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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 13 of 13. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by obsidian on July 21, 2009, at 19:19:41
..cortisol levels??
Sometimes I feel like my body is pumping with anxiety...does cortisol make you anxious?
and that would an anticholinergic have any effect on this at all?
....I always felt like I have always felt "stressed" and in need of soothing
I mean I've been so anxious all this time..(as long as I can remember I have been highly anxious...it was only marginally better when I got to college, it was really hard to control. I needed to dampen it down...so, zoloft for a while...probably not doing much, get new pdoc, go on effexor xr, ativan, some weird neurontin sh*t, then new pdoc, effexor, higher dose, add klonopin,
then add seroquel, anxiety a little better...too sedated, then lamictal- presumably to replace low dose seroquel effects, but you keep the low dose seroquel because it's doing something even if you don't know why...it's just the sedation really, not exactly what you need, but you put up with it because it does somethingbut I still feel anxious, how can I still feel anxious??
any thoughts welcome, thanks,
sid
Posted by Phillipa on July 21, 2009, at 22:34:31
In reply to what would be the point in measurings one's cortis, posted by obsidian on July 21, 2009, at 19:19:41
Is something bothering you? Phillipa
Posted by obsidian on July 21, 2009, at 23:58:04
In reply to Re: what would be the point in measurings one's cortis » obsidian, posted by Phillipa on July 21, 2009, at 22:34:31
just the usual constant fear...nothing out of the ordinary, I just don't feel safe a lot of the time
Posted by Phillipa on July 22, 2009, at 0:08:50
In reply to Re: what would be the point in measurings one's cortis » Phillipa, posted by obsidian on July 21, 2009, at 23:58:04
I never do either. It's horrible isn't it? I don't think there is a pill to make it go away at least I haven't found one. Love Phillipa
Posted by Zana on July 22, 2009, at 13:31:12
In reply to Re: what would be the point in measurings one's cortis » obsidian, posted by Phillipa on July 22, 2009, at 0:08:50
I'm afraid I have to second Phillipa's post. I take a mixture of things meant to bring me up and calm me down including klonopin and seroquel and neurontin and I still feel anxious all the time about nothing and everything. It's an awful feeling. I hope you find some relief. There is an interesting post from Bleauberry a while back on Nortryptiline and depression with anxiety. I certainly plan to talk to my pdoc about it. You might think about that.
Hope this helps.
Zana
Posted by bleauberry on July 22, 2009, at 15:51:17
In reply to what would be the point in measurings one's cortis, posted by obsidian on July 21, 2009, at 19:19:41
It is my belief that cortisol plays into a great many cases of anxiety/nervousness. When cortisol is either too high or too low it provokes strong anxiety. When too high, it is an energetic anxiety. When too low, it is a fatigued anxiety.
The Adrenal Stress Index test is a good one. A bit over $100. Measures saliva cortisol 4 times over 24 hours so you can see the daily curve. A single sample will tell you absolutely nothing, since cortisol has quite a wide normal curve during a 24 hour period. You need to see whether it is below that curve all the time, above all the time, or whether it has peaks and valleys slicing through the normal range at particular times of the day.
In my own personal battles with both low cortisol and then wildly fluctuating cortisol, the two best remedies were:
1. Super low dose hydrocortisone (.75mg-2.5mg)
2. Reuptake inhibitors that are strong on norepinephrine, but with some action on serotonin as well. Milnacipran did the job well. Nortriptyline not bad either.It is odd to think that boosting noradrenaline to fix an anxiety that feels like too much noradrenaline would work, but that is what can happen, and did happen with me, probably due to feedback loops kicking in and slowing down production of noradrenaline. When I see people failing anxiety treatments with the common assumed treatments such as benzos, ssris, or antipsychotics, I immediately point the finger at a norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor as the missing link.
Posted by SLS on July 22, 2009, at 16:18:41
In reply to Re: what would be the point in measurings one's cortis, posted by bleauberry on July 22, 2009, at 15:51:17
> When I see people failing anxiety treatments with the common assumed treatments such as benzos, ssris, or antipsychotics, I immediately point the finger at a norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor as the missing link.
Some people with anxiety find that desipramine relieves it.
- Scott
Posted by rskontos on July 22, 2009, at 22:28:27
In reply to Re: what would be the point in measurings one's cortis, posted by bleauberry on July 22, 2009, at 15:51:17
Yep. I had mine tested and I was extremely low. The doc said it was no wonder I had a hard time getting out of bed, my cortisol levels never went above 2.0 almost always were around 1.2 -1.6. Not good at all.
Thankfully with a supplement routine and lots lots lots of rest, I am doing better.
Anxiety is somewhat better. I had the fatigued anxiety.
Check out
http: www.adrenalfatigue.org he has links to get the tests done if you need them.A hyperthyroid can also cause panic disorder. A combination like I had makes it really bad.
rsk
Posted by Phillipa on July 22, 2009, at 22:43:57
In reply to Re: what would be the point in measurings one's co, posted by rskontos on July 22, 2009, at 22:28:27
What about hypo? Phillipa
Posted by Alexanderfromdenmark on July 24, 2009, at 6:46:19
In reply to Re: what would be the point in measurings one's co » rskontos, posted by Phillipa on July 22, 2009, at 22:43:57
> What about hypo? Phillipa
Adrenal fatigue is also common in hypo. stopthethyroidmadness lot are familiar with this.
Posted by obsidian on July 24, 2009, at 16:52:19
In reply to Re: what would be the point in measurings one's co, posted by Alexanderfromdenmark on July 24, 2009, at 6:46:19
what is the stop the thryoid madness?
is that about needing to pay more or less attention to thyroid issues?
thanks,
sid
Posted by Phillipa on July 24, 2009, at 20:25:18
In reply to Re: what would be the point in measurings one's co » Alexanderfromdenmark, posted by obsidian on July 24, 2009, at 16:52:19
Sid it's a website just google it. Personally like Mary Shoman. Phillipa
Posted by Alexanderfromdenmark on July 25, 2009, at 9:55:16
In reply to Re: what would be the point in measurings one's co » Alexanderfromdenmark, posted by obsidian on July 24, 2009, at 16:52:19
> what is the stop the thryoid madness?
> is that about needing to pay more or less attention to thyroid issues?
> thanks,
> sidIt's a website www.stopthethyroidmadness.com
Their message is that thyroid diagnosis and treatment is lousy and the result is often IBS, Chronic fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, chronic depression, obesity and a lot of other sucky problems. They say that because of missed diagnosis and sucky treatment a lot people end up in psychiatry when the problem is often hypothyroidism.
Thyroid disease uk is also a good site.
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