Cortisol symptoms and conditions

Hi everyone, I have just read all thirty pages of posts to try to find some answers to my crazy reaction to prednisone. My thoughts are with you all since I have had an usually severe reaction to prednisone. I was on prednisone for 1 week in October 2008 at 60 mg/day for a sinus surgery. I am still having the following side effects at full force:

Axiety to the point I can't socialize
mood swings
hot/sweating even in freezing weather
whole body shakes
severe migraines
tooth sensitivity
muscle pains
extreme thirst (I drink almost 2 gallons/day)
hungry all the time
moon face
water retention around waist
acne
hair loss
rapid heart rate
dizziness
nightmares
night sweats
high blood pressure
high hear rate

I'm not exaggerating, my parent's can contend to that. I do have a history of having sever reactions to medication and I've had all the gland and blood tests which all check out. I never had a single one of these before the prednisone - I was a healthy 22 year old.

I was wondering if any could tell me when this hell will end - my job and well-being depends on it!

I have Hashi's and have been on Synthroid for about 2 years. I was recently on 75 mcg and was teetering on the brink of being hypo again so my doctor increased my dosage to 88 mcg last week. Ever since I have been on the new dosage, I have had the worst insomnia. I wake up covered in sweat (in air conditioning) and I feel caffeinated all the time ( I don't consume caffeine). I feel strung out! Is my body just getting used to the new dosage or am I being over medicated? I don't want to complain yet to my doctor if this is just my body getting used to the new dosage but this really is terrible.

My doctor failed to catch pneumonia in time when I was 13. It cause irreversible lung damage in left lung. I have had to take prednisone for 41 years now. I now have a cortisol insufficiency, hypothyroidism, and IGA, IGG immune deficiency. Although prednisone saved my life; it has now damaged master glands. I have heard it can kill you if taken over a long period of time because of it's immunosuppresive properties. People need to know this and the drug companies still push it as an anti inflammatory.
I use natural cortef for replacement of cortisol insufficiency.
Who makes prednisone? Be knowledgeable about alternatives and don't be afraid to ask the doctor for something that is more natural to what your body makes!!

Sincerely,

Nancy L.
***

I had been taking Lipitor for well over six years to help lower my Cholesterol count with no know side affects. A problem developed about two and a half years ago with nerve damage that gave me excruciating pain in my shoulder and arm. After an MRI and three cortisone shots I was referred to a neurologist for help. He had no idea what was causing the problem.

About six months after many doctors could do nothing for me, and referring me to a physical therapist, my wife showed me a story in a magazine, which I can no longer find, that talked about problems with Lipitor that had not been properly documented. The article talked about exactly the side effects I was having. The article said there was a problem with nerve damage. It had been well documented that some people had muscle problems, but it was not know there could also be a problem with nerve pain.

I contacted my doctor and stopped taking Lipitor. Two months later, the pain just disappeared. The very day the pain ceased, I had a visit from a good friend of mine who is a Radiologist and who had studied Lipitor because of a problem he was having.

He explained that Lipitor was doing the job it was supposed to do, namely keeping the liver from producing all fats. The problem I was having was that I had injured a nerve and Lipitor was keeping the liver from producing a particular fat needed to help heal that nerve. It seems that the myelin sheath around the nerve needs that fat to help the nerve heal itself, and Lipitor was preventing the production of that particular fat.

Once I quit taking Lipitor it took about two months for the healing fat production to do it's thing. Recovery of the nerves in that arm has been very slow, but they do seem to be healing now.

I thought this was such an important finding that I notified all the doctors I had seen about this problem. To my great surprise I heard from no one. Not even a thank you. I guess that since they didn't find the solution, they just were not interested.

I hope this discussion helps someone else. Thanks for listening.

