I'm not sure if this is the best place to post this thread, but seeing how this is a diet forum, there has to at least be a few people out there who can relate. Has anyone gone through this and recovered? Is recovery possible? I'm having periods of everyday that are absolute torture to get through. So far I have tried to treat myself with diet, vitamin supplementation, some herbs here, adrenal glandulars there. Nothing seems to work. I have been seeing an ND and getting worse. I broke down and went to my MD for something for insomnia, but I still wake up at night with her drug so she says I need to add an antidepressant. I think I'm to the moderate borderline severe side. My most distressing symptoms are low blood pressure with bad orthostatic hypotension, lots of dizziness, crashing at different times of the day, headaches, teeth grinding, poor digestion, confusion/mental fogginess, and probably all the hypothyroid type symptoms.

Are there any survivors out there that could put me on the right track? I'd love to be able to look into someone's journal to see what they have done and how they have felt. It's tough since none of this is "real" and the only medical help is to go on an antidepressant. I don't know much about these drugs and if they will help or give me more long term pain.

Just curious jende, since you mentioned "hypothyroid type symptoms", have your doctors ruled out a thyroid problem? Have they diagnosed you with adrenal exhaustion? I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism three months ago and am experiencing wonderful improvements with my medication -- it is literally changing my life for the better.

Have you been on cortef or Isocort for it at all? I think that's the remedy that most adrenal enlightened doctors use.

I'm suffering from this too - I totally know what you're going through. The endless bouts of insomnia are the worst, and I've almost killed myself because of day-time fatigue. I wonder why more people haven't responded to this thread...we need help!

Dansipure, I totally feel for you. I don't know what has happened to my life. I was beginning to think it wasn't real and that I'm reallly the whiner that most docs think I am. Are you finding any successful way of managing it? I've read a couple of books, but I'm not sure of just what I actually need. There are usually supplements galore in these books and I personally haven't ever noticed any positive thing from anything I have ever taken. So far supplements are just relieving me of cash. I have been working on this for several years now, but it became really bad after the birth of my baby last year. I don't even remember what it's like to feel normal or to go to bed at night and expect to wake up the next morning having slept. I don't know if I just havent' figured out how to rest my adrenals, or if my thyroid is so knocked out that it is impossible to feel good again, even if I do all the right adrenal stuff.

Well I know I am not alone now. Good luck and I hope you find a way to return to health (if you do, let me know).

Just from what I've learned, a long term small dose of cortisone is the best treatment. Something like 5-15mg a day. But you won't find many standard doctors acknowledging there is any such thing as adrenal fatigue, much less treat it.

However Isocort is a supplement you can buy (probably only over the Internet) that is a gladular product. I've been taking it for probably 4 weeks now. It's supposed to be a natural source of cortisone. I also take DHEA, another adrenal hormone.

I'm not sure it is because of the supplements but some of my symptoms that might have been due to adrenal fatigue have subsided. I'm sleeping pretty well at night, no pounding heart and my joint aches are much, much better.

I took a glandular and didn't notice any effect whatsoever. Also my MD is starting me on some sort of antidepressant cocktail since I can't sleep and now I don't know about drug interactions. I wonder if that is the reason for the wretched headache today (although that's pretty much every day to some degree). I also tried high doses of vit C and other stuff. Also did some adaptogenic type herb thing which was supposed to help raise my blood pressure - still dizzier than ever. I wish I could just toughen up and stop complaining so much.

OMG, Jende, I have the dizziness and low blood pressure too. I can't believe we found each other - I was starting to think that I was crazy too. Have you tried switching to Celtic sea salt? According to the Chinese, it's supposed to help the adrenals. My doctor has also proposed anti-D's but I've got a terrible liver, so I never had the Rx filled. Have you gotten your progesterone checked? Because mine tanked and I suspect that's the reason for a lot of my problems esp. sleeping and mood. Also, do you supplement with magnesium?

Nancy, you're so right. Doctors just refuse to acknowledge adrenal fatigue - although they will acknowledge adrenal failure, grrr. So we're left thinking it's all in our head...

