Adrenal Issues and treatment problems

[Misfit Toy]

I have had 2 months from hell. I have crashed after Christmas. I can do one thing a day and that is it. Then I come home and go to bed. I went to my doctor who ordered blood work testing and yet again, my adrenals came back tanked. All hormones did.

I am at my wits end with this. My food allergies have been solved but my adrenal problems reign supreme, as usual.

He put me on Mil Adregen, which is supposed to make you have energy by giving you back what you need in glandulars. Instead, on this product, like all adrenal products, I am exhausted. I mean, can't get out of bed exhausted with red eyes. Unable to think, etc.

This happens with all adrenal meds; isocort, cortef, you name it. I feel drugged on them. It's not normal. Does anyone else have this problem and what the heck do you do for this aside from "nothing." I mean, how long can we do nothing for and for what? So that we build the adrenals back up only to have them falter all over again?

That's what happens everytime. I do nothing and then they bounce back a little and then what happens, I do some things and they fall apart. I am over it.

I am seriously losing it. I am single and have been sick for 22 years. I want to have a life and anytime I do, it blows up in my face.

I am allergic to hormones so I can't take so many hormones to help this problem.

I need to be specific on what I am asking here; I know what adrenal fatigue is, no I don't have lyme. I have been sick for a long time. My question is; does anyone else have problems taking supplements or meds for their adrenals? I can't take any. They all do the opposite and put me in bed with unrelenting exhaustion. Please, if anyone knows what I am speaking of; let me know. I am feeling quite alone and sick. I was told it would take 2 years to heal the adrenals. That was 3 years ago. They have only gotten worse. Why? Because of perimenopause, which no one talks of on here.

 

[SOC]

Is it possible that you are starting to do something too soon? "Bouncing back a little" is not enough. Most of us need to do a lot more resting before we try to do anything. It's that push-crash cycle. Your body needs to heal, and that takes time. I know, believe me, that it's hard to have the patience. I've had to learn the hard way that I can't try to function right at the edge of what my body is capable of and continue to get better.

Have you tried the adrenal meds PLUS an ultra rest routine -- sleep whenever you're sleepy, get your feet up as much as possible, etc?

 

[Misfit Toy]

The problem is, is that I have to work. I am not making enough money with disability. I guess I could scale it down. I have tried resting for years, but my spirit doesn't like it. I feel like a prisoner. Some people are ok with doing nothing, but depression fuels me to want to do something and get out there. I have never been able to marry, keep friends, etc all due to this illness and doing nothing but isolating constantly, makes me worse.

I am not sure what to do now. To keep up or surrender and do nothing.

 

[SOC]

The problem is, is that I have to work. I am not making enough money with disability. I guess I could scale it down. I have tried resting for years, but my spirit doesn't like it. I feel like a prisoner. Some people are ok with doing nothing, but depression fuels me to want to do something and get out there. I have never been able to marry, keep friends, etc all due to this illness and doing nothing but isolating constantly, makes me worse.

I am not sure what to do now. To keep up or surrender and do nothing.

Ah, I see. I thought your "one thing a day" was more literally meant. Some of us have been at the place where the one thing a day was, say, taking a shower.

Having to work creates a big problem. Uber-resting just isn't an option. Still, you may need to rest as much as you possibly can within the constraints you have.

I understand where you're coming from about resting. My husband used to say I couldn't sit down for 5 minutes at a time, or do one thing at a time. Busy, busy, busy. Unfortunately, once I got sick, that lifestyle caused me to get sicker and sicker.

Have you been checked for Lyme, herpesviruses, etc? If you have one of those, treatment might help.

It sounds to me like your body is screaming at you to slow down, but maybe I'm not hearing correctly.

 

[Misfit Toy]

I think you are right about the slowing down part. I have to work, but I work part time. I have been checked for all that you are suggesting. I have been sick for 22 years, so I have all the testing, the knowledge, etc.

I will probably have to take a break. I have been at that place you describe to...taking a shower and that was it. I still have a hard time doing that and cooking and everything else I have to do.

 

[Rita]

Perhaps it will be good for you to buy the book Adrenal Fatigue from Dr.Wilson, or to learn most about AF in the net.
Recuperation from adrenal fatigue is very, very slow.
Perhaps you need a more quiet place of work.
You need to calm your mind,your body wants and need to rest, but your mind dont allow.Try some kind of meditation to help you.Is not a cure, but can help you.

 

[Misfit Toy]

Thank you. I have the book. I work at home and I own my own business. I cannot do it any other way, as for me, it's the best. My question is....does anyone else have reactions to meds for the adrenal glands??? I get that I need rest, but I want to take something to help them but everything makes them worse. Does anyone else have this and please, someone respond. I feel like I come here and nobody gets back to me on issues.

