Posted by dannen on December 12, 2003, at 17:52:46
Has anybody tried mefipristone (M) successfully? I am thinking of trying it, instead of ketoconazole (K).
Wolkowitz (spelling?) at UC-SF seems to suggest in one article that K is the preferred medication for treating hypercortisolemia. But I have heard K may be hepatoxic. W seems to suggest that M is not as good a choice as K(b/c/M blocks cortisol receptors instead of blocking cortisol production). Has anybody tried K or M--successfully? Has anybody looked at this issue?
I have super high cortisol (diurnal variation intact; very probably not Cushing's), for over one year. I am looking at ways to calm the HPA axis and get the cortisol down. I have tried (and continue with) yoga (including pranayama breathing), meditation, prayer, massage, ashwagandha (spelling?), phosphaditylserine (spelling?), lots of fish oil, daily swimming. But it won't come down. Morning anxiety is really terrible (4 am to 8 am especially).
I could not tolerate any of the SSRIs, nortrip, remeron, lamictal, or depakote. And so on. Neurontin worked for a while, but I had problems with it after a few months. I (male, late 40s) have never had any problems with anxiety or depression until summer of 2002, when my wife of over 20 years left me for reasons I still to not understand.
Any help on bring cortisol down would help--alternative or mainstream. Thanks.
Dannen
poster:dannen
thread:289223
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20031208/msgs/289223.html