My self-diagnosis was correct: I have Adrenal Fatigue

This is going to be a short post because I'm trying to cope with extremely low levels of energy.

I had an Adrenal Fatigue crisis 2 weeks ago, then last week I had the most abysmal migraine with very unusual presentation (more about that next time).  

First off, I'm really proud that I was able to diagnose my own medical crisis and seek help before I had serious consequences.  

My blood test came back: 'Further exploration is needed for possible Addison's Disease'.  

I told you that if the doctor confirmed it, he would prescribe steroids and the last thing I'm going to do is take steroids.

My blood serum reading was way below the very lowest point on the register of what's 'normal'.  

As soon as I knew what was wrong with me (light-headed upon rising or lying down, extreme muscle weakness, extreme fatigue, blurred thinking etc) I downloaded Dr Wilson's book, then skipped to the chapter dealing with medication and found 'Adrenal Cortex Extract', then ordered a bottle by Thorne Research of these capsules from amazon.

The bottle states '3 capsules a day', I'm sticking to the dose rigidly.

On top of that, I started taking:

DMAE

DHEA

L-Carnosine.

Plus LOTS of Vitamin C.

Anyone with this complaint, has to take TONS of vitamin C, the equivalent of 19 oranges a day, as per the advice of Dr Lee in his book 'What Your Doctor May Not Tell You about menopause'.  

On top of that, I'm taking Agnus Castus, Zinc and applying Natural Progesterone Cream twice a day, half a teaspoon each time (which is double the dose recommended but you need to 'find your own dose', as I've read in two books recently).  As well as a whole load of other stuff but I've especially named these medications, in case anyone is coming to this blog for the first time.

The DMAE and the DHEA didn't seem to be doing much, while I was really ill.  But now that I'm getting stronger, I can see they are having an effect.

You should note that: DHEA does not work while you're fatigued!

Now the funny thing was, that even when I was in the chronic stage, I still looked this side of normal.

During adrenal episodes, my appearance can deteriorate dramatically and that can add to the depression associated with this health crisis.  But this time that did not happen and I put this down to my taking the combination of DMAE, DHEA and L-Carnosine.  (They're all anti-ageing and boost your concentration and energy levels.)    

My eyes did not become that awful dark yellow and lifeless colour, in fact they remained bright white and shiny.  As far as my hair and skin go, they look better now than they have in about 7 years.  My hair is full and strangely glossy and my skin really looks amazing.  Zinc has done wonders, but I think DHEA has a lot to do with this improvement too.  In fact, you wouldn't know I was ill from looking at me!  This made my symptoms seem hallucinatory to my family, which was a drag, but who cares, because now its on a doctor's chart just how ill I was, so they no longer look at me funny.  

Conversely, this gradual, but definite improvement in my appearance, has given me the courage to believe in what I'm doing for my longterm health and has also restored my faith in the possibility of being well again.

Last time I had this health crisis, when I was 35, it lasted 3 months and was a living hell.  Mainly because it first presents as anaemia, which I didn't know and consequently didn't treat!

This time Thankfully, I recognised the signs of anaemia, treated it quickly with liquid iron (Floradix), and now, as I'm taking the Adrenal Cortex, I can feel an improvement already in the deeper fatigue issues, even though I'm only half way through the tub of capsules.

It no longer kills me just to stand up, and I actually have some reliable strength.  This weekend I spent the whole weekend cleaning, washing and ironing.  I had a pile of ironing that was 6 weeks deep!  That proves how long I'd been really ill, because usually I like to keep on top of the (damn) ironing.  

I started taking L-Carnosine about a week ago.  I noticed an effect after 24 hours.  I take two capsules a day (one after breakfast and the other after lunch).  Something very positive has happened inside my head since taking this substance, and I think its got something to do with all the accumulated metals that were sloshing around my brain?  

I think I mentioned before that in perimenopause, we become extremely low in ZINC, due to low progesterone and this means that Copper builds up in the brain to the levels that cause depression.  Its my personal view that L-Carnosine is cleansing me of the copper build up and consequently, my head feels a lot 'clearer'.  Either that or its helping my 5-htp to work harder?

DHEA, DMAE and L-Carnosine are all anti-Alzheimers.  Its my personal view that Alzheimer's/dementia is predominantly a nutritional disease, by that I mean, something is being missed from our diets as we age, that we badly need increasing amounts of, in order that the ageing brain stays healthy.  

Ideally I would like to post lots of relevant links but I'm going to bed now, as the hours from 10pm till 1.00am are when our bodies detox, especially our brains!

Natural Progesterone Cream applied directly to my forehead is giving me pain relief from residual migraine ache & sensitivity!

This is a very quick post that I hope to expand on, as events unfold.

Remember when I said that always after a migraine, my scalp is incredibly sensitive for days afterwards and if I apply any pressure to that region, it kills me?  Well this time that is NOT happening, since using Natural Progesterone Cream, 4 times a day, and also applying some directly to that side of my forehead.

Obviously this is not what manufacturers direct us to do, according to the printed label on the tub, and it probably sounds more than a bit zany?  

I don't care if it does or not, what I care about is that IT WORKS where other things have failed for me!

