Cortisol test

[cats87]

Hi, I posted this on the adrenal community but nobody has responded and time is running out before I have to do this test. It's probably been over a year since I posted on the thyroid board but I know some of you can help me! I have been undergoing cortisolCortisol leveltesting for a couple months. My UFC has always been elevated (since I started testing for it a few years ago). For several years I have had Hashimoto's, SjogrenSjogren syndrome's, FM, asthma since birth, anxiety & depression for over 30 years, IBS and the list goes on and on. Finally after complaining enough to my Endo, and proving to him that I have gained weight (mainly stomach and back) for no reason and cannot lose it no matter what I do (I had to provide him with RMR test results, which state I have a fast metabolism, food and exercise journals, etc) he started to look into it for me. The UFC is always around 100. He has not given me the results of the last one I did in June even though I have asked more than 5 times. After the UFC test, I did a dex supp test. I took the dex pill at 11 pm and blood draw at 8 am the following morning. The serum level suppressed from 41 down to 4.1. My endo said that was good but not good enough, that it needed to supp below 2. It's been 3 weeks since those tests. Tonight I am doing the salivary cortisol test, and tomorrow night another 1 mg dex supp test. He wants to check the actual dex level to see if there's something that is causing the supp not to fully work. I have Kaiser HMO and they don't normally do the salivette tests. They special ordered the salivette kit for me and I just picked it up. There's no instructions. It's being done through QUEST and theres conflicting information on test prep. Some directions say to rinse your mouth out with clean water and wait 10 minutes before doing the test at midnight. Others do not tell you to rinse. Does anyone know what I am supposed to do? Nobody at Kaiser is familiar with the test. Also, can my thyroid problems have anything to do with cortisol problems? This is what the endo emailed me about my thyroid tests: "As far as the reverse T3 is concerned, it is high, again this is found in "stressed" states, it is part of a "sick euthyroid" process with is a stressed state causing the shift. Chronic "sick euthyroid" conditions are not well described like acute sick euthyroid. We are still waiting for the free T3 level to come back.". We initially found the high RT3 over a year ago so I added cytomel in May 2010. I take it 2x a day and cant even feel it like most people say they do. I could easily take it and fall right asleep. Could all of this (cortisol/thyroid/autoimmune) be related? I take the following meds: levothroid 100 mcg 1x day, cytomel 5 mcg 2x day, wellbutrin 150 sr 2x day, famotidine 40 mg 2x day, yasmin, hydroxyzine, green tea, vitamins, some days I take motrin 800. I ocassionally use an albuterol inhaler and about 1x a year, when I have a bad asthma flare, I have to do a 4 day round of prednisone, not enough to cause elevated cortisol. Any help would be appreciated. Sorry for the long post. Thank you.  

[Barb135]

You mentioned a lot of things that I have no knowledge of, either, but I've heard/read that if one has adrenal issues, those should be addressed prior to addressing thyroid issues.

When your thyroid has problems that are untreated, your adrenals try to compensate for the lack of thyroid hormones.  This can cause the adrenals to "crash".  

What's the timing on all your medications, supplements?  It's important not to take other medications, supplements with your thyroid medication.

[gimel]

There are a lot of things that you mentioned for which I have no knowledge.  I can give you some info on reverse T3.  If you will post your Reverse T3, Free T3, and any other thyroid test results,  and reference ranges shown on the lab report, I'll take it from there.

[wmac]

I wish I could help but I dont know anything about what your talking about. I know its frustrating.. Good luck