The adrenal test

The adrenal glands test
(Still editing)

The second test that Dr Qutab had me take was to test the function of my adrenal gland. After following a restricted diet for a couple of days, I took large samples of my saliva during 4 points during an 18 hour period. It was quite a process to make sure it was a pure sample.

The results showed the activity of my adrenal gland and tested for issues for anything that relates to the four hormones that it produces, Adrenaline, cortisol, DHEA and something else. It also looked at my insulin levels and resistance to learn if I was, as they suspected, hypoglycemic.

The results were surprising. I am not hypoglycemic. I have a remarkable excess of Cortisol. During a day, my load was 89 micrograms, which is more than double the maximum. This raises all sorts of issues. Such as Cushing’s syndrome (about a third higher than where I am) , an adrenal gland tumor, and some types of cancer, liver or kidney disease, depression….. Gee, I’ve been kind of depressed…

Okay, I got the scary part over, as of now, my body has not begun to react in most of these ways, as of now, it has me in a perpetual fight-or-flight mode. This constant state saps the adrenaline researves and leaves the only option being the memory catatonic state of withdrawn flight. As the cortisol level never lets up, it also affects my long-term-memory severely. (ugh – it might be permanently damaging it!) Anyone who knows me will find me struggling to remember words or recall events or remember names accurately.

This fight-or-flight mode has been afflicting me since I was a child. I can constantly recall my over-reaction to marginal stresses by withdrawing or disappearing from the situation. I fought it, I managed it, but I have never been free of it. In order to get through it, I wait for the “energy” to kick in. I suspect that the energy was whenever the depleted adrenal reserve had kicked in enough to allow me to burn through my to-do list or address a tough situation or Go on a date or talk to a friend or see my family or make a sales call or clean a room or do my laundry. I fiddle and hide and make excuses until I cannot hide any longer and I have to fight my way out of the situation.

I will have a lot more to write about this, as dealing with it has been a way of life for me. It has affected so much of how I respond to life and poorly affected every one of my relationships. Fortunately, my body as not yet reacted with a pituitary tumor, as commonly happens with prolonged heightened Cortisol levels. There, but by the grace of God, go I.

Research included

Cortisol is not a marker for the state (high or low) of Bipolar subjects
I have not been diagnoses with Bipolar – but it was raised once by a doctor as something that could be a possibility – that is why I look at it. Another interesting note that I include is this…  HPA axis dysregulating…

They also found that in Bipolar subjects, the cortisol upon awakening is significantly higher than normal.. while mine is lower. But it does concern me that they talk again again about the HPA axis dysregulating. (graph) They also talk about mood syndromes attached to enhanced cortisol secretion… why is it that I respond so defensively to those terms…. Lol – is it the cortisol”?? Or is it me… (chicken or egg problem)

Here is a study that attaches low cortisol levels to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. There goes that diagnosis…

Here is great article on the role of Cortisol and Depression. This article points to the commonality of the high cortisol levels in both unipolar and bipolar subjects…it also suggests that the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor class of anti-depressants may lack the ability to modulate cortisol expressions/function. This would explain why I had limited success with the many different medications I have tried, and why I didn’t have the bad response to the medications that bipolar patients have (therefore, more evidence <to me>that the bipolar suggestion is not applicable to me ;) It also points out the cognitive impairments of people with hypercortisol secretion – And the conclusion is helpful: “Hypercortisolemia may be central to the pathogenesis of depressive symptoms and cognitive deficits, which in turn may result from the neurocytotoxic effects of raised cortisol levels. Identification and effective treatment of mood and cognitive symptoms are important clinical goals, but currently available treatments may fall short of this ideal.”– It should have a star next to it saying *except with Dr Qutab!

Okay, a google search for depression and cortisol reveals a ton of knowledge – I probably should have started here. I am beginning to believe that I am simply stumbling on to the evidence way the body becomes depressed.. OMG – this might describe PMS……oh no…..too many jokes are forming …most with me as their butt…

Here is a alt health page on addressing cortisol… yikes – cortisol might be linked to early Alzheimer’s disease… interesting – and here is more info on the remeron(mirtazpine) oh, and it has a graph like mine…. Except mine starts low, and goes high… omg – no one in this test study shows my pattern… haha – check out the top “healthy male subjects”…

I am getting much of this from this page (which I linked to earlier).

This study implies, as I am, that cortisol is the cause, not the effect of depression. I like it when it is not my fault :P – here is another one.

Ahhh this is why he prescribed two different types of raw fish oil.

The action of cortisol, drawing blood away from the organs to the extremities, is also contributory to leaky gut syndrome

Psychological issues attached to cortisol