Posted by Elroy on March 17, 2008, at 21:53:37
In reply to Re: Elevated Cortisol and Dilantin Trial, posted by Elroy on February 25, 2006, at 9:46:06
After I went to NIH Hospital (12/2005) for my hypercortisolism problem (Pseudo Cushing's), they not only conformed my PC diagnosis but came up with the fact that I have a very rare form of it that is due to a malfunctioning HPA Axis. And also a theory that the way to possible cure it - but at least stabilize it, reduce symptoms drastically and hopefully lower cortisol levels significantly - was to go onto an aggressive regimen of therapy with an long half-life anti anxiety medication. Part of the problem also (as far as medication)was that my liver's P450 Enzyme metabolization process system has become super efficient in an effort to get elevated levels of cortisol out of my bloodstream (i.e., metabolized through the liver and into the urine). Unfortunately while that is good for that reason, the P45o enzyme system is also the same system that metabolizes Xanax, Klonopin, etc.So anyway, I ended up (2/2006) on a regimen of 2mg of Xanax XR THREE times a day.. and after a couple of months it was upped to 2 mg 4 times a day).
And by the third month of that regimen (around March - April of 206), I have been doing great. Some symptoms have disappeared completely. Other (specifically the sever anxiety and severe tinnitus) have gone away except for very, very mild outburst here and there - especially if I forget and miss a couple doses... that is how great it has become, I'll actually forget to take the meds!
Additionally, my cortisol levels have been slowly but steadily coming down, so I am hopeful that at some point the cortisol levels will permanently get down into the mid-normal range and stay there long enough for my HPA Axis to re-set... and then I can wean off of the Xanax XR and should be back to normal... otherwise, I will simply have to look at my Xanax XR therapy in the same vein that a diabetic looks at insulin, as something necessary to live a pretty normal life otherwise.
(My original cortisol levels were in the 400 - 500 and leveled off at a range of roughly 220 - 300 - in a range with a normal refernce range of 5 - 100; my ones in 1/2008 were at 84.5 in a reference range of 4 - 60.... different Lab)
Yes, I do have some milder symptoms still preesent (and recently (12/2007) had a 3rd round of very serious cervical surgery - but it has been healing up nicely... but overall the situation has been one of where I am pretty much back to a pretty normal lifestyle.
Also... I have had NO side effects or problems with the Xanax XR. I had to come off of it a week before surgery and had NO withdrawal from the Xanax XR... though after 48 hours the symptoms of PC came roaring back close to full force - so obviously not near anywhere ready to go "med free" yet!
I probably should update "my story" at the site some time, but I don't even think I have a bookmark to the link anymore!
Elroy
poster:Elroy
thread:124535
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20080316/msgs/818540.html