Not Producing Cortisol!
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Not Producing Cortisol!

› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Not Producing Cortisol!

  • Post
    • February 15, 2019 at 1:22 am
    MelanomaMike
    Participant
    Hay guys, quick update, as i told you iv been real weak this past month & now that i finally got my ass over “in the morning” before 8am (better reading as you know) i just got of the phone with my Endo, no Cortisol is being produced! So, i “was” being “tapered” off the Hydrocortisones, i was down to only 5mg in the AM only but now 10mg morning and 5mg 2pm…as you all know, the Hydros work against our immunal drugs so, kinda mixed feelings…But anyways, explains that..hope you all are good…
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  • Replies
      • February 15, 2019 at 3:14 am
      BrianP
      Participant

      Hey Mike,

      I'm in the same boat.  I've been supplementing with prednisone for low cortisol since early 2014.  I'm down to only 5 mg daily.  Early on I would take 5 in the moring and 2.5 in the afternoon but eventually went down to only the 5 mg in the morning.  If you are sick or stressed your body needs about 1.5 times your normal dosage (at least that's what my endo told me).  When I did take an afternoon one I'd try to take it in the early afternoon or I'd find I'd have a hard time falling asleep.  I wouldn't stress too much about the immune suppression.  In my unprofessional opinion at the low doses we are talking about it should have a minimal impact on your immune system.

      Best wishes,

      Brian

      • February 15, 2019 at 2:44 pm
      Gene_S
      Participant

      Hey Mike,

      My husband has been on prednisone with 5 mg in the AM and 2.5 mg in the PM since 2013.  His body doesn't produce any cortisol since he was on the clinical trial.  He did manage to wean down to just the 5 in the AM and has tried to cut it but then the problems start back up so he is still taking the 5 mg a day. So it is not to bad.

      Judy the loving wife of Gene (Stage IV, Clinical Trial 10 mg/kg/ Ipi infusions and GMCSF daily injections and NED for over 6.5 years)

      • February 15, 2019 at 2:59 pm
      mandyjill
      Participant

      Mike, I worried about the prednisone going against the immunotherapy when I got on it.  I was on 10 mg. a day and the doc said that low dose wouldn't affect it.  I think you are good.

      • February 16, 2019 at 5:43 am
      casagrayson
      Participant

      Those of you who are taking prednisone might want to consider switching to hydrocortisone.  It more closely mimics the body's natural production of cortisol.  (Just as a point of note, each 1mg of prednisone is equivalent to 4mg of hydrocortisone.)

      • February 17, 2019 at 8:12 pm
      MelanomaMike
      Participant

      Thanks for the replies, boy were all just Pea`s in Pods arnt we? damn these Glands! whats real weird is, after the very next day of me "finally doing my bloodwork before 8am, i had a total 100% turn around in energy! it wasnt till roughly a week after that i was instructed to go back to my original dosage of Hydro`s, by then i had a week {and still going} of pure, normal energy & appetite!! really wierd, the mind is tricky!!

        • February 18, 2019 at 1:55 pm
        marta010
        Participant

        HI Mike – my husband is on hydrocortisone (20mg am/10mg pm) and the oncologist is fine with that and does not feel it impacts the immunotherapy treatments.  He's had recurrent issues with adrenal insufficiency which has landed him in the hospital so we now double his cortisol dose on days he receives his Keytruda and two days following.  I'd recommend you also have your testosterone levels tested as they may also be low and contributing to the fatigue.  It's a delicate balancing act – lots of moving parts.

        Ann

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