How much HC are people taking before workouts?

Gutterpump

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For people who are treating adrenals, how much hydrocortisone do you take before your workouts and/or after?

I've been taking 5-6mg before my evening workout at 6pm, but for some reason I am getting exhausted and shaky before I even finish. I am doing fullbody training 3x per week, mostly all compound lifts..

Squats, ham curls, bench press, bent over rows, clean and press, cable bicep curls to finish. I admit the big compounds are exhausting when done one after another, but I am only doing ~3 sets of 8-10 for each.

I used to have NO problem with this type of workout BEFORE I started using HC. It seems my adrenals are now shutdown since I started HC therapy? Seems like the only thing I can think of that is effecting my workouts like this... Kinda ****ty. I wanted to treat adrenals not shut them down. I am generally taking 25mg HC per day, sometimes 30mg, plus some licorice root (liquid) extract... taking more HC than this - to stress dose everyday (for workouts and the such) - would this not be VERY bad and completely shutdown the adrenals?
 

mikeyboyeee

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How is your diet?
I notice when I am really down on carbs (because I am still fat, so cut them frequently) I am just as strong in the gym, but can not do the volume (and I am not a high volume guy at all).

I will be getting some HC when I see Dr. M next week.
 
Gutterpump

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Carbs right now are high. Maybe 50/30/20 c/p/f so it's definitely not a lack of carbs

I used to train like this on a CKD also without any probs
 
jinxie

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For people who are treating adrenals, how much hydrocortisone do you take before your workouts and/or after?

I've been taking 5-6mg before my evening workout at 6pm, but for some reason I am getting exhausted and shaky before I even finish. I am doing fullbody training 3x per week, mostly all compound lifts..

Squats, ham curls, bench press, bent over rows, clean and press, cable bicep curls to finish. I admit the big compounds are exhausting when done one after another, but I am only doing ~3 sets of 8-10 for each.

I used to have NO problem with this type of workout BEFORE I started using HC. It seems my adrenals are now shutdown since I started HC therapy? Seems like the only thing I can think of that is effecting my workouts like this... Kinda ****ty. I wanted to treat adrenals not shut them down. I am generally taking 25mg HC per day, sometimes 30mg, plus some licorice root (liquid) extract... taking more HC than this - to stress dose everyday (for workouts and the such) - would this not be VERY bad and completely shutdown the adrenals?
I think your overtraining, regardless. That's a lot of reps of heavy compound movements in a single day, with only 1 day rest in between. I'd recommend a few heavy compound exercises per day, and no more. I'd be shaking too if I squatted, benched, rowwed and clean and pressed all in one day. I'd limit it to 2 or 3 at most. When I do rack deadlifts and shrugs in one day, I am sore for 3-4.
 
jinxie

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Carbs right now are high. Maybe 50/30/20 c/p/f so it's definitely not a lack of carbs

I used to train like this on a CKD also without any probs
You were younger and may have had healthier adrenals. : )
 
Gutterpump

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You were younger and may have had healthier adrenals. : )
I trained like this all of last year though, and the year before... switching up between fullbody 3day splits, and 5 day strength training split.

I'm not going too heavy on my lifts when doing a fullbody routine (never till failure), and when I feel like I need it, I take an extra day off in between (usually if I still have DOMs). I try not to hit the same body part as hard if I'm still experiencing DOMs.

I don't think it's over-training.. I'm not training too intensely atm.. compared to usual.. that's what I don't understand. I'm supporting all my hormones now so why can't I train as intense as I used to the past 2 years before hrt? Doesn't make sense to me.
 
jinxie

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I trained like this all of last year though, and the year before... switching up between fullbody 3day splits, and 5 day strength training split.

I'm not going too heavy on my lifts when doing a fullbody routine (never till failure), and when I feel like I need it, I take an extra day off in between (usually if I still have DOMs). I try not to hit the same body part as hard if I'm still experiencing DOMs.

I don't think it's over-training.. I'm not training too intensely atm.. compared to usual.. that's what I don't understand. I'm supporting all my hormones now so why can't I train as intense as I used to the past 2 years before hrt? Doesn't make sense to me.
Well, fwiw it's worth, all I can tell you is that as I've gotten older, I've come to realize that Mike Mentzer was right on -- high intensity, less frequent lifting, allowing the muscles to heal and grow. I make great gains working out 3-4 hours per week.

