<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>> I received a variety of responses about the experience I had using adrenal extract to rid myself of hypoglycemia and severe anxiety symptoms that reached a feverish peak after I begun thyroid hormone replacement. Most of the responses were questions. Some shared similar symptoms and similar experience with adrenal support products. Some people were kind enough to share additional information for posting in my summary. I'll try to answer questions as best I can. I'm no expert on adrenal problems. I'm only sharing an experience hoping that it may be helpful to others. I'm not a physician or clinical nutritionist so I'm not recommending treatment to anyone. What you do with the information below is up to you. As usual, my comments are in brackets. Some respondents have ordered adrenal extract and plan to try it at home, I've agreed to post a follow up on their results in a month or two. ~Valerie in Tacoma --------------------- I lived with similar hypoglycemic episodes my entire life. You know, when you've always had it, you don't really pay a lot of attention, it becomes part of living and you figure it's supposed to be that way. <g> My entire life before discovery of the celiac, I had to eat every two hours. Finally, after gf for 2 years, I don't have to eat like that. What a revelation! However, I did have quite a strong (for me) hypoglycemic episode a few weeks ago that woke me up to the fact that I still cannot tolerate much variation in my nutritional requirements. I sometimes get frustrated at this, although still grateful for my regaining health. From the first my nutritionist spoke of adrenal support, but I was so tired of buying stuff, and was just so tired, period. I'm ready now to work on this. thanks again, CurtissAnn --------------------- I found you article most interesting. I too have adrenal insufficiency, caused by prolonged steroid use (I had to take them or else risk losing my sight) Have extreme fatigue and hypoglycemia. To function the, adrenal gland must produce at least 8-9 mcg daily, mine is 4-5 and I take prednisone daily. I absolutely hate taking steroids and will discuss your findings with my rheumatologist on my next visit. --olive [Don't be surprized if he/she is opposed to it's use. Most conventional MDs aren't familiar with glandular products. Adrenal extract has never been standardized and approved for prescription use, so therefore modern medical doctors shy away from it. But adrenal hormone was used routinely for adrenal disorders prior to the advent of patented prescription synthetic hormones in the 60s.] --------------------- I've been doing some research into stress and hypoglycemia and have been doing the feast/fast protocol. It SOUNDS horrid and is not intuitive at all. Basically, when they fast mice (or people) their ability to withstand stress goes way up. Also their blood sugar problems go away. So I started experimenting with the Warrior Diet (awful name) which is kind of based on that idea. During the day you can eat raw fruit/vegies or a bit of meat. For 4 hours in the evening you can eat anything you want, but it is suggested in the following order: Green salad, protein, starch (in courses), if you want to lose weight. About 6 people in on of my listgroups all tried it. All lost their "hypoglycemia" problems after the first week. Some lost weight, some didn't (the overweight people lost weight). Some gained weight (the ones working out gained muscle). Personally I just don't have blood sugar problems anymore, I don't wake up hungry, I don't get hungry during the day. None of us really believed this would work, like I said, it seems too counterintuitive and I have NEVER been able to fast (I pass out!). But something that crazy, I have to try it, because it would be easy enough to disprove, right? The first day was awful, the second not too good, but after that I was fine. This is based pretty much on the adrenal issues you mention ...it gives them a chance to rest. When you eat constantly, as many of us have been, your digestive organs need to produce and secrete stuff round the clock, and they do get exhausted. Eating once a day seems to bring cortisol into line too. Though when a person starts out, cortisol levels go haywire, so it's best to start gradually. A lot of the symptoms we associate with "hypoglycemia" are really "high cortisol" -- the adrenaline counteracts the cortisol, which is getting overproduced in reaction to the insulin which is getting produced by the food. Another advantage is that by allowing the gut to be EMPTY it tends to get rid of candida, I think. At any rate, I've had absolutely normal gut issues too. I would have thought that having one BIG meal would be hard to digest, but it seems that the body is in better shape to do the digesting, because it's been digesting a lot better. I've been taking HCL less and less. But the added