u/Fickle_Giraffe3067

I’ve been on 10mg hydrocortisone when I wake up and 5mg at night since October 2025 (8 months) for 3-beta NCAH. It’s improved my androgen levels but I haven’t noticed any other improvements. I’ve gained weight, retain water, have increased appetite, and I think it might be affecting my mood. I never had severe acne or hirsutism to begin with, so it’s not like it’s helping that. Is it safe to taper/is there risk of adrenal crisis or adrenal insufficiency with an 8-month physiologic dose of hydrocortisone? How many mg do I taper by each week?

TLDR; Is it safe to taper off of 15mg hydrocortisone/day after 8 months of taking it, and how do I do it? (My endocrinologist just left my dr office and barely understands this condition in the first place).

26F, diagnosed October 2025 with 3-beta hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase deficiency/NCAH- on 10mg hydrocortisone when I wake up and 5mg 4-6 hours later. My previously elevated androgen levels are now within normal range on the hydrocortisone, but I don’t feel any different/better and still have irregular periods and anovulatory cycles/low progesterone (per Inito fertility monitor). Mood isn’t better and I haven’t lost weight. Anyone else? Is the only benefit being normal labs worth taking steroids forever? Has anyone stopped taking their steroids and if so, how did that go?

What does it mean if the Valsalva maneuver makes ear pressure/fullness feeling worse? It only happens in my right ear, and I have to swallow a bunch of times to make the pressure go away.