Somedays, it's really hard to be optimistic. Even though we've 'found' LC.

I did start to use large amounts of sea salt. Is there something different between Celtic sea salt and the natural sea salt I would have gotten at the health food store. I use about 1/4 tsp in each glass of water I drink. I haven't figured out just how much I need and I find the water pretty salty but drinkable. I think this has helped curb some of the unquenchable thirst I've been having. I could never understand why I got thirstier as I drank more water. Do you do something to add iodine to your diet since you are not using table salt? My thyroid seems really low to me and I'm not sure if there is something I could do to nourish it. I alternate with bursts of energy one moment, then I crash the next.

I don't know if my progesterone is low. I had a baby last June and felt great for a couple weeks till all the hormones seemed to crash down around me when the milk production really got going. Since I weaned, I noticed that I start having pelvic cramping during ovulation and I think I may have pms mood problems from that time on (I also get extreme itching). That could be low progesterone I suppose. I do try magnesium, but I just don't notice any difference ever with anything that I take, I'm about ready to give up on all the tedious supplements. A month ago my doc put me on something to sleep which in a higher dose is considered an antidepressant. I started getting more irritable then and had confusion. Since it didn't work, she is just starting me on an SSRI in a very small dose. I spent most of yesterday crying uncontrollably for no reason and the day before was brutal too. I don't know if it was the drugs or if it was pms, or just the usual feelings of the situation being so hopeless. With my luck, antidepressants would cause depression in me. I'm not taking them for depresssion, I'm taking them for insomnia, but she says I also my be depressed.

Do you happen to have low stomach acid, headaches and dark circles under your eyes? Sometimes the bags under my eyes are such a dark purple, I look like a racoon.

let's see: I have practically no progesterone, I have the itching and hives so bad that i can't sleep sometimes, i certainly have the dark circles too, and generally sick looking skin. i think we're going through something really similar. i'm almost convincied that this is adrenal fatigue, but i too, keep being told that i need an antidepressant. now if only some more people had some suggestions. i know this isn't a medical advice board, but thank you, Nancy, for the suggestion of cortisol. now at least i have something to ask the dr. about if i ever get to a doctor who doesn't tell me i'm crazy.

I was diagnosed with adrenal fatigue last year. Main symptoms extreme fatigue, dizziness , nausea, not being able to sleep, waking up at 3/4am and not being able to go back to sleep again, aches and pains, bad pms, mental fog, etc. My symptoms got so bad i could not walk from one room to another without fearing passing out. My DB had to go shopping for me as i could not move. I was white as a sheet.

I was very lucky as i was referred to a very good metabolic nutritionist that had me walking properly after just two weeks. My energy levels returned to a manageable almost normal level within six months. All of this was done through supplements and nutrition and attention to sleep patterns.

Things you need to know- toxicity of any kind aggravates adrenal fatigue. So anti-depressants, pharmaceuticals in general are not the way to go. Supplements need to be natural and as non aggressive as possible. When the adrenals are fatigue, you usually become allergic to a bunch of stuff, that just frustrates the adrenals even more. My doc tested me for intolerances and even for intolerances to supplements. After which we found out the following - I was intolerant to cow dairy, gluten, sugar, eggs, gelatin, soy, salmon, seafood, tuna, avocado, caffeine, chocolate, alcohol, banana and figs.

Although intolerances might be minor when the adrenals function properly, they become major when the adrenals are fatigued, causing inflammation in the intestines, sinuses, joints and worsening the adrenal symptoms, creating a vicious cycle effect. For the adrenals to begin recovering, I was told to eliminate all intolerant foods, that pretty much left me with goat cheese, deep water fish, red and white meat, non starchy veggies, moderate corn and potatoes. I had to be 100% committed to only eating from this list of foods.