I was prescribed 42 pills (20 days) of 10 mg Prednisone which I am to take beginning with 4 pills for four days and steadily decreasing every four days down to four 1/2 pill the last four days. I took my first dose yesterday and was told to drink lots of water. I do not wish to gain weight nor have a moon face. My doctor does not feel this will affect me in that way, but may have water retention (swelling). I am 73, and this regiment of Prednisone was prescribed to decrease inflammation due to a possible siatic nerve problem, which is causing extreme pain in my left leg. The pain is excruciating when I get up in the morning but eases down by mid morning with some pain all day and some nights if I move just the wrong way.Does anyone have a suggestion for the best foods to eat and what to avoid? I read that grapefruit juice may be beneficial.

In January I was diagnosed with polymyalgia rheumatica and temporal arteritis (giant cell arteritis). I was put on 60 mg prednisone and an array of other meds to help with pain, inflammation, water retention, and stomach problems from everything. I've lost some vision from the TA. I've experienced the weight gain, the moon face, stomach problems, depression, fatigue, muscle weakness, lack of memory and concentration, and generally feel miserable. The brain fog is awful! I don't trust myself doing much of anything these days!

When I was first put on the prednisone it completely took away all my TA and PMR symptoms. I could walk and get up and down again, didn't have the headaches, and didn't hurt all over.
My doctor tried to taper my dosage about 6 weeks ago and all my symptoms returned and increased as I went down on the prednisone. He upped me back to 60. That time the symptoms didn't go away. They lessened but were still there.

He's trying to taper again, and I'm down to 30 mg now and feel worse and worse. My sed rate has been normal, so the doctor thinks it's from the prednisone. Does it mimic all the TA and PMR symptoms? I also am having a lot of hand and feet cramping.

Does anyone else have these two illnesses? I would be interested in your experience. I want off these meds! Anyone found an alternative approach that's helped?

God bless!

My 17 year old college bound 5'11 volleyball playing daughter recieved an intravertebral injection of kenalog 40, 3 1/2 weeks ago. That night she began intense headaches . Within 1 week her menstral cycle was off, spotting. Vomitting started 1 week following also. She now suffrs with intense migrane headaches(light sensitive), followed by vomitting on a daily basis. Her life has been turned upside down.

Kim
Hi BitterRN here.
All I can tell you about your hormone levels is what I too have experienced myself.
I had my hormones tested by blood and saliva 3 months after I quit bcp.
Both tests showed estrogen and progesterone levels as normal.........HOWEVER
On my saliva test My level was 11... Normal is 20-50 (I am sure I run on the higher end of that scale as I have or should say HAD the oily skin, oily hair, smalller breasts before yasmin..) This level is extremely low, and the test level stated LOW.
My blood tests drawn at exactly the same time on the SAME EXACT DAY, read normal (at the very lowest end of the scale) so my gyn said, all levels are normal.
NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!
When I had the results evaluated by a bioidentical Dr. later she said no, the blood levels were not "normal" and her words were "for an 80yr old maybe, but not for you"

So long story short, I kept testing, with saliva tests month after month (they have to be done at a specific time every month) and here is what happened.....

Month 4 after stopping,
My estradiol went to 0.8 now in the low range
Progesterone dropped to 72 now in the low range
Testosterone went UP to 15 still low range but higher.
Cortisol went up to 9.3 High ranges are 3-8. So just a little high probably from stress.
Symptoms, still feeling up and down with ? improvement.

Month 6 after stopping, (I skipped a month due to expense, I pay out of pocket for all these tests)
MY estradiol is range but still all of my symptoms are not gone
Cortisol still a little high at 8.9.
I am feeling better than before and symptoms are resolving, but I am not feeling getting better as quickly as I would like, so I do something REALLY REALLY stupid...

I try to start my old bcp ortho novum, thinking I did well on it all those years (12 yrs) and my hormones are pretty well getting to be more normal...or so I thought, now looking back not really, still had a ways to go, but I was not thinking clearly, and started them, at first I felt like things were getting back to normal, but about 12-15 after being on it, I felt the anxiety coming back. I stopped them on day 15, and it was like all the symptoms started over again (really wanted to die, How could I have been so stupid?) I believe I would have really felt better by now if I had not tried to do this.

