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!

Adrenal Fatigue has led to my first ever Kidney Infection

'When it rains, it pours' as they say...

My DH was so concerned about my health he forced me to visit the GP.  I'm glad I did, because after a clinical examination, he confirmed I had a kidney infection (on top of everything else!).

I had no idea my condition had deteriorated as much as that, as I presented with no fever or burning upon passing water, just lower backache.  It was only discovered upon clinical examination.  He put me on 250mg of antibiotics and sent me for a blood test.

As I said last time, I fully understand what's happening to my body.  Its trying to cope with TWO new eventualities:

1.  Adrenal Fatigue - probably caused by excessive bleeding and poor diet.  Anaemia was the first part of it, but now its a different kind of fatigue.

2.  Ovaries Stopped Ovulating - It's my belief that if my ovaries hadn't packed-up working, my endocrine system would not have put the extra burden on my adrenals to make 40% of my sex hormones, and in turn, this would not have compromised my general kidney function.

Adrenal Fatigue & Kidney Infection - Rolled into One
Looking back, I think I've been ill for about 6 weeks or so.  It was sort of, worse, than anaemia because it made me fall backwards, which I've never experienced before!

I felt really cold and even became a little incoherent.    But the really weird thing, as compared to typical anaemia, was that mental concentration was not as difficult to achieve as was physical  concentration.  Even maintaining my posture was almost impossible during the very worst of it.  Also, I kept fretting about and things I felt unable to do.  But looking back, I think the very worst symptom was that my legs just refused to do what I said.  I would try to stand up and it was like they were not getting the message from my brain.  I now realise it was chronically low adrenaline/cortisol that caused this.  It actually felt as if my legs were like lead or concrete, made of solid matter rather, than flesh and bone?  I was totally washed out!  

I never want to experience that kind of fatigue again, if I can at all help it!! 

So I decided I needed to get wise quickly to know how to get well, in the shortest available time.  I quickly found two things that have helped me a lot.  

1.  I started taking Adrenal Cortex Extract capsules (of Bovine origin), 50mg.  I take three a day.  I'm taking them as per the advice of Dr James Wilson, in his book Adrenal Fatigue: 21st Century Stress Syndrome.  His book does not specify whether you should take extract from Bovine or Porcine origin, but I note interestingly, that on his website, he sells the medication of Porcine extraction, only!  

The point of taking this medication is that it is supposed to help you recover from Adrenal Fatigue much faster than lying around resting, which is out of the question for most people.  It's recommended for moderate symptoms.  But for acute symptoms, you would need to take a much stronger composition in liquid form.

I wanted the liquid form but its not available in the UK and they wont permit shipping from the US for this product on amazon.com.    

From what I've read so far, if I visit my doctor with adrenal fatigue, he'll no doubt give me steroids - which I have NO intention to taking.  So, I'm self-medicating upon Dr Wilson's advice.    

2.  I also started taking Vitex Agnus Castus, two capsules of 400mg each, twice a day.  I'm taking this because, interestingly in contrast, it targets the pituitary gland and helps you to make more of your own progesterone as well as lowering prolactin levels.  A lot of women take this substance for fertility problems (presenting typically as low progesterone) and PMS, but also for menopausal symptoms (yippee!).  

Agnus Castus wont be a forever thing, but for the next few months, hopefully, it should help to level out progesterone levels, especially at night.  Because I'm finding that Natural Progesterone Cream is not really getting me through the night and I need to get up, pass water, then apply the cream, before I can go to sleep again.    

I've noticed two things happening while taking Vitex Agnus Castus.

a.  I perspire again!  Remember, I said I wasn't perspiring ages ago and that it worried me that I may be overheating because of this?  

Well, Agnus Castus seems to be correcting that situation.  It means I get less of those strange pulsating twinges across my head, which always remind me of a brewing migraine.  

b.  I've also noticed the reinstatement of slight panic attacks type anxiety symptoms in the afternoon.  

Its a wild guess, but I think Agnus Castus is helping me to make more testosterone again?  I need to read further into this, but always during my cycle, when I was making more testosterone, I would get quite anxious and have panic attacks.  This was very much part of PMS for me.

I'll monitor the situation regarding the increased anxiety, but I intend to persevere with Agnus Castus because I've thought for a long time that my pituitary was possibly not performing properly? even when I was really well, like 10 years ago?

So, you can see, I'm trying desperately to cope with several health issues at the same time:

1.  Adrenal Fatigue

2.  Perimenopause (last stages)

3.  Thyroid dysfunction (due to low progesterone production and low Iodine intake)

4.  Dieting (often at starvation levels)

5.  Possible pituitary dysfunction (since birth, no doubt)

6.  Oestrogen dominance (for the last 10 years)

7.  Low progesterone (definitely for more than 10 years)

8.  My first ever kidney infection

9.  Migraine (really bad last 14 months)

10.Ongoing stress (work and home)/

About the stress.  Remember I said I was suffering uncontrollable stress - mainly due to our dog's health?  Well I found out recently that the real reason I couldn't stop the stress, may have been because I was actually chronically deficient in magnesium.  

Since I read recently that 'magnesium puts the brakes on the flow of adrenaline'. 


I found that information out coincidentally, and was surprised that it was a subject that hadn't been covered in the book on Magnesium that I download a couple of months ago, called: The Magnesium Solution for Migraine Headaches
Well I suppose the emphasis of that book was really about pain relief from Magnesium.

Its a shame it wasn't covered, as the need for us all to have enough magnesium to prevent us becoming chronically stressed, is a wonderful preventative piece of advice, surely?  I wish I'd learned that when I was in my mid-thirties and going hammer and tongs at everything in my life: such as, organising charity events, bringing up children, working long hours, studying part-time, house renovations and alcohol consumption, to name a few...

Quite honestly, the life I've lived the past 15 years has really come home to roost during these perimenopausal/menopausal stages of the game.  I've had to ask myself: What kind of an old woman do you want to be?

1.  I want to remain slim
2.  I want to be fit - be able to walk 5 miles a day, if needs be
3.  I dont want to get Alzheimers - if I can supplement and avoid it, because I think it probably is a dietary disease.  
4.  I dont want Osteoporosis - my aunt had it, she died in a hundred little pieces, her deterioration was the most devastating thing to observe  - the poor thing, God rest her soul!
5.  I still want to do millions of things and have the energy for all of them
6.  I dont want my face or hair to deteriorate to the point of invisibility
7.  I want to balance my hormones and not end up an emotional wreck that buys crap from the internet to fill emotional holes.

(My GP confirmed: it is medically possible to come off HRT suddenly.  But reiterated that I should never have been prescribed it in the first place (by my private doctor), due to my history of migraine! - how comforting!!)

About DHEA
I've read that because I'm currently suffering Adrenal Fatigue, I wont be able to really notice the effects of DHEA until that's under control.