The reason I tried this is because I married-up two pieces of information I'd gleaned recently:

1.  Bio-identical (Natural) progesterone is administered in cases of severe head trauma, in order to protect the brain.  (From that I deduced that the brain 'expects' and is 'receptive' to the healing/anti-inflammatory properties of this hormone and if I am to apply the cream to my chest area, that's not that far from my head, so why not just target the head??

2.  My Oestrogen Dominance condition is actually hurting my brain, hence twice a month my head explodes with migraine pain.  It feels like my head is screaming out for an antidote to these dangerously high levels of Oestrogen that keep whirring round my system, especially my brain.  (Its the same part of my head that hurts if I eat too much chocolate, drink too much alcohol, or drink too much coffee.)  The cream manages to calm this region right down.  Paracetamol does not!

Furthermore, I've observed that it takes only about 5 minutes for the effects of the cream to reach the site of migraine injury.  A single application (1/4 teaspoon), rubbed in till it is completely absorbed, lasts about 2-3 hours.  As the day progresses, the interval between applications can be extended, as its obviously building-up in my bloodstream.  

I read recently that substances administered transdermally, enter us 10 times faster than those ingested and this is because they by-pass the liver. 

The first couple of days that I used this cream I didn't really notice anything.  It was only when I doubled the dose that I began to notice changes.  Getting the dose right is something that can only really be done on an individual basis, according to Dr Norman Shealy, in his book mentioned last time.

(From what I can tell, I must have been very Oestrogen Dominant, because this stuff is only now starting to work.)

I highly recommend the book and will discuss it further next time.

Here's a link to a really great article by a lady who is also extremely Oestrogen dominant, who discusses how she successfully uses Natural Progesterone cream to help her with PMS syndrome.  She mentions migraine sufferers in there too!

Hot Flash: Wild Yam Cream - My Story by Beth Ellyn Rosenthal

Natural Progesterone is a pain-killer, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, anti-ageing and helps us to make DHEA which helps us to feel a lot better - and a lot younger!  

Dr Shealy advises all women over the age of 35 to apply Natural Progesterone cream, and all men over the age of 50.  (He does not recommend you to use this cream if you have cancer, however.)

BE WARNED:  Do not apply this cream if you are taking the contraceptive Pill, as it will interfere with your contraception!

Here's another great link about the role of progesterone in a neurological context:

Progesterone Receptors in the Brain by PubMed

Further Anti-Ageing Substances I'm Going to Try

I've now also ordered: 

• DHEA
• DMEA & 
• L-Carnosine

from Amazon.  (I've spent so much money with Amazon recently, they actually sent me a (whole) £10 gift voucher - lol!)

Stay Young Without HRT

People, this blog is changing.

I started it because my migraines were awful.  As I had always suffered from them, it took me aaaaages to work out that HRT was making them a lot WORSE.

Since deciding to stop taking Pregnant Horses Urine and the horrible Progestin combo, I had a think about why I took it to begin with?

Basically, my mother took it for 15 years and hardly changed during that time.

She started taking it at the tender age of 37!!

So OK, I admit it, I took it because I'm vain!  There you have it.  I didn't want to look like Humpty Dumpty and lose my curves and I didn't want to become emotional over rubbish and basically lose the plot.  

I convinced myself it had to be good.  

Turns out it was AWFUL.  I had a lot of water retention.  I still looked like Humpty Dumpty and I felt like I was perpetually premenstrual.

Basically I was conned.

Now, I'm left in a weird place where I feel (slightly) panic-stricken and alone.  

1. Will I now grow older at an accelerated rate?
2. Will I wake up with totally grey hair - as opposed to about 75 of the little critters evenly spread all over my head?
3. Will I lose my memory and grow several chins?

The answer to all of that is: NOT IF I CAN HELP IT!

So this blog is no longer going to be about headaches and all that stuff, its going to be about STAYING YOUNG and productive, and on top of my game!

I've decided to use Natural Progesterone Cream for any hot flashes that might return - they were a bore!

I've also decided to take liquorice supplements if I think I need some Oestrogen - which I doubt, as I'm still making too much.

I've also decided to improve my general wellbeing and health by taking supplements that slow down the ageing process.

Currently I'm taking:

• 5-HTP (improved my mood tremendously, even when I'm really exhausted, thanks to it being a tryptophan that helps us to make serotonin)
• Rhodiola Rosea (improved my energy and concentration, as well as mood, and helps to prevent us from destroying serotonin as quickly)
• Potassium (has enabled me to shed loads of water retention)
• Magnesium (has eradicated various aches and pains e.g. hip, knee and finger.  Turns out my nerves must have been frazzled)
• Zinc (has utterly transformed my skin and the shine of my eyes)
• Folic Acid + VitB12 (for general health and to avoid a special type of dementia related to VitB12 deficiency

As well as a whole heap of other stuff.  

After taking Rhodiola Rosea and noticing improved mental performance and concentration, I've decided to look further into the health of my brain as it ages.  

As a result, below are the next two supplements I intend to take:

• DHEA (have ordered this today)
• L-Carnosine (have ordered this today)

L-Carnosine is an interesting one, as it also helps to prevent the skin from ageing.  I've seen some dramatic images of the microscopic changes that take place in skin cells, for the better, as a result of taking this stuff.  

I'll post links to what I've gleaned thus far.

I've haven't yet posted about zinc, potassium or 5-HTP because I'm incredibly busy at the present time.

Once that's done, I intend to catch up on here.