Anyway, I saliva tested 1 month after and I already knew before the tests came back that my testosterone had fallen again to 17
My estrogen was normal at 1.3
Progesterone was really low at 16!!!!!! normal is 100-600
cortisol high at 11.

Next month after stopping
estrogen low again at 0.9,
Progesterone coming up at 52
testosterone 15 whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!! somebody shoot me!
still feeling like sh*!
I really tried supplementing with bioidentical hormones at my doctors suggestion at this point, but It is really hard to find a dose because they are used to caring for much older women so it was a guessing game, consequently, I think i used a little too much testosterone,

Next month testing
progesterone dropped and testosterone shot up to 80!!
I called the lab and they said this indicated the dose I was using was too high, that since I tested while using this high dose, the test was registering high (in other words this was not my true level and it would come back down as soon as I stopped using it.) I asked why my progesterone went down as I was supplementing with progesterone creme as well, she said when one hormone is too high the other hormones become suppressed. Ahh.
So I quit supplementing altogether.
And now I am waiting for the next results, I should have them by monday or tuesday.
Just a side note, I am feeling better just as I was before I tried to take the bcp the 2nd time. It seems like this time I may be getting better faster? I dont know, depends on the day you ask me.
This is why i have been asking silke about her hormone levels and why I think that it may be her testosterone that is the problem, as some women have trouble getting their testosterone up after being on bcp or after pregnancy. I really feel this may be the problem as I did not feel better until this particular hormone started going up, as i felt crappy again as it dropped (especially with the anxiety) However, a doctor not familiar with hormones will say a Low normal level is normal. Its NOT.
This is just my experience. I cannot write it in stone. Hope it helps.
BitterRN

Silke
Hi, did you get copies of your labs?
Anxious to hear from you.
BitterRN

hi bitterrn and everyone else here you are all great women i am not throwing up but it feels just like morning sickness i was on this pill for almost 2 years and did not notice any symptoms untill sept of 06 but when i think back i can think of little odd things like i was never feeling good. i run a business and everyday is a complete struggle its hard because alot of women here complain alot even after being off of this poison a full year how can i avoid not fully breaking down when i know i have such a long road ahead of me this pill has completely destroyed my life. my doctor ordered some blood tests fsh, cortisol, LH, a bunch of other things im not sure what time of the month of my cycle would be the best time to have my blood drawn. i feel the best when i am bleeding is that weird or what. anyway i come here everyday and read these posts all of you women are so wonderful i wish everyone a fast recovery
foggyhead

I received a kenalog injection by fluoroscopy for lower back pain at L5/S1 disc. After the injection my period was a week and a half late, once it started it hasn't stopped I have been bleeding heavily for 20 days now. I have always had normal cycles every 25 days and lasting 4 to 5 days. This is not normal for me, even after the birth of my 3 children my cycles returned to normal and I bled lighter and for less time than what I am now. I called and spoke to the nurse at the pain management clinic where I received the injection and she told me that she had never heard of that happening. She then went on to say possibly every 1 in 100 can have that side effect. My gynecologists nurse also said she had never heard of this. I started researching kenalog on line and every
article I found about this list menstrual irregularities. I had the pharmacist at my pharmacy print me the patient insert for kenalog 40 and it to lists menstrual irregularities. If I can find this information our so easily and the pharmacists are aware of the side effects then why aren't the doctors informing their patients. My gynecologist put me on 200mg. of prometrium which is a progesterone to try to stop the bleeding. Thirty pills total which I had to double up on the first week but they did not work so he told me to stop taking them. I am scheduled to see him tomorrow to possible try a
premarin injection which is estrogen to see if this stops the bleeding. I called and spoke with Bristol Myers concerning my side effects, and the nurse I spoke with told me kenalog
suppresses your adrenal system which controls cortisol and hormone production and it can take several months to get out of your system. I can not go on bleeding like this for several months it's already been 3 weeks with no end in sight. My only other option right now is a d and c. I am afraid to put any more shots or hormones in my body as it is messed up enough already. I have also been extremely week and tired, very dizzy, irritable, mood swings. no energy, sweats at night, shaky, and heart palpitations. I never had any of this before the injection. My only problem was back pain from an auto accident otherwise I've always been healthy. I know kenalog caused. I wish I would have been informed of the side effects first. It helped my back pain but it is not worth it for all the other problems that it caused. I told bristol myers when I spoke with them that they need to make sure that the medical professionals using their drug are aware of their side effects and that they inform their patients especially females, and she made a notation to follow through with my request. No one should have to go through this. I am so glad I found this website as I do not feel so alone now. I will write again and let you know how I made out at the gynecologists office. Sue