The doc prescribed the following diet based on my intolerances

Breakfast

Smoothie
Berries ( 1 cup) for antioxidants
1/2 grannie smith apple ( or the liver)
rice protein powder ( 1tbsp- to balance fruit sugars)
ground flax ( 2 tablespoons- for omega 3s)
water
Stevia
BerryGreen Powder (1 teaspoon- for nutrients)
multivitamins ( very mild Vita-big-kids children's capsules)
Achidophylous - Bifidous ( 25 billion)

Lunch

Meat or Fish plus veggies
optional goat cheese and nuts

Dinner
the same as lunch

Snacks
two slices of apple and almond butter or just almonds

For supplements she said that since my adrenals were very weak, all aggressive supplements needed to be eliminated as my body could not tolerate them. So the only supplements I was allowed were the ones in the smoothie in the morning plus the follwing before going to sleep:

Magnesium citrate - 400 plus mg - for the nervous systems- helps sleep too if taken just before bed
Calms Forte homeopathic sleep tablets - 2 or 3
Another 25 billion apchidophilous- bifidus.

Also she generally advised that I snack often. That I do not use the computer in the evening. That I eliminate all forms of emotional stress whenever possible. She also advised walking, deep breathing before eating.

After two weeks the extreme symptoms disappeared and after six months the medium level symptoms disappeared. Now I am much better, a part from when I eat any dairy or sugar or gluten in which case my energy just collapses the next day. My body is still very sensitive. But this should ease off in a few years.

Here is my docs web site www.doctordiana.com

Here is a very good site that explains very well what adrenal fatigue is all about and how to treat it. This guy will also give consultations
http://www.drlam.com/A3R_brief_in_d...nal_fatigue.cfm
If the link does not work just go to www.drlam.com and click on the Adrenal Fatigue article.

Generally speaking just remember that adrenals are stressed by emotional/psychological stress, environmental pollution (gas fumes, etc but even secondary cigarette smoke and insect spray and household cleaning type chemicals), chemicals in foods (artificial junk, transfats, additives, etc), food sensitivities. The more of these contributing factors you can find and eliminate or reduce, the more your body will be able to rebuild and recuperate. Adrenal fatigue is often the result of all of these assaults to the body going on continuously without time for the body/adrenals to recuperate. Eventually the adrenals start to shut down because there is no rest/recuperation time.

Also know that the biggest rebuild time for adrenals is during sleep between 10pm and midnight and in between 6amand 9am, so the more you can sleep early or late, the better for the adrenals recuperation. Sleeping well and abundantly and at the right time is fundamental for adrenal healing.

Hope this helps! It worked for me! I advise you however to contact a skilled naturopath rather than trying randomly on your own. It is important to understand what exactly are your stressors are and work then to make a plan on how to how to reduce or eliminate all contributing factors. Healing is possible, but it does take some commitment. I began also to eat organic vegetables and antibiotic free/additive free meats whenever possible. It cost me a lot of money to get better ( money for food and supplements mainly) but I was so ill I really did not have much of a choice.


Wishing you well on your healing journey

PS. The itching is a sign of inflammation and/or yeats problems. All of these and the adrenal problems often go hand in hand. Basically when the adrenals go down, lots of other things in the body start malfunctioning. The antiinflammatory and autoimmune response no longer work properly and minor things become major. I had cuts in my feet that wouyld not heal, getting deeper and deeper and infected, despite me washing them twice a day and bandaging the. I also had a red bloody rash in the inside of my palms and pain in my right eye and ear. Within two weeks on the no food sensitivities diet, all of these symptoms healed on their own.

Ok signing off now :-)

Thank you so much for the awesome reply. You gave alot of info in there and I'll have to go over it again and check out those sites. It almost gives me hope (except that I still don't know where to go). I did see an ND, but she said my diet looks good and just gave me glandulars and herbal remedies etc. I never really had a plan or changes to make or anything like that.

I have tried to eliminate the usual suspects as far as food goes, but I still have all my symptoms and I can't tell if I am reacting to anything when I add it back in. I often start to feel foggy headed and dizzy as I am eating, which makes me think I have food intolerances that I just can't figure out. In fact when I wake in the morning I may feel normal, then start to feel bad sometime after breakfast, and lunch often leaves me on the floor too. I wish I didn't have to eat at all, but the hypoglycemia kills, and I have to put something into myself at least every 3 hours.

