8-5.6 Vitamin B12 1068 ranges 211-946 Absolute CD 4 Helper 1578 ranges 359-1519 CD 4 Pos. Lymph. 60.7 ranges 30.8-58.5
The only thing I was told was to take iron and Vit C. Any thoughts? Continually nauseous, shaky, dizzy. Thanks for any thoughts or insights.
Posts: 84 | From New Jersey | Registered: Aug 2010
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
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posted
- Adrenal support is essential to help control high cortisol (and high cortisol usually goes along with lyme, due to the various stressors on the body).
Slow deep . . . slow & steady . . . also can bring down cortisol. Many times during the day, maybe every 15 minutes or so for at least one minute (more when possible - and then focus on something beautiful in nature or a painting, flower, etc). A very good habit. Other habits, methods, supports here. Be sure to read the Wilson book:
posted
Isn't cortisol blamed for weight gain? Sedimentary stressful lives are the reasons for multimillion dollar companies selling a miracle pill to lower cortisol for weight loss.
Thanks for the list of supplements Keebler. Oddly enough, I have many in bottles in my cabinet to help with symptoms I have already experienced prior to my Lyme screen result. Maybe I should pull some out and add to my growing list.
-------------------- * Posts: 74 | From Bowie, Maryland | Registered: Aug 2014
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posted
Its very easy to get the wrong idea from a high cortisol blood test. Cortisol is the primary glucocorticoid hormone produced by the adrenal gland. So just the stress of not eating (fasting), driving to the lab, waiting in the line and anticipating the needle and blood draw SHOULD push up your cortisol.
The bigger question is whether the stress of dealing with Lyme has caused some adrenal dysfunction that could be adding to your problems while you think its just HI cortisol.
The normal range of cortisol is something like 5 to one which simply cannot properly reflect if your adrenal gland is functioning properly. That's a hint as to the problem with the test.
Every person is different and the adrenals produce cortisol ( hydrocortisone ) as a stress defensive measure which helps balance the immune system and a wide range of metabolic functions. Every cell has glucocorticoid receptors which use the signaling in different ways. It can reduce inflammation by reducing certain cytokines. That's why drugs like prednisone stops inflammation.
But prednisone is many times more powerful than hydrocortisone so overdrives all the glucocorticoid receptors. If done to long, it will shut down the adrenals and result in a long cascade of serious to fatal problems.
So what is important is that your cortisol levels truly match your physiological needs at any time and follow the normal diurnal cycle of maximum in the morning and declining to a minimum while sleeping around 2AM. They must also have reserves of cortisol to produce when stress is detected but come back down when not needed. Its among the most important hormone control systems in your body. It even causes carbohydrates to be synthesized from fat when the body senses low sugar and no food.
There are better tests such as the 24 hour urine collection and saliva testing 4 times during a 24 hour period to both check total cortisol in urine and whether the diurnal cycle is intact.
Since its not always known what the optimum level is for any person, anyone with fatigue, pain, autoimmune problems etc.. can test whether their baseline cortisol is too low safely. Never use a strong drug like prednisone unless its just to stop sever pain and used briefly. Otherwise it can be dangerous.
But most integrative doctors are aware of the work by Jeffries who was an early endocronologist that used the bio-identical and weak hydrocortisone in 4 evenly spaced sub-physiological levels to boost the baseline cortisol. By taking somewhere in the 2.5-5mg of the real bio-identical hydrocortisone every 8 hours. a doctors can safely test if you have a mild adrenal insufficiency. They key to safety is not EVER giving enough to cause the HPA axis to see a level outside the normal physiological range of 30mg produced by the adrenals normally.
If yo are curious, read the book by Jeffries "Safe Use o Cortisol " written in the 80's and followed today by many functional, integrative doctors today.
For those thinking they are hypothyroid, it might be inadequate cortisol because its need to produce T3.
I recommend reading more deeply into the Cortisol and mild adrenal insufficiency problem and how sometimes its helpful to just slightly boost cortisol to be sure its balanced and not low as seen by your body and not lab tests.
This is just one summary from one doctor regarding autoimmune problems and hormone balance of cortisol, thyroid and sex..
Its worth looking at a few of the integrative doctors views to understand some of the options.
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