Low cortisol and low testosterone

I hope someone reading this will be able to help me decipher what is going
on. I've been to a number of endos and DOs.

I'm 32 years old, used to be in excellent shape but I overtrained last year
with weight lifting. It has been a full 12 months and I still cannot
exercise.

Was diagnosed with hashimoto's thyroiditis in 2002 and I am on 1 grain of
armour, this keeps my FT3 right at the top range.

I've had low testosterone for at least two years. Free T is 20% below the
low range.

My urine and saliva cortisol tests showed very low cortisol. In fact my DO
wanted me to take 15mg of cortisone daily, but I don't want to become
dependant on that, so I haven't tried it yet, still thinking about it.

I have *severe* exercise intolerance plus most of my muscle has been lost
(30 lb lost starting from 7% body fat!!) and I have fat accumulating around
my waist now.


#1: When I take testosterone, this causes my DHEA to sky rocket, up to 4000%
above the normal reference range. It goes back down to normal when I stop
taking it.

#2: When I take testosterone cream (I can't stand shots), my cortisol also
goes very high out of the normal range and my estradiol goes way out of
range. They go back to normal when I stop it.

#3: The more armour and testosterone I take, the more I feel drained, with
brain fog and tiredness. I guess the T3 and testosterone cause my adrenals
to work harder?

#4: I feel like I'm running on adrenaline when I'm taking testosterone. I
get very anxious and startled easily.


Question #1: Should I take the 15mg of cortisone? Will I become dependant on
it? I never had an ACTH stim test. He said the urine and saliva tests were
accurate enough.

Question #2: Should I just leave my low testosterone alone, or would my
adrenals be OK if I used the testosterone and arimidex that he prescribed?

He told me that if I felt better a week after taking cortef, I should try
adding the testosterone back but I wonder if this will just put more stress
on my adrenals. I certainly don't want to be stuck on cortef for the rest of
my life.

Its just that when I am taking testosterone (small amounts, under doctor
care), I am very wired up and have anxiety so bad that I've been to the ER
twice with a pounding pulse in my neck and severe panic attack. This doesn't
happen when I'm not on testosterone.

Thanks in advance for any clues.


.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: got my salivary tests back...
    ... However, what I found significant was not so much that my cortisol is apparently low, but that my testosterone is ALSO high. ... The pituitary sees there's no cortisol and sends out ACTH which stimulates the adrenals, which still can't make cortisol, but since they're constantly stimulated, they overproduce testosterone. ... Not having been born with CAH, I'm currently not masculinized, but apparently I have potential with all this extra testosterone floating about. ... I'm pretty sure when I walk in and tell him I want to try Cortef AND Synthroid AND Symlin, he's gonna insist on sending me to an endo, which kinda makes sense as it's looking like I'm quite a case for an endo. ...
    (alt.support.diabetes)
  • Re: Low cortisol and low testosterone
    ... I've had low testosterone for at least two years. ... My urine and saliva cortisol tests showed very low cortisol. ... adrenals be OK if I used the testosterone and arimidex that he prescribed? ... Giving T3 promotes serotonin production. ...
    (sci.med)
  • Re: Low cortisol and low testosterone
    ... I've had low testosterone for at least two years. ... My urine and saliva cortisol tests showed very low cortisol. ... adrenals be OK if I used the testosterone and arimidex that he prescribed? ... Giving T3 promotes serotonin production. ...
    (sci.med)
  • got my salivary tests back...
    ... However, what I found significant was not so much that my cortisol is apparently low, but that my testosterone is ALSO high. ... The pituitary sees there's no cortisol and sends out ACTH which stimulates the adrenals, which still can't make cortisol, but since they're constantly stimulated, they overproduce testosterone. ... Not having been born with CAH, I'm currently not masculinized, but apparently I have potential with all this extra testosterone floating about. ...
    (alt.support.diabetes)
  • ! Pussy DemocRATs in Great Danger - Low Testosterone Increases Death Risk!
    ... Low Testosterone Increases Death Risk ...
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