Did you know that your adrenal glands are critical to treating your thyroid disease? Lack of thyroid hormones affect the adrenal glands adversely. I did not know this, and for decades I got worse because I did not make the connection.
You need an adrenal saliva cortisol test if any of the following are true:
- You have thyroid disease such as Hashimoto’s, autoimmune thyroiditis, hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism.
- Blood pressure problems, high or low
- Weight gain or loss
- Severe fatigue
- Exercise intolerance
- Heat intolerance
- Temperature Fluctuations
- Air Hunger (feels like a panic attack and you can’t get a full breath)
- Heart problems or symptoms such as rapid heartbeat or palpitations
- Excessive sweating
- Sleep problems such as insomnia or sleepiness, excessive sleeping
- Inability to raise thyroid medication
Some causes of adrenal problems
- Too low a dose of thyroid replacement. You can’t simply add to what your thyroid is making, thyroid medications suppress your thyroid and therefore you need a full replacement dose. Consult your doctor or pharmacist and read the insert.
- Hypothyroidism causes the adrenal glands to work harder to produce cortisol and eventually they burn out due to low thyroid hormone levels
- HPA Axis dysfunction is a term most medical professionals will recognize
- Adrenal insufficiency such as Addison’s which requires medical intervention and prescribing hydrocortisone
- Tumor of the adrenal or pituitary gland
NOTE: Nothing on this site is a substitute for working with a good doctor. This information is to guide you to the proper help and is formed through experience and research.
