<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>
While I haven't had the type of symptoms you have had with regard to
adrenal insufficiency, I have been treating myself for adrenal fatigue
since September.
In midsummer, following a few heat waves, I became extremely fatigued
and barely able to function. Searching the web, at first I suspected I
was hypothyroid. I gave myself an iodine patch test, and the iodine
stain vanished within just a few hours. My basal temperature (underarm)
was low, in the mid to high 96 degree range (it should be above 97.8
degrees.) However, when I took a BIOSAFE TSH home test, my result came
back 0.87... well within normal range. So much for hypothyroid.
Patch Test -
http://substance.altmedangel.com/iodine.htm
Basal Temperature -
http://www.allocca.com/basal_temperature.pdf
Further web searching led me to suspect adrenal fatigue, and I bought
the book "Adrenal Fatigue - The 21st Century Stress Syndrome" by James L.
Wilson from Amazon.com . The book is informative and
interesting, but lacks a certain amount of scientific professionalism.
But there are few books on the subject, and the price was right.
I began to experiment with various supplements: pantothenic acid,
DHEA,
pregnenolone, L-taurine, L-tyrosine, L-carnitine, iodine, selenium (in
addition to my other supplements: multivitamins/minerals, vitamins B12,
C, E, Co-Q10, in ample quantities.) Nothing really worked to relieve the
fatigue until I heeded to advice of the book and most adrenal
insufficiency websites... consume plenty of salt (sodium chloride) and
salt-water.
It seems that when adrenal function is compromised, the adrenals
fail to
produce an adequate supply of the hormone aldosterone. Aldosterone acts
to cause the kidneys to reabsorb sodium. If there is insufficient
aldosterone, too much sodium is excreted and hyponatremia (low serum
sodium) results. Fatigue is one resulting symptom. The summer heat was
enough to drive the sodium loss over the edge.
This website discusses sodium and sodium chloride and has a bit of
discussion on aldosterone:
http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/minerals/sodium/index.html
Some highly detailed and technical info on the function of aldosterone
and sodium management in the kidneys can be found in:
Kidney Atlas Vol. 3 Chapter 1
THE KIDNEY IN BLOOD PRESSURE REGULATION
L. Gabriel Navar and L. Lee Hamm
(The PDF file takes a while to download.)
http://www.kidneyatlas.org/toc.htm#vol3
My favorite adrenal insufficiency website also has a discussion on
salt:
http://www.drkaslow.com/html/adrenal_insufficiency.html
I never had any salt cravings. In fact, I've always hated excessive
salt, prefering no-salt or low-salt foods. (When I was a kid, I even
waited until McDonald's made a fresh batch of french fries so I could
get a bag of fries before they were salted.) Besides, don't doctors say
to stay away from salt? (Another medical fallacy.) But I finally
decided to force down a glass of salt-water with a 1/2 teaspoon of salt
in it. YUCK!!!!
Eventually, I got used to salt and salt-water, and now drink several
glasses of water with 1/2 teaspoon of salt a day and liberally salt my
foods. After a few weeks of salt therapy, the edge began to be taken off
my fatigue, and I became more alert and could think creatively again. My
basal temperature has now risen to the low to mid 97 degree range, much
closer to normal and a whole degree above when I started.
I'm still not completely normal. But it's nice to be alert and be
able
to function somewhat better again. I know I am not getting enough sleep
and not sleeping regular hours. I need to try to rearrange my life to
get more sleep, ...
A comment on Stress Eze. My daily supplements, which includes 4 grams
of vitamin C and 1 gram of pantothenic acid, provides everything in
Stress Eze but the Adrenal Substance, Valerian Root, and Kava Kava. I've
never tried an adrenal extract. (First I need to try getting more
sleep.) I assume you are already taking other
supplements. Maybe you should just take an adrenal extract alone (and
maybe pantothenic acid) instead of Stress Eze.
----------
Stress Eze
http://www.phoenixnutritionals.com/st.html
Serving Size: 4 capsules ... ... ...
