My doctor wanted to put me on low-dose hydrocortisone, but I
have chosen to try a organic adrenal glandulars first.  He
is treating me for Wilson's Syndrome (hypothyroid) which may
have resulted from the adrenal problem (which, in turn, I'm
sure resulted from 13 years of vegan diet), or the thyroid
triggered the adrenal problem  - no way of knowing.  But
there is a definite endocrine imbalance going on with me.
By first following the type O neg. diet, then going paleo, I
have noticed quite a difference.  Although I was very close
to Addison's a couple of years ago, I'm now lurking back
here chuckling at the "diet and sex" posts that have been
popping up on this list.  (Pardon the pun)

I don't know anything about florinef.  I'm trying to avoid
prescription drugs (is florinef chemical or natural?) at all
costs.
Florinef is a synthetic corticoid supposed to replace the normal aldosterone
because it have a similar mineral corticoid activity

I'd like to give the diet a fair amount of time to
rebuild the 13 years of damage my former diet did, so I
imagine it will take quite along time to "fix" it.  I may
try the hydrocortisone if I don't get better results soon.

I think it is a good decision . because once you start with corticoid
supplementation it is easy to get stuck. lot of addisonian were taking
cortisone for other reasons (as an anti inflamatory medecine) and end up
shuting down their adrenal function.
Some of the damage is permanent, though.  I lost 15 inches
of colon, cecum and terminal ileum after my appendix
exploded into oblivion 8 years ago. (Misdiagnosed
appendicitis)
when i got my 1st addison crisis ,i got misdiagnosed with appendicitis ,they
put  me in surgery waiting for the symptoms to flare up before operating ,
happily the symptoms were due to dehydratation and the i v helped to erase
them , so they let me go after 3 weeks of hospitalisation ,not knowing what
i had.


  Another emergency surgery 6 1/2 years ago
removed an adhesion that had been strangulating my small
bowel since the previous operation.  I'm sure the adreniline
rushes, especially with the first incident, are what
depleted my adrenal reserves and threw me out of whack.  I
was only 31, and I haven't been"right" ever since.  Paleo
has helped immensley, though.  I'm back out hiking and
biking, but I'm sad to say I don't think I'll ever care to
heave a 40 lb. pack on my 106 lb. frame and disappear into
the wilderness.  (can't seem to put those 20 lbs. back on,
even though I eat 1 1/2 lbs. of flesh/day)

I'm interested in how you've faired with the cortisone and
florinef over all this time.

mostly it have been okay except that my intestine never liked the pill
coming in every day ( with lactose or corn based filling). and i had to
endure the roller coaster of artificial cortisone intake ( fluctuating daily
between too much and not enough). I decided to start DHEA and that help a
lot to buffer the roller coaster effect , i seems to require less cortisone
. It is hard to know if it is related because at the same time i made the
change to eat more animal products and fats.


Has the paleo diet made a
difference for you, and how long have you paleodieted?

i started 10 years ago when i started anapsology (instinctive eating) but i
recently (one year ago ) started to eat more animal products and less fruits
( after entering that list) so far i see many advantages but few problems .
The positives have been increased sexual desire, less overeating episodes,
steady energy level daily and from day to day..
the negatives some arthritis symptoms showed up,
more tendancy to get inflamed and more subject to infections.

before starting cortisone i will check the DHEA hormone. As a precursor of
all steroid hormones it might help to reestablish increased avaibility of
them and at least the body have the choice to do whatever it want with it
(can be transformed in one of the many steroids hormones ) and balance
hormonal levels.
by taking Adrenal extract you get the whole spectrum of the many hormones
secreted by the adrenal cortex and DHea will be in it too . DHEA is mostly
secreted by the adrenal cortex, they suspect brain cells to be able to
secrete it too.
I saw a study that people practicing transcendental meditation had higher
level of Dhea.
Adrenal problems in my opinion are very much related to emotional issues
(suppression  of overuse of the healthy fight or flight mechanism)
i have a sens by being able to let anger surface we might do good instead of
turning it inward (self destruction by autoimmune processes?)
Did your doctor check for the presence of antibodies to your glands. I don't
know what good can you get from knowing that but maybe it can help you to
change stategy.
i think you do well,  i wish i will have been more responsible for my health
years ago
jean-claude