Still recovering

by Jeanette
(Middle East )

Hi everyone,

Since I'm on day two of recovery of a light crash, I thought I would be useful and share.

I have had something "wrong" for about 5 years.
I had crashed a number of times and one time when I went up the Zugspitze mountain, I suffered from altitude sickness. Now being a cardiology physiologist, I knew that meant something was wrong with my heart.

I talk to my colleagues and they do a bubble test right away and low and behold, I had a large patent foramen ovale with a right to left shunt. This is a huge hole in my heart's atria where it shunted the 'dirty' (unoxygenated blood) into the oxygenated blood flow. So no wonder I felt really ill.

Anyway got that fixed and thought "great, I will feel better now!!"

Nope!! Still exercise intolerant, dizzy, fluctuating bp, low heart rate, cold sweats, became gluten intolerant but apparently not celiac although they tested me for that whilst I was gluten free for about 6 months!! Low T3, became profoundly fatigued, aching, nausea, stomach cramps so bad at time I was doubled up in pain. Sore legs, sergeants line test on my arm revealed white line forever!! No red marks appeared. Quivering pupils, orthostatic hypotension,

Now, this is where it gets interesting. I did a saliva test, it showed an almost flat line of abnormally low cortisol thru out the 24hr period, I had 5 blood tests all of which showed abnormal low cortisol although blood tests aren't the greater predictor for low cortisol, because it reveals bound and unbound cortisol. I had all the symptoms. My GP refers me to an endo but places me on prednisolone for good measure. (Thank god!) this helped a lot!

I go to the endo. He doesn't subscribe to saliva tests and dismisses it as rubbish! He does a short synacthen test WHILST on prednisolone!!! My blood cortisol shows abnormal low!! The synacthen test comes back normal. He fobs me off back to my GP!! My gp is astounded and really doesn't know what to do next!

So I remain on prednisolone but I still crash from time to time if I over exert or have stress. So I have to adjust the dosage to suit the activity, which I am still learning to do.
What does one do??

Ok I tried vitamin regimes for years!! Albeit it might have helped the slow progression rather than a fast progression. Nonetheless I feel if one is already at exhaustion phase, I don't think it matters, other than ensuring one has proper nutrition to keep somewhat healthy whilst the adrenals go down hill or the ups axis goes all to pot.

I could be wrong of course, which I am happy to admit. However I am only talking about my journey.

I tried vitamins etc, I was already really healthy prior to those last few years, kept my weight down, ate only organic, drank lots of water, exercised regularly, practised meditation, etc etc.

I still landed up here. Is all I am saying as I lay in bed on day two of recovery from a crash, doing all that is suggested.

Thanks for reading guys, anything you have to offer will be gratefully accepted.

Best wishes

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Mar 15, 2019
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starstarstarstarstar 		Adrenal Fatigue Recovery Group on FB NEW
by: Anonymous

If you want a support group based on THOUSANDS of people getting the help and support they need join this group on Facebook: Adrenal Fatigue and Thyroid Care. They have a VAST library of recommendations based on real people's experiences on the path to getting well. What to test for, how to get testing done yourself, what supplements to take. Help with your lab results -- what it is indicating -- Its a LIFE saver. I'm one year into my recovery after being diagnosed with severe adrenal fatigue and having this group has saved me. Everyone on there is there for support and to support others.
Aug 19, 2016
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starstarstarstarstar 		Cortisol side effects NEW
by: Anonymous

I was on lo dose cortisol for approximately two months and started bleeding whenever I had a bowel movement. It seemed to be helping but had to discontinue.
Aug 14, 2016
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starstarstarstarstar 		Remove inflammatory foods NEW
by: Anonymous

This took me a long time to work out, but when I discovered through saliva tests that I had low cortisol, I eventually asked myself why my adrenals had worked so hard that they were starting to "fail", and what their function is. I realised they were trying to put out inflammation with cortisol, and the thing that was causing the inflammation was food! The number one thing I did, which worked better than all the supplements in the world (and I have spent thousands on all sorts over the years), was to remove foods high in omega 6. You can get a list from nutritiondata.com using the nutrition tool, but the main things are *false* nuts (i.e. legumes that we call nuts but are not actually nuts, such as peanuts, almonds, etc), seeds, avocado, vegetable oils (apart from palm and coconut oil), and any foods that contain the above. You have to inspect all the ingredients on everything. It is tedious, but this helped me tremendously.
There is also an adrenal glandular that Dr Wilson makes which provides the gland without the cortisol. I had a bad reaction to an adrenal glandular that had the cortex in it (with all the hormones), so am inclined to believe the adrenal just needs some nourishment and it will produce the cortisol itself. Studies in the seventies (?) showed that when a gland is ingested it ends up at the same organ within your body. Also, colostrum will help repair the gut and assist with the body controlling inflammation. Hope this helps.
Jun 01, 2016
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starstarstarstarstar 		How are you now ? NEW
by: Thomas

I was wondering how you are doing. Did you try pregnenolone ? it is available over the counter in many markets and it's like a miracle supplement. Be careful with the doses - start low even open the capsule if needed.