Regardless of the cause, if you are shaking, you are overworking some aspect of your body, whether neurologically or muscularly. If you're body is shaking, listen to it. And I don't think the answer is taking more cortisone, as this could threaten your body's ability to produce on its own. Think of it like a ball player taking a shot at half time and playing through injury. It ain't good.

I hope things resolve favorably. You're too young to be dealing with this crap.
 
Gutterpump

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You're too young to be dealing with this crap.

Yeah this is true.

Well the type of training I am doing is HST. It requires less than 3 hours of lifting per week. Compared to a normal 5-day split, this time in the gym is very low, and also gives the person 2 days off at the end of the week. I am only in the gym 3 days per week total (less than 1 hour each day). This training style gives focus to giving the body smaller hits to deal with and more time to heal, and more growth than other methods imo. Strength training would definitely take more of a toll on the body.

Also keep in mind, this occured to me on my first day back in the gym after several days off. I was not challenging myself strength-wise on these lifts at all either... But yeah I felt sick and shakey.. really odd

The reason I was asking about cortisol, was due to the fact that several people were telling me that I should be stress dosing (taking more cortisol during stressful times - like big arguements with the girl - or time in the gym), and I almost never do this.
 
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So is nobody here stress dosing cortisol pre/post workout?
 
jinxie

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So is nobody here stress dosing cortisol pre/post workout?
I recall Phil doing this, and maybe Jansz. I don't like the concept though. You dont want to reduce inflammation when you are lifting. It may be time to think about a beta blocker, or something else to combat NE (stress response). I'd hate to see you taking more than 20 mgs every day you work out. How does the body evolve when you are taking this for every lift? I wouldn't do it.

I sound like the guys over at Mind & Muscle, but maybe CBT and/or meditation. That **** can do wonders for your nervous system. Also, I trust you are not taking any stims.
 
Gutterpump

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I definitely take stims. Nothing serious though...and not overkill. If I don't take stims before my workout, then I feel like I just can't get a good workout in. I just usually have a can of monster or a redbull now.. nothing serious, no more pills or supps w/stims

I take 25-30mg of hydrocortisone everyday, regardless if it's a workout day or not. If I take 20mg or less, then I have problems that day. Keep in mind I'm also on thyroid meds.

Maybe I'll start up something to help endurance again... creatine / beta-alanine / citruline malate / bcaa's + extra luceine. But I am a little pissed that these problems started after taking HC for the past year..I thought it was supposed to help me
 
Gutterpump

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Another thought, maybe this is BP related?

I had a similar problem in the past once on cycle come to think of it. I have been on TRT for over a year now and haven't checked my hematocrit once.. And before I started creams, I was taking a lot of test (over 200mg).
 
jinxie

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Another thought, maybe this is BP related?

I had a similar problem in the past once on cycle come to think of it. I have been on TRT for over a year now and haven't checked my hematocrit once.. And before I started creams, I was taking a lot of test (over 200mg).
I'd take a pre-work out drink, without stims, like DT ether level one (which is clean). It has just what you want.

You know my feelings about BP. If you are over 110/70, you're getting into prehypertension zone+ when you are on stims, and even higher when lifting. And cortisol increases BP, even though it neutralizes NE. Shoot me an email if you want to discuss it more. See my thread on ARBs. Fascinating stuff.
 
The Matrix

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i time my workouts right around time to take cortisol..So a 5 mgs does in the best right before
 
Gutterpump

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i time my workouts right around time to take cortisol..So a 5 mgs does in the best right before
This is what I do... but recently it seems to be not enough? I feel winded after 30min and not as aggressive as in the past... Perhaps I need to up my cardio again because of the way I train, or maybe it's BP related. I have taken a long break from cardio and I know my cardio capacity has been lacking recently. Could be all it is...

Jinxie, my resting BP is about 130/85... I am sure it spikes in the afternoon and during workouts. I will speak to my Dr. about ARBs.
 

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