advantage for me is -- I don't have to find food during the day! It is just great for shopping. I bring some jerky just in case, and some nuts, but mainly I don't need it. Anyway, there is good evidence this makes mice live longer, and now we have some (anecdotal) evidence it works for one small group of people ... they are doing more studies on it. http://www.sciencenews.org/20030607/food.asp You can get the book "The Warrior Diet" too, which explains more about one version of this diet. It is very much geared toward athletes though, which might be a turnoff for some folks. -- Heidi [Very cool, Hiedi. I have enjoyed great success in the past with a very similar diet called the strict hypoglycemia diet designed by Dr. Paul St. Amand. But for some reason, it just doesn't work for me any more. My best guess is that my underlying problem, deteriorating adrenal function, has advanced to the point that diet is not enough to control it and adrenal hormone supplementation is necessary.] ---------------- So that is what I have!! I don't know why I never read the hypoglycemia messages before! This has been a huge problem for me - friends and loved ones telling me to get control over myself. They think this is as emotional weakness. My acupuncturist told me that my adrenals are over worked. I just bought some otc thyroid support meds - glad I did not start taking them. I'll return them tomorrow and try an adrenal support supplement as you recommend. - Nancy [I've read in many sources that induction of thyroid medications often uncovers a hidden case of adrenal insufficiency. And that treatment with thyroid will not be tolerated until the adrenal problem is adequately addressed. (Sources: "From Fatigued to Fantastic" by J. Teitelbaum MD, "Solved: Thy Riddle of Illness" by Steven Langer MD, "Lange Medical Dx and Treatment") However treatment strategies vary. I had been on one medical treatment for adrenal insufficiency, daily cortisol, but it wasn't sufficient to control my symptoms. My symptoms didn't resolve until I began taking natural adrenal extract from bovine source.] -------------- Gloria here again (my husband & I have been Dr. Wright's patients since '82).... My husband was diagnosed with adrenal fatigue 1/1/2 years ago by Dr. Wright. He's had a number of symptoms which are mentioned in the Adrenal Fatigue book (by James L. Wilson....foreword by Dr. Jonathan V. Wright) I'd suggest you get the book....it does call for a lifestyle change even for us healthy eaters. Some of the suggestions have really helped my husband along with what Dr. Wright had recommended. -------------- ..I too have hypoglycemia, the reactive type, I believe--a normal fasting level, then goes sky high over three hours, then drops like a shot duck to so low the nurse asked me how I could stay on my feet, most people would have fainted with such a low blood sugar. Yeah, and I know my adrenals are weak, too. Right now, I am taking Carlson's Vital #1 adrenal tablets. Label says its "Whole Adrenal Concentrate 100 mg. (U.S.A Source Bovine)" I've been taking it for only about one month now, and I do think I am feeling "clearer" somehow, and now that you mention it, the allergies are better. I actually crave fruit and sugars a lot less than I did. Here it is Christmas, and I don't crave a lot of candy. I can eat one piece and leave it at that. Although, my sister did send me a package of mixed nuts and small chocolate candy, and I did scarf it down. Can't go too long between feedings. Interestingly enough, I do not crave salt so much as I did before. In fact, I have cut down on it considerably. I am definitely carb intolerant. I have to eat a lot of meat and fat to feel satisfied, and I have to say that so far, the adrenal tabs do not make green vegetables seem any tastier. LOL. I think you are referring to the book "Adrenal Fatigue: The 21st Century Stress Syndrome," by James L. Wilson. He lives here in Tucson and I have heard him speak. He seems to know his topic. I recommend the book. You can check out his web site at: http://www.adrenalfatigue.org/drwilson.php -- Jane ------------ THANK YOU big bunches for that reminder. I was taking adrenal support formulas religiously for a while and registered lots of improvements, but failed to reorder when I ran out and money was tight. I can tell the difference, now that I've not used them for a while, and plan to get back on the stuff, thanks to your testimonial. It is a much underdiagnosed and all-too-common condition, as most people are running way too stressful a life using way too many stimulants (never mind adding the handicap of being celiac). -------------- ________________________________________________________________ The best thing to hit the internet in years - Juno SpeedBand! Surf the web up to FIVE TIMES FASTER! Only $14.95/ month - visit www.juno.com to sign up today! *Support summarization of posts, reply to the SENDER not the Celiac List*