Low Cortisol and Blood Glucose Levels

[hose1975]

So...

Just had a 24-hour saliva cortisol test and the results have come back low. To this end, I shall be toddling along to see my GP to see whether she'd be willing to prescribe oral hydrocortisone to raise the levels a bit as cortisol plays a major part in thyroid hormone conversion and I'm not converting well at all.

However...

Assuming that the low cortisol hasn't come on overnight (unlikely) and that one of cortisol's functions is to raise blood glucose levels, is it possible that I'm actually more diabetic than previously thought? In other words, has the low circulating level of cortisol been keeping my blood glucose artificially low? Because I'm already prediabetic (although successfully treating via a LCHF diet at the moment). If the hydrocortisone raises the cortisol level to where it should be, it's likely to tip me over into frank diabetes (I would have thought).

Does anybody have any direct experience of this?

Cheers

Jo

 

[CarbsRok]

If you have low cortisol levels more tests will be done to determine whether you have Addison's disease. You wont just be prescribed a bit of hydrocortisone each 10mg tablet costs £2.20 which shocked me no end when I found this out. There are also a lot of health dangers in taking steroids unless actually needed.

 

[hose1975]

As I say, low cortisol levels are a problem in people with thyroid issues as insufficient cortisol (level undetermined) leads to a T4-T3 conversion problem. So I wouldn't just be asking for it for sh!ts and giggles, I can assure you. Addison's is one extreme end of the spectrum, but only presents when some 90% of the adrenal gland has been destroyed. Although not as immediately life threatening low cortisol levels can be a real problem for those of us with thyroid issues.

However, I'm more interested in knowing whether the low cortisol levels have been masking my blood glucose problems to some extent and whether, once on the hydro (hopefully), my blood glucose will increase to diabetic levels.

 

[Totto]

If on the right thyroid meds cortisol will usually sort itself. Are you on Levo? As it's mostly with Levo or any kind of T4-only meds you get the poor conversion problem. What are your FT3 and FT4 results?

They will never prescribe cortisone before you've gone through extensive testing. and decided you actually do have too low cortisol level and you most certainly won't get a prescription because of the saliva test being on the low side.

Selenium is said to help with conversion from T4 to T3 too. I am on NDT instead of Levo but supplement with selenium anyway.

 

[hose1975]

If on the right thyroid meds cortisol will usually sort itself. Are you on Levo? As it's mostly with Levo or any kind of T4-only meds you get the poor conversion problem. What are your FT3 and FT4 results?

They will never prescribe cortisone before you've gone through extensive testing. and decided you actually do have too low cortisol level and you most certainly won't get a prescription because of the saliva test being on the low side.

Selenium is said to help with conversion from T4 to T3 too. I am on NDT instead of Levo but supplement with selenium anyway.

Prior to starting on a T4/T3 combo my last results were fT4 18.9 (10-19.8) and fT3 3.8 (3.5-5.5). So nice and high in range like it should be for the fT4 but suckily low in range for the fT3. I'm waiting for the mandatory six weeks prior to retesting to see how staying on the same dose of T4 but adding in 6.25mcg T3 works out for me.

At the moment I'm just so bloody cold all the time (and the recent weather has not helped in that respect), my hair's coming out and my skin is Sahara Desert-dry. Which would all indicate that I'm not optimally medicated. Ferritin is high in range, B12 is mid range, B9 is in range (but could be better), and with D I'm either deficient or absolutely fine depending on the lab used :-/ I supplement with selenium, zinc and magnesium too. So should be fully vitamined up!

 

[Totto]

Adding T3 often works quite well but if it doesn't make you well then there is NDT. I know people who are on a combo of Levo and NDT too. I think NDT rocks though.