purplejackmama Posted January 28, 2016 Share Posted January 28, 2016 Is this a real thing? What causes it? How does one obtain a diagnosis? What's the treatment? Is it recognized by the medical community or just "hippie" doctors? (No offense taken with the term hippie. I like hippies. :) I just didn't know how to word this) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
albeto. Posted January 28, 2016 Share Posted January 28, 2016 Not according to medical science, specifically the Endocrine Society, the world’s largest association of people with formal, legitimate training in the treatment of adrenal disorders. That doesn't stop people from believing it's real, and that they have it. While the symptoms are real, "adrenal fatigue" is not a legitimate diagnostic explanation. When you search, look for information from peer reviewed journals, not an office, a doctor, a health practitioner, a really healthy mom, etc. The peer review process is what makes the difference. That's what separates science from speculation. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purplejackmama Posted January 28, 2016 Author Share Posted January 28, 2016 Albeto. Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted January 28, 2016 Share Posted January 28, 2016 Stop the Thyroid Madness addresses adrenals. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted January 28, 2016 Share Posted January 28, 2016 yes it's real. yes, it can be quantified in a lab. yes - going to a regular endocrinologist to get a diagnosis is likely to GIVE you adrenal fatigue. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 28, 2016 Share Posted January 28, 2016 (edited) It's absolutely a real thing, but not in all cases it is believed to occur. Technically it is a low functioning adrenal gland/adrenal insufficiency and it can be autoimmune or even cancerous. My function level was just above full glandular failure when they checked. So if it had failed completely I would have had Addison's but because I could still produce small amounts of cortisol I'm just fine? Really? I have hypocortisolism and it has been diagnosed - confirmed by two ANPs and one by and my board certified allergist/immunologist. Fortunately it is gaining recognition as a cluster of symptoms with certain tests reliably diagnosing it, and thus folks like me aren't suffering needlessly. The main differences between adrenal fatigue and diagnosed adrenal insufficiency is etiology, severity, and treatment. Adrenal fatigue is thought to be brought on by chronic or acute stress (inflammation, poor diet or sleep, traumatic life events) and with rest, supplementation (either by hormones or herbally, depending on the severity), and time one can recover some adrenal function and see alleviation of symptoms and better performance on a saliva test. Adrenal insufficiency, on the other hand, is generally autoimmune the same way Graves or Hashimotos is. But we recognize there can be insufficient thyroid or gonad function that is still legitimate and needs treatment without a direct autoimmune component, and yet this same thing is facing resistance when we are looking the adrenals. In my case, it was severe enough to cause secondary hypothyroidism, chronic fatigue, and create a situation where multiple new adult onset allergies occurred because of a low functioning immune system/leaky gut. It isn't something to self diagnose based on symptoms. But a qualified practitioner can absolutely order the pertinent tests to confirm the diagnosis or rule it out. For me, treatment has been multi pronged - dealing directly with my insufficient hormonal production (I take both Armour and hydrocortisone, as well as prednisone when needed), avoiding lifestyle stressors my body cannot create cortisol to cope with (I'm bad at this but have had severe enough crashes to caution me to pull back when I feel my body shutting down); addressing the gut and immune system issues through low dose naltrexone, repair of my decimated intestines with massive l glutamine doses, targeted supplementation to handle my MTHFR defect and malabsorption, elimination diets for my sensitives and full elimination and emergency medicating my true allergies; and finally giving it lots of time. In my case the environmental factors were insults to my system that pulled the trigger of the gun that genetics loaded - I already had malabsorption, inflammation, and genetic issues. Pregnancy and high lifestyle stress, along with dietarily induced inflammation, created the perfect storm of sinking my already leaky ship. Adrenal fatigue was a family of symptoms but it wasn't the whole story. The doctors who helped me with this explained as much - issues as bad as mine aren't what they usually see but more minor displays ARE becoming common. And lifestyle stresses, which tend to comprise most self diagnosed adrenal fatigue, are rarely the whole story when cases become increasingly severe. They're just a part of the puzzle, much the way obesity or elevated trigs are part of metabolic syndrome (who causation is likewise poorly understood in a clinical fashion, even while we can observe correlated patterns). Maybe some people are just going to hippy doctors and this is a popular diagnosis, like Lyme disease. But as a sufferer who has been backed up by both tests and observations with multiple practitioners (all with allopathic training and certification, only one practices integrative therapies and might be considered less mainstream) I am inclined to think it is real and has degrees of severity that have lead to it being poorly understood even as it is being increasingly and reliably diagnosed. Edited January 28, 2016 by Arctic Mama Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 28, 2016 Share Posted January 28, 2016 yes it's real. yes, it can be quantified in a lab. yes - going to a regular endocrinologist to get a diagnosis is likely to GIVE you adrenal fatigue. Word. I'm so grateful that ANPs with special training in this area were the first ones to help me ID it and get tested and treated, because they were quite pleasant and helpful in guiding me through the tests and referrals and lifestyle interventions while sending me up the chain for hormonal therapy. Bless them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purplejackmama Posted January 28, 2016 Author Share Posted January 28, 2016 (edited) yes it's real. yes, it can be quantified in a lab. yes - going to a regular endocrinologist to get a diagnosis is likely to GIVE you adrenal fatigue. Where would you get a diagnosis? What's the treatment? Edited January 28, 2016 by purplejackmama Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted January 28, 2016 Share Posted January 28, 2016 Where would you get a diagnosis? What's the treatment? If you follow the link I provided above, you'll be able to order an adrenal test on your own. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purplejackmama Posted January 28, 2016 Author Share Posted January 28, 2016 If you follow the link I provided above, you'll be able to order an adrenal test on your own. Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted January 28, 2016 Share Posted January 28, 2016 My understanding is that adrenal fatigue is primarily a secondary diagnosis. In other words, something is taxing the adrenal glands. There are primary diagnoses when you have a tumor on your adrenal gland or something like that, but that is when it becomes something like Addison's. For me, finding the primary reason(s) why the adrenals were being depleted was the most important thing. It could be a thyroid problem. It could be a hidden infection. It could be parasites. It could be something else. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathyBC Posted January 28, 2016 Share Posted January 28, 2016 My uncle has been diagnosed with adrenal fatigue. I don't know all the details, though I do know he also has a thyroid condition. If I remember what I read correctly, once you have one autoimmune condition, you are more likely to develop another. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melinda S in TX Posted January 28, 2016 Share Posted January 28, 2016 I had adrenal fatigue and hypothyroidism. For years I went to my doctor with vague complaints. He'd order a few tests, tell me everything was normal, and that was it. I got to where I could barely function. If I had enough energy to get out of bed and get dressed, it was a good day. I made several trips to the grocery store because I could only do one department a time before I would crash. I researched online and finally found what could be wrong with me. I ordered the tests and sent it in. The results showed my adrenals were in bad condition, and I was barely above a major crash. I went to my doctor. The thyroid meds were easy for him to give. My thyroid was at the bottom of normal and thyroid meds are pretty mainstream. He didn't want to give me meds for my adrenals, but he did. He was amazed at the difference hydrocortisone made in me, and it only took a few days to start seeing results. I took Armour and hydrocortisone for nine years. It worked great, and I never had any problems. I worked down to a very low dose of hydrocortisone. I