Poll Have You Ever Had Your Cortisol Level Tested ?

[wife of]

A poll to find out how many of you have ever had thier Cortisol level tested in relation to PTSD.

 

[Anna]

What is cortisol?? :(

 

[wife of]

Cortisol is one of the hormones produced by the adrenal glands which helps to govern,among other things,the bodies fight,fright,flight responses.

 

[Anna]

Thanks :) I have never been tested, but I have heard of adrenal gland fatigue. Maybe this can make you feel exhausted all the time?

 

[The Albatross]

No but I wouldn't mind asking my Internal medicine doc to do it.

 

[idunno]

Hello 'Wife of', I actually am going to see an endocrinologist next week, I got my levels tested once and they were high, then the next time, they were normal. So my primary doc is sending me to the specialist. I have read that it can fluctuate because of stress. And the PTSD and all the other stuff that comes along with it have made me overweight. I used to be little and now I am not. I gained 40 lbs the first month after the initialization of the PTSD, I was also on steroids at the time. Let me know if you would like to talk further about this or if you are experiencing similar issues or someone you know is. I would like to go to my doctor with more information, maybe there is a link between the two. Well, thanks.

 

[cat]

I havent had my levels tested but after putting on 28lbs my gp explained that it could be cortisol, this stress hormone tends to make us eat high carbohydrate foods which lays fat down around the waist.
I have had my chlolesterol tested though & found it to be 7.4, another possible side effect of high cortisol, I'm now on a low fat diet & my weight is dropping, but I am concerned about my future health. I do think drs need to consider the whole picture when treating patients with ptsd.

 

[cat]

If you Google 'cortisol' there is a a good article on About.com stress management.

 

[Deleted member 1860]

Hmmm I wonder if my insurance would cover it?...

 

[gms1976]

Mine was normal. I get stressed (actually I'm a stress ball) and retain fluid at the drop of a hat and they thought it was because my levels might be elevated. Hah! Totally normal.

 

[Chadderbox]

funny gms1976 the same thing happened to me I can be stressed big time, but medical tests show nothing but normal. surely though our bodies fight or flight responses is punishing.
if I do the flashlight pupil dilation test people recommend for adrenal fatigue, that shoes fatigue. If I take vitamins it seems to help a bit...