PS to Guest, #12572;

For sadness (depression etc) ; B vitamins and exercise are a great all-natural way to "help" combat the side effects you are experiencing. Vitamin C will also help.

B1; Plays a key role in the body's metabolic cycle for generating energy
B2; promotes general health
B3; increases energy through proper utilization of food, maintains the nervous system
B5 thru 11; improve the body's resistance to stress, helps the adrenal glands (the temporary loss of normal function in the adrenals is one of the most common effects of prednisone)
B12; low levels cause depression

Exercise stimulates the good endorphins and over all feelings of well being.

Because Prednisone can cause havoc on the adrenal glands, it is suggested that people do everything they can to support the adrenals during and after prednisone therapy;
(The adrenal glands secrete several important hormones that help maintain the balance of many body functions. Stress, fasting, temperature changes, infections, drugs such as prednisone, and exercise all stimulate the adrenals to release their hormones. When the adrenals release too few or too many hormones, the body responds differently to the everyday stresses of life.
The adrenal cortex is involved in the production of glucocorticoids (such as cortisol i.e. hydrocortisone), mineralocorticoids (aldosterone) and androgens such as androstenedione and DHEA. A mild to moderate adrenocortical deficiency can substantially reduce your quality of life, yet this condition is not recognized by most doctors, who only think of the adrenal gland's condition as being at either extreme - normal or in overt failure.
Symptoms of adrenal deficiency include depression, irratibility, fatigue, and exaggerated stress responses.

We need to remember that while taking prednisone, we were actually supplementing our own cortisol production and levels and it might take some time for our own cortisol productions to return to normal.

Best Wishes

Hi. It seems rather obvious that ambien causes dizziness, personality changse- anxiety, anxiousness, memory issues..a sort of brain fog and in many occasions depression. Let's be proactive- this med causes brain dysfunction that may be able to be corrected- the question is how? To start, the seratonin levels, cortisol and adrenalin levels need to return to normal..wean yourself off and never go on again. Who knows about herb. homeopathics that have shown promise on mood amd memory?

If taking for "skipped beats" (palpitations) please have "cortisol" hormone checked. High cortisol (and sometimes, dhea hormone, too) can mean ADRENAL GLAND TUMOR! Toprol can cause "panic attacks" on occasion in addition to all the other side affects. Urination (when you have to go... gotta GO NOW) is another.

I got a 60mg Kenalog injection in my neck for two digenerated cervical disks. Two days later I got Imsonia, Anxiety, swelling and pain in my abdomen (bloaded), gastrointestinal distress, nightsweats, dry mouth, dry throat, hot flashes, more appetite, more frequent urination and the area of the injection is swollen. I saw an Endocrynologist who tested my hormone levels. My natural Cortisol Hormone production got shot down from the Kenaloginjection.The Doctors are telling me that it will be 12 weeks until I should be back to normal. Nobody (not one doctor) told me about those sideeffects beforehand. How horrible is that. PLEASE think about it, before you get a Kenalog Injection.