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2000/08/27/adrenals.aspx
Dec 28, 2014
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starstarstarstarstar 		Adrenaline
by: Jaent

My doctor prescribed 10mg tablets of Hydrocortisone, which makes up for a lot of the cortisol I'm not getting, but does not prevent my body from manufacturing it like a higher dose would. It seems like this might be an alternative to the medicine you are talking about.
Dec 28, 2014
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starstarstarstarstar 		managing debiltating symptoms
by: Mairead

Hi, just a short text, I have adrenal fatigue, diagnosed as m.e 7 years ago. I also have other health conditions, namely endometrisosis, adenomyosis, bowel adhesions and fibromyalgia. With these, I experience lots of inflammation, and sinusitis, I notice when I take Sudafed for the sinusitis(it contains aprox 12 mg of phenylephrine hydrochloride ( a version of adrenaline, but not pure adrenaline obviously!), that I have a bit more energy. I also feel a bit more energetic when I take solpadine max and or tramadol, due to the euphoric effect on the dopamine receptors (I take these for endometriosis and adenomyosis etc.,)
just wondering has anybody else had a similar experience. Thanks, Mairead.
Dec 28, 2014
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		managing debiltating symptoms
by: Mairead

Hi, just a short text, I have adrenal fatigue, diagnosed as m.e 7 years ago. I also have other health conditions, namely endometrisosis, adenomyosis, bowel adhesions and fibromyalgia. With these, I experience lots of inflammation, and sinusitis, I notice when I take Sudafed for the sinusitis(it contains aprox 12 mg of phenylephrine hydrochloride ( a version of adrenaline, but not pure adrenaline obviously!), that I have a bit more energy. I also feel a bit more energetic when I take solpadine max and or tramadol, due to the euphoric effect on the dopamine receptors (I take these for endometriosis and adenomyosis etc.,)
just wondering has anybody else had a similar experience. Thanks, Mairead.
Dec 09, 2014
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starstarstarstarstar 		Blood work
by: Jeanett

Thank you, I'm at the exhaustion phase grade3 d I think it's called. I'm also hypothyroid, very low T3" I'm not converting.
I have had a look at stealth and will find out about the blood work.

Thank you.
Dec 09, 2014
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starstarstarstarstar 		Functional Medicine Doctor
by: Janet

You might want to look for a doctor on this site.
https://www.functionalmedicine.org/practitioner_search.aspx?id=117
Dec 09, 2014
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starstarstarstarstar 		Infections
by: Janet

Infections or any kind of stress can cause Adrenal Fatigue. Infections are tested individually. Your GP can order tests or an Infectious Disease MD can order them.
Dec 09, 2014
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starstarstarstarstar 		Stealth infections
by: Jeanette

Wouldn't that show up in my blood work? Surely it would.
Also are you saying that stealth infections CAUSE low cortisol?

Thank you!!

J
Dec 09, 2014
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starstarstarstarstar 		Response to lab tests
by: Jeanette

Thank you!! I am unsure of what other labs tests I could do!!
I have had loads!

J
Dec 08, 2014
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starstarstarstarstar 		PS
by: Janet

You might want to get checked for stealth infections since it sounds like you're saying you don't know how this started. Infections can give you all these symptoms.
Dec 08, 2014
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starstarstarstarstar 		So Sorry
by: Janet

So sorry you're going through this. And so sorry you haven't been able to find a Functional Medicine doctor to help you. Dr. Lam and Dr. Wilson seem to allude that it is possible to recover from severe adrenal fatigue. I've felt that I've been more severe than I am now, but haven't been able to get everything Dr. Wilson and my doctor suggests. I take 10mg hydrocortisone tablets once a day and don't alter the dose. My doctor said this dose won't cause my adrenals to do all they can do. A higher dose may cause my adrenals to slow down, since the drug is taking over some of its function. It seems there is a lot more one could alter besides the dose of steroid. It sounds like you are not in the US. Here we can order our own labs via companies like www.gdx.net or www.neurorelief.com and get recommendations with the report. Medicare covers many tests when a doctor orders them.

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