saliva test results... doctors opinions differ. Could you help?

[leilajax]

I ended up having to find an "LLMD" (doctor who treats chronic Lyme) and the 24 hr. adrenal saliva test is 1 of 4 tests that she automatically runs on a first time patient.  I still had to pay for it out of pocket though (insurance refused to cover it).  Could you guys help me with the results?  My LLMD briefly went over them with me and recommended something called "Adrenal Support" which was just a vitamin/herb supplement, but another doctor says they are fine and I don't have adrenal fatigue.  The most confusing part of it is that I took the test on a comparatively "good" energy day.  I remember thinking, "Well, this isn't going to be accurate as I feel pretty good today."
Morning: 18 (13-24)
Noon: 5 (5-10)
Afternoon: 3 (3-8)
Midnight: 2 (1-4)
What do you guys think?  Also, what do you make of this "supplement" that she recommends?  Would a supplement suffice?  I already take more than a handful of vitamins and supplements a day!  I have an absorbent amt. of other "seemingly normal/useless" test results, if you need those as well. Thanks in advance!

[rumpled]

Sodium issues can also be in the renin/aldosteone realm of hormones - so make sure those are checked as well.

I have low BP and have renin issues so I take florinef to retain sodium and take salt tablets AND salt my food. I also see a cardiologist.

[leilajax]

... sorry "Hashimoto's AND Lyme that I'm dealing...", I meant.

[leilajax]

Thank you for your reply!  Sounds like it's probably just Hashimoto's that I'm dealing with alone, then.  Good to know!  My cardiologist just put me on medication to treat my low blood pressure.  She believes this will help how "drained" and dizzy I feel and will help with any minor salt wasting issues that I may have.  I asked if she thought I should do a 24 hr. urine sodium test to be sure this was the best way to go, but she said it was unnecessary bc either way my bp needs to come up and sodium/electrolyte supplements are doing it for me.

[rumpled]

I am just a layman - but I am one without adrenals.

Let me explain how normal adrenals work - you reach a peak around 8am, and continue to fall throughout the day. It is called the diurnal or circadian rhythm. Your saliva testing was consistent, IMHO layman opinion with a normal rhythm.

When I was getting tested for cortisol - my docs tested me many many times - as cortisol is going to change from day to day. So one test should not be a basis for diagnosis. As well, the stimulation test is more of a gold standard for a diagnosis (although people can pass that and still be sick when they are on the verge of failing). It is not a straight thing.

That being said, your doc is also going to make $$$ on the supplements. So if you are not having sodium issues - as AI is a salt wasting disease - then I would not really mess with it as it can actually cause more harm than good. Adrenals don't recover on suppression - they go on vacation - and some won't wake up. There is no way to tell if you will stay in permanent AI, or go the opposite and go cushingoid with supplementation so eh, if you have the choice, don't mess with something that is not broken.