Thanks.

 

[leaves]

Pantethine and paba may help, and avoiding allergens like grains and dairy

 

[Babs41]

If your thyroid hormones are imbalanced as well it will be difficult to help your adrenals. From what I understand they need to be worked with at the same time. This is what my Dr. did for me. Hope this helps you.

Babs

 

[Misfit Toy]

My thyroid is fine. It's the adrenals, estrogen, progesterone, DHEA, and Vitamin D that are not fine. I cannot take hormones.

 

[jenbooks]

You could try atrium peptides--their adrenal supplement. Your doc would have to order it. It's frozen--shipped on dry ice. I took half of one dose and felt like I was on speed for 24 hours, tho. I don't have the problem you are having, tho.

Did you consult with Jim Wilson? He has a supplement line. He's pretty smart.

A friend of mine had adrenal exhaustion and was too high in copper. You might test for that, too.

 

[knackers323]

do you guys think adrenal fatigue is the sole cause of your health and energy problems or do you feel something else is driving it?

Rita, how long do you think it would be before someone should see an improvement when treating adrenal fatigue?

also can anyone tell me exactly how to treat this thing in order of importance? thanks

 

[satori]

It seems like the adrenal supplements are doing what they're supposed to do-allow your adrenal glands to shut down and rest. Unfortunately for you, this means you go from having little adrenal function to none. I would imagine your adrenals are vey fatigued from long-term allergies. I wonder of taking an herbal with the adrenal glandulars would give you some energy, but still allow the glands to rest and heal. Ginseng might be a little much, but perhaps rhodiola or jiaogulan would work. Might be worth thinking about.

 

[Misfit Toy]

Years ago, I would take cortef and be fine. Now, it exhausts me. I believe it's because my adrenals are so bad now. They weren't this bad then, so now, everything affects them. The problem is, the treatments for adrenals...the glandulars and isocort, etc. make me DEPRESSED. Right now, I feel desperate. I feel that they literally make my adrenal situation worse. I can barely think, function, talk, etc. I am in a total panic. They make everything worse. I cannot take them anymore.

Rhodiola didn't do anything bad, but it didn't help me either. I didn't notice anything.

Everything with my adrenals went downhill when I went into perimenopause. The lack of hormones killed my adrenals. For me, it was that. I have had weak adrenals all along due to CFS and viruses etc. but NEVER like this.

I am so tired, I don't feel like contacting any more doctors. I am feeling absolutely hopeless. I can't try one more thing and have it fail. It puts me over the edge.

Seriously, my mind is so affected right now, I wish for death. I am absolutely miserable. I started progesterone today due to awful periods. I am nervous now about that too.

I am sorry folks. I hate this illness and I want to die.

 

[leaves]

I don't know your age, I'm in my twenties and have extremely low hormones, for me Sam-e and acetyl carnitine (3gm) helps.
Sorry you feel desperate. We've all been there, somehow it gets better.

 

[Sallysblooms]

It's too bad you are allergic to all hormones. I have not heard of that. I take a lot of them and they are balanced. I take blood tested twice a year to tweak them when needed. Just the gel, bioidentical. Every hormone I use is from a compounding pharmacist.

 

[Misfit Toy]

When you have CFS, it's not just foods that people are allergic to, but their own hormones. I went the bioidentical route and was very sick. Can't do that. I am taking compounded progesterone but that's it.

 

[silicon]

Hi Spitfire,
You've probably tried just about everything by now--but I can't recall how much you've done with Chinese herbs. I apologize if you've already worked with that. I also cannot handle hardly anything that is stimulating (hormones, etc.)too harsh for me. I dont want to see doctors either. But I am able to handle the herbs (that I boil into a tea)I think probably because the formula is very nuanced, balanced and customized to me (requires a skilled practitioner). Unfortunately, the benefits are mild, but its better than nothing. Unfortunately, this is my only idea for you. I hope better days awaits you. I hope that you somehow find hope again. You deserve it.

 

[heapsreal]

i hear ya spitfire, this is where im at, my adrenal hormones are buggered but cant seem to tolerate hormonal supplements, im just trying small doses like 5-10mg once every few days of pregnenolone and added siberian ginseng and will add a high dose b5 soon when i order it. AFter reading dr lam's website on adrenal fatigue it seems the worse your adrenals the harder it is to tolerate treatment with hormones, its a rock and a hard place and im like u and financially need to keep working. I think my adrenals are my biggest problem in reguards to my crappy sleep, if i could sleep well every night i reckon i could get back to 100% almost. good luck and keep us posted on anything new with adrenals, its up my alley at the moment.

 

[knackers323]

the spitfire, do you think adrenal fatigue is the cause of your health problems or a consequence of something else?