max93
Member
Does anyone have experience starting NDT and experiencing symptoms of low cortisol? Since starting NDT a few weeks ago myself, I've had a few moments of intense dizziness that felt like I was on the verge of passing out, as well as slow onset of symptoms like body aches, mild abdominal pain, some headaches, nervousness, loss of appetite, and waking up in the morning/middle of the night to the feeling of adrenaline is now much more intense than it was before. Also WAY more run down after moderate exercise. Definitely feeling worse than before I started NDT. I'm only taking a super small amount of NDT -- a quarter of a 30mg tablet of Armour per day. Seems to get worse every time I go up on the dose after ~2 weeks, so I back down again and haven't progressed passed the 1/4 tab. I also took a cortisol blood test before starting and one yesterday, and my cortisol level around 12pm went from 11.6 micrograms/dL to 6.7 micrograms/dL.
I've read in some places that taking thyroid can increase cortisol clearance, and push some people closer to adrenal crisis if the adrenals are impaired and can't keep up. I also know, however, that Ray's theory is that the adrenals can heal fast, and that usually people with 'adrenal insufficiency' are actually just low thyroid. I read somewhere that he said if someone's adrenals are truly destroyed or unable to keep up, someone could take progesterone to make up for the cortisol. I have considered this, but also have an enlarged thyroid and nodules, and I remember reading that progesterone supplementation can trigger the thyroid to release the colloidal tissues and temporarily make someone hyperthyroid. I wouldn't want to do this and make the whole thing worse. I know some people out there say that supplementing with some type of exogenous cortisol can be necessary, but I've also heard many people say that this can be a very bad idea in the long term.
So far I've added this adrenal complex at the rec of my doctor, but hard to tell if it has helped. Also, as always taking care of Vit D, K, Aspirin, Liver, Oysters, and the usual Peat-inspired nutrition.
Just wanted to get thoughts and see if anyone else has come up against an issue like this and anything that may have helped? Thanks in advance!
I've read in some places that taking thyroid can increase cortisol clearance, and push some people closer to adrenal crisis if the adrenals are impaired and can't keep up. I also know, however, that Ray's theory is that the adrenals can heal fast, and that usually people with 'adrenal insufficiency' are actually just low thyroid. I read somewhere that he said if someone's adrenals are truly destroyed or unable to keep up, someone could take progesterone to make up for the cortisol. I have considered this, but also have an enlarged thyroid and nodules, and I remember reading that progesterone supplementation can trigger the thyroid to release the colloidal tissues and temporarily make someone hyperthyroid. I wouldn't want to do this and make the whole thing worse. I know some people out there say that supplementing with some type of exogenous cortisol can be necessary, but I've also heard many people say that this can be a very bad idea in the long term.
So far I've added this adrenal complex at the rec of my doctor, but hard to tell if it has helped. Also, as always taking care of Vit D, K, Aspirin, Liver, Oysters, and the usual Peat-inspired nutrition.
Just wanted to get thoughts and see if anyone else has come up against an issue like this and anything that may have helped? Thanks in advance!