4 Capsules Contain ... ... % Daily Value
Vitamin C ... 750 mg 1250%
Vitamin B-1 (thiamine) ... 50 mg 3333%
Vitamin B-2 (riboflavin) ... 50 mg 2941%
Vitamin B-6 (pyridoxine) ... 50 mg 2500%
Vitamin B-12 (cyanocobalamin) ... 500 mcg 8333%
Pantothenic Acid ... 1200 mg 12000%
Magnesium (Citrate) ... 100 mg 25%
Adrenal Substance ... 200 mg *
Valerian Root Extract ... 200 mg *
Kava Kava ... 150 mg *
* Daily value not established.
Other ingredients: Gelatin, Water
--Roy
[Thanks, Roy, for doing our research for us! ha ha ha!]
--------------
Your situation is similar to mine, so I thought I'd share my story...
Over two years ago, I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia and
hypoglycemia.
I immediately went on a high protein/no sugar/low carb diet. It took
about a week for my body to adjust to the new diet and not need food
every hour. It took about another year before I really didn't need to
carry emergency food with me everywhere (although I still do). Before my
diagnosis, I had lots of problems with light headedness, dizziness, and
fatigue, occasionally passing out in inopportune places like Wal-Mart.
After my diagnosis, it took a while for me to read my body as my hunger
symptoms had changed, but now I very rarely have any problems. About five
months after my diagnosis of hypoglycemia, I was diagnosed with low
adrenal function. I had problems with tingling and numbness in my fingers
and toes, sometimes spreading up my arms. I also had low blood pressure
(90/60). My doctor tested my cortisol levels and although they were in
the normal range, they were on the low side. Considering the other
symptoms, he put me on 2.5 mg of Cortef daily. Now my cortisol levels and
my blood pressure is normal, and I don't have any of the other symptoms
(unless I forgot to take my meds). Less than a year later, I was
diagnosed with CD.
I've done some research into this adrenal thing since then. It is also
called Addison's Disease. It is usually treated with Cortef (or some
other steroid) or an adrenal extract. As you said, it is often paired
with hypoglycemia. One often causes the other. In your case, you probably
developed the adrenal fatigue from the celiac and had not yet become
hypoglycemic. Since I have both fibromyalgia (which is often paired with
hypoglycemia) and celiac (which can cause adrenal fatigue) it's hard to
say which I had first, or if they didn't just develop simultaneously.
Considering my carb cravings and weight problems as a child, I have
probably had the hypoglycemia a long time. Angela Taylor (Tulsa,
Oklahoma)
[Angela is right; our stories are almost identical! I believe it's a
common scenario! I think it's four members of the autoimmune quartet all
singing in irritating perfect dischord -- celiac, fibromyalgia,
hypoglycemia, adrenal insufficiency!]
--------------------
DO YOU STILL TAKE THE THYROID MEDS??
[ Very good question! I do. I have had my thyroid removed and must take
thyroid replacement hormone for life. As I said above, taking thyroid
hormone often uncovers a hidden case of adrenal insufficiency. It sure
did for me -- BIG TIME! The adrenal extract has made it possible for me
to gradually increase my thyroid medication to the level required to
maintain normal thyroid levels. Without the adrenal extract, I'd still
be suffering those horrid symptoms I did my first month on thyroid -- not
a pleasant prospect. I'm hoping that I will eventually be able to stop
taking this adrenal hormone product or at least reduce the dosage as my
health improves. I've missed a few doses of adrenal hormone extract and
the symptoms come back within 12 hours with muscle tension, jitters &
anxiety. So for now, I'm as dependant on adrenal hormone replacement as
I am on thyroid hormone replacement. As I mentioned in my original post,
none of my doctors including an endocrinologist were able to do anything
to help me with this problem other than prescription medications to mask
the symptoms. It was a friend, an herbologist and colon therapist, who
suggested I try adrenal extract. Another point for alternative medicine!
Another black eye for convention medicine!]
-------------------
...I did take an adrenal hormone suggested by my doctor for at least a
year, maybe longer. I recall buying it at his office and it is pure
adrenal hormone of an animal extract (I think).... Do you think adrenal
extract is the same thing as adrenal hormone?
[I believe they are the similar. I've seen it called by different names
-- adrenal concentrate, adrenal extract, adrenal hormone, etc. However,
I can't say if they are all exactly the same. I can guess that they are
probably similar, but the exact dosages probably vary from product to
product. These are over the counter products and therefore not
standardized. I guess the only way to know if something will help you is
to try it.]
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