Posted by bleauberry on July 2, 2009, at 18:31:32
In reply to hydrocortisone, posted by mylilcappi on July 1, 2009, at 20:05:32
HC is contraindicated in infectious diseases, a primary cause hypoadrenalism and psychiatric diseases, because it is immunosuppressant. So if you are not absolutely sure you do not have Lyme, Lyme-like, or one of the several co-infections, it would be no surprise bad things happened on HC.
The other thing is that HC should only be supplemented to the level that restores what is natural. Going for 20mg is probably exceedingly overshooting the goal. I realize it is a common target dose. That doesn't make it ok. If 24 hour 4-sample tests were not used frequently to monitor restoring levels to normal, then it was pure guesswork and probably went too far too fast.
20mg is enough to cause the adrenal glands to slow down. So it is no surprise that symptoms are bad following abrupt stoppage of HC. A proper stoppage period should involve several months in tiny steps. I realize you had to stop faster though because of the bad things happening.
The speed of dose escalation is also extremely important. It needs to be slow, as in real slow.
For example, 1/4 of 1.25mg for a week, then 1/2 of 1.25mg for a week; then 3/4 of 1.25mg for a week; then 1.25mg for a week, shooting for a goal of 2.5mg, at which time you will stay for a month or so to allow the thyroid and everything else to catch up.I know someone who had severe hypoadrenalism secondary to pituitary dysfunction who stayed on 1.25mg for an entire year, felt a lot better, and weaned carefully off that dose and remained well.
I see it often in the antidepessant world where doctors and patients shoot for the supposed therapeutic dose rather fast. In my opinion, that dose is usually much too high, even though considered the minimal effective dose (by flawed standards), and the speed getting to that dose much too fast. But since it is routine and commonplace, it is accepted as norm. I differ with that.
HC can be very helpful, but it has to be respected with extremely small doses and long titrating periods, because it can be very powerful when the body and mind has been so accustomed to being weak for so long.
An herb helpful at balancing the entire pituitary/adrenal axis is Maca root. It needs to also be respected in small doses. Licorice root will prevent the degredation of your own cortisol and make it last longer. It is kind of like a mild MAOI of cortisol, so to speak. You might consider milder versions of adrenal support such as adrenal cortex extracts or Isocort.
poster:bleauberry
thread:904285
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20090630/msgs/904576.html