I have being doing SPII for a few weeks, and though I haven't been diagnosed yet (I have appt with a doctor who does SP) I am pretty certain I have burned-out adrenals. I just noticed that my skin is losing pigmentation in patches. Has anyone ever heard of this? I am kind of worried that there is more wrong with me than just burned-out adrenals. After two months off of sugar and alcohol, I feel no better, worse infact. I am more exhausted and weaker than I was a month ago. Any insights?
Thanks,
Kristy

http://www.drrind.com/scorecardmatrix.asp

Ok, that was the 1st time I've ever tried to post a link and I think I did it wrong. Nevertheless, this link has excellent info that differentiates adrenal vs thryoid vs mixed problems. It does refer to loss of pigment, which I had also noticed as little white dots on my arms and legs. Very disconcerting to say the least! I think I am mixed going by this scorecard. I think we have Wanda to thank for discovering this little gem! Hope it helps!

Tig

Tig - Thanks for the link, it was really helpful.

I am sometimes struck with disbelief that this is actually happening to my body, it all seems so sudden - the exhaustion, the sore muscles. I almost can't wrap my mind around the idea that in just a few months I've gone from running 5-6 miles a day and lifting weights, on top of all the other physical tasks of day-to-day life - to waking up exhausted and wondering if I could manage a half-hour of yoga. But when I remember how many times I would push myself through a workout or muscle through a long day, how I've felt off and on in the last five years was a foreshadowing of how I feel every day now. I never listened to my body, just kept doling out the discipline.

Seeing so many other people either dealing with this or treating it in their practices has been a total wake-up call to me.

Thanks,
Kristy

Funny, I was just reading about cravings and the adrenal glands in "No More Cravings by Douglas Hunt, M.D.

He says that a craving for salt/licorise is a sign of destruction/weakening of the adrenal glands and that 500-1000 mg. of pantothenic acid 3-4 times a day relieves the craving and supports the adrenal glands.

I was also reading the other day that virgin coconut oil also supports adrenal gland health and alleviates/eliminates the symptoms.

Do you use hormone replacement therapy? I do and I know that this medication can cause this. I have had this happening for a long time. It does seem worse now though. I have a big patch of lighter skin on my left eyelid.

I will check out the link later.

Thanks Marianne

Hi Marianne!

Are you using bio-identical hormones or the synthetic?
Just curious. I see you are doing SPII, so you probably are doing the bio. I didn't realize that loss of skin pigment was associated with that. Learn something new everyday!

Tig

I am on synthetic right now. I had so many changes with medication that my doctor wanted to wait to make sure everything else was working. Thanks for the reminder. I need to call my doctor and get that changed. I have had problems in the past with the bio working. I tried the one that was compounded and in lotion form and it would not absorb into my body. My levels were lower than before I started it. The doctor said she wanted to try the one that I melt under my tongue. So that will be interesting to see if it works.

I do have hypo thyroid and am on meds for that too. The doctor mentioned that my eyebrows are very thin and that is a symptom of low thyroid. My eyebrows had been that way for years, even after starting and being on thyroid meds for years. My levels are fine but my eyebrows are still very thin.

Good luck with everything. Do not hesitate to ask questions! It is very important for all of us to read these questions and help. Through this process we may discover something that indirectly or directly helps us.

Take care. Marianne