Do any of you ever have issues *low* cortisol wise when your period starts? Remember me speaking of my lightheaedness.. well during the second half of my cycle, after ovulation.. my head issue almost goes away, not completely...nut it improves ALOT, but when my period starts, the first day of flow, my head issue gets terribly bad, i get shakey and nauseated with this as well.. Now prior too getting on HC, I NEVER HAD THIS ISSUE, I was normal.... this issue started for me about 3 months into me being on HC. I am seeing a pattern with my period..and the head issue when it is worse..

I'm just wondering if this is low cortisol related, or related too something else. I do not see my new endo until the end of June.. so I have no one else too ask. I know alot of you are DX's with Addisons, so I thought who better too ask.. and I am waiting too see what I have if anything.. so not sure what too think..
This issue is really starting too scare me..it gets really bad..


also.. I was wondering, do any of you also have this kind of reaction.. I am also seeing after I take my dose of HC, I get a smokin head rush that will last for about 30min too one hr then go away. Do any of you get this as well?

I got most of my test results back that I want too share withy'all.. they look WONDERFUL, as far as kidneys go..not sure what my aldosterone is as they conviently forgot too send that in the mail too me, but my renin was a 5.8, any insight n this value? anyway I will share those soon, if ya'll wouldn't mind taking a peek at them for me, and offer you thoughts..:) Yes I know you are not doctors, but you live with this, so I value your thoughts.. :wub:

It's hard to say about the renin value unless you know the lab ranges. Each lab can be different. Does it say the normal ranges that you got back? Was this the one they took while sitting or while standing?
About the period thing....I have no ideas or help there. I just had the worst periods to the point where I was chronically anemic and had to have a partial hysterectomy. Best thing I ever did!! That heavy bleeding every month wiped me out so bad I could hardly get off the couch. It sure sounds hormonal whatever is going on. Do you know they have gyn/endos? The specialize in women with PCOS but one of those kinds of docs might be very helpful to you.
I've never gotten a rush from taking HC although I've known people who do. One time when my bp was so low and wouldn't come back up ... I was given the equivalent of 600mgs HC in less than 4 hours. Most people would be flying or moody or something....not me! I didn't feel a thing. But I'm weird in more ways than one... :wacko: hee hee

(grh)

I have all the lab values fore the renin and it so confuses me.. they are looking for renal vascular hypertension.. this was taken while I was sitting...it just confuses too no end.. I too am thinking hormonal, and I am hoping this new endo can help me figure it out. Thank you though :)

I don't get a rush with HC when I take my morning dose...and if I'm low and take more it usually relaxes me.

This may all be hormonally linked...do you ever flush like a hot flash and does you BP ever really shoot up at this time?

I'd be interested in seeing exactly what the renin test says.... can you post what it says? I like to investigate lab values.... I know kind of weird. But I did help my friend interpret her lab values and seek a test for celiacs. And she ended up having celiacs.

(grh)

HI....yes there is a relationship between changing estrogen levels and hc......I just hate my monthly cycle....causes me issues....can't wait til it is all done.....I will try to find my notes on this relationship as I can never keep it straight. I have most of my issues pre-period in that week before...but I also get lightheaded during....

I highly doubt your endo will know anything useful about this.....
I could write more here but having a bad day myself....

As far as the hc rush...first, how much are you taking...? I would maybe split that dose and take the rest of it midmorning, and also try taking it w/ food ......taking it on a fuller stomach will slow the absorbtion....that description sounds to me like maybe you are metabolizing it too fast.....and in that case....it might be 'wasted'...
What I mean by that is by being on 'manual control' we are either always a bit over or under replaced and very seldom have it 'just right'.

Renin is too complicated for me today...
Diane

I had a doc explain what Diane said about manual control in a very good visual for me. He said if you've ever looked at a tide table that is pretty much how manual cortisol is for us. The tide flucuates between very high tide, to not so high tide, to low tide, to very low tide etc... and the mean tide is the constant we take everyday. So some days the demand for cortisol is such that we are way too low and we feel awful or some days the demand is not so much and we are over medicated by some degree. And if you look at the tide table the tide hardly ever hits mean tide so we are hardly ever exactly correct with our amount of cortisol. Anyway it was a good visual for me especially since I lived by the ocean at the time and we checked the tide table for our boat all the time.
Diane I hope you feel better soon!! (grh) Wish that was an in person hug accompanied by a loaf of homemade bread.... homemade bread makes everything feel better ;)

(grh)

Shelley,
I am still looking for the flour you use!!! What is it made from?

http://www.netrition.com/tova_carbalose_page.html

Here ya go Wanda... I've gotten several things off this website. I've made breading for chicken and other meats, biscuit topping for chicken pot pie and cookies with this flour and they've all worked great. The pancakes I made weren't all that terrific and would need some tweaking to work better. All in all I really like the stuff. Good Luck!!

(grh)

I liked this site, too! It has a lot of interesting stuff on it!

You know that is a good way to think of our manual control of our steroids...I take 5 doses through the day. Aggravating to always be taking meds but it sort of keeps me more even as I take 3 2.5 mg. doses during the day along with my larger doses. Try taking say 2.5 mg. from that morning dose and take it a few hours later...work with your schedule until you get it to feeling more "normal". :)

Hey I love that analogy...that is really a good way to describe it....going to copy that to my 'file' (because of course if I don't I won't remember it....argghhhh!!)

I will feel better in a few days that is the pattern ...just not too good today at practicing patience w/ not doing things I want to.....

Jo.I agree w/ the multiple doses being a good good idea....but I don't think I would remember......
Diane

Thanks Shelley, I'll take a look!!!

I do my pill strip for the first doses of the day the night before and the rest of the day after I get up for the day...I have set times to take my doses of HC and it is somewhat habit...I have forgetten my 2:00PM 5 mg. and wondered why I was feeling weird! :wacko:

Yeah I really liked that analogy...it really helped me to understand it. So Diane, you are just having a really low tide day, but the tide will rise again, it always does :wub:

(grh)

if there is a connection too HC and estrogen then I have too say with out a doubt that HC is the cause of this issue..which again leads me too say I hate this MED. This never ever happened too me prior too HC even at my sickest. ya know my Blood sugar is WAY high too.. 120, I have never ever had a blood sugar level this high.. EVER..

if you ever get a chance I would like too see what you have on the estrogen /HC connection.. there is no hurry for you, I know what it feels like too feel bad..I swear this issue is going too keep me in a deep depression....I hate feeling so out of control with my life and body. UGH.. sorry for that bit if rant there..

Shelley....so now i can say to people (llike my son etc..) 'sorry...it's low tide rt now..' ......I usually say I am out of spoons or trying to save my spoons so now i have a new one...

Missy.....think if it instead of ....this is Not caused by the hc....it is caused by your body not making its own cortisol.......
But I agree...this disease sucks....! You Will get better at regulating things.... hindsight learning....

Feeling a bit better today but not great....I will honestly cry today if I don't get to the foodstore and get a few things caught up....

Diane