"The problem with adrenal glands is as soon as you start to supplement for them, you in effect shut them off by doing that."

My doctor tells me that at 20mg or less of hydrocortisone it doesn't stop your adrenals from functioning. I take 10mg - 20mg a day and more if I am fighting an infection or handling more stress than normal.

Thyroid and adrena hormones both need each other to work correctly. If you have been taking armour thyroid to replace missing hormones, it should make your adrenals function properly to have that replacement there. If you didn't take it, there would probably be more problems. As for the pain meds, I have not heard of them causing adrenal problems. I'd have to look that up. Doesn't make sense off the top of my head.

I take armour thyroid as well. We are trying to find the best dosing pattern for that with the cortisol. Such a juggling act. Any word on your test results?

Back problems are really difficult. I have severe arthritis in my back and neck and its a struggle to keep it going. I use the chiropractor most of the time to keep it going. I take ultram for pain management at the moment, trying not to get on the narcotics as a baseline, but they work so much better. I have been taking Norco since my ankle surgery in Dec. and i'll miss it when I"m out. That is the same thing as lortabs by the way. Problem with narcotics is you build tolerance and need more and more for the same effect over time - and you become dependent on them. Its a hard thing - you between a rock and a hard place looking for relief that doesn't cause you more trouble than the original problem.

Vanyel

Vanyel, I read that levothyroxine which is in Armour Thyroid should not be used if you have adrenal problems. What you think about that? Maybe i will hear from my test tomorrow.
brenda

Brenda,
levothyroxine is a synthetic formulation of the hormone T4. It is what most MD's prescribe for people that are hypothyroid. It is not natural, it is man made. Armour Thyroid is a natural hormone replacement from pig thyroid glands and contains both T4 and T3 in similar proportion to what our thyroid glands produce when functioning normally. Many physicians don't feel it is accurately translated into consistent doses and will not use it preferring the synthetic man made stuff.
As for taking thyroid hormones with adrenal problems - the literature says that the adrenal problems should be addressed first as the cortisol levels effect the thyroid function. My doctor states that they both need each other and you can't address one alone. Both require the other to work properly. So, that is false information you got somewhere. The trick is finding how much of each you need, and why they are not functioning properly on their own.
The endocrine system is amazingly complex and all intertwined. I find it very challenging to try to understand, much less figure out malfunctions.

Vanyel

Thanks you have helped me very much. Been a bad day. I got up this morning hurting in back, raining and cold so i went back to bed. I hope tomorrow is a better day.
Brenda