I have some questions for you: Did you have allergy testing done to find out what you were allergic to, or was an elimination thing enough? Did the Calmes Forte help you right away? Is it something that you can take when you wake up at 3 to put you back to sleep? The antidepressants I take are supposed to be for sleep and they have gotten me slightly more, but not a solid nights sleep. I still wake up lots. Did you have a long term sleep problem, I haven't slept well in years. I don't want to bombard you with too many questions. That you found the right person to help you must have made all the difference in the world.

Yes I itch like crazy. I also failed a spit test for candida and do remember being on lots of antibiotics one summer in high school. I get this horrible imflamed red rash in my armpits that both burns and itches. It's especially worse at certain times of the month. Not being able to walk from room to room without fear of passing out sounds horrible, I just can't imagine what that is like. But not too long ago, I never could imagine that I would feel this bad.

I think I'll go check out those websites.

if you are reacting after food, I am sure you have some food sensitivities. They go hand in hand with adrenal burnout. Also if you might have candida, you need to treat all of these things at the same time. The candida puts a lot of stress on the body. The adrenals fight stress regardless if it is from illness, physical, psychological, emotional causes or caused by allergies or toxicity. The adrenals fight any attack to the body regardless of where it comes from and if the attack to the body is constant, the adrenals eventually give out. Also adrenal problems are not born overnight. They are a result of prolongued stress of all kinds: physical ( illness, candida, toxicity, environmental pollution, hormonal imbalances, etc), emotional ( marital problems, childhood trauma, etc) or mental (overwork, stressful desk job with no physical activity, etc). To heal the adrenals you must find as many of these causes ( there is usually more than one) and eliminate them or reduce them. For example you might not be able to solve some issues overnight , like marital problems for example, but there are other areas such as the foods you eat or the hours you sleep, that can be addressed and changed. So you need to work on the things you can change.

To answer your question. Did I go through testing: yes. Blood tests, urine tests and then muscle testing. It is not going to do much good to just eliminate foods at random. It is best to find out exactly what your allergens are and then eliminate them all together. And you need to keep these out of your diet for as long as it takes for the adrenals to recuperate.

The calms forte worked quite well, but worked much better once I eliminated all allergens, especially carbohidrates such as sugar and starches. This is also because, not only the adrenals cause sleep problems but so does the candida. So by keeping the candida down ( that feeds on bad carbs), you end up also helping with sleep. The magnesium citrate will also help with sleep.. The calms forte are very good also in the middle of the night and they are non habit forming. You can take 3 or 4 if really having serious trouble.

Taking antidepressant to treat sleep problems seems like a really bad idea to me. Antidepressants mess with your brain chemestry and do nothing to your cortiosol levels. Messed up cortisol levels is the main reason for bad sleep in adrenal fatigue as cortisol is produced by the adrenals. If you fix your adrenals and treat the candida, sleep will go back to normal. Docs give out antidepressants like they are candy these days, but you need to know that these are VERY powerful drugs and if they are not 100% necessary ( like years of major depression that does not allow one to function) I would stay away from them. IMHO of course. I am no doctor but I am just about finishing my MA in Psychology, so I do know quite a bit about these drugs. They are not to be taken lightly, in my view.

Tackle the root causes of the problem sweetie and you will get better. Get a consultation with a REALLY good naturopath or alternative medicine doctor. There are a lot of mediocre ones out there, but there are also some very good ones. I would go alternative medicine rather than conventional medicine, as conventional medicine does not understand much about adrenal fatigue. The two links I gave you yesterday might get you started. They both give phone consultations. Another doc that works long distance in Dr Laura Thompson http://www.drlaurathompson.com/. Also check this link for referrals for allergy and adrenal testing http://www.schwarzbeinprinciple.com...s/srp_qual.html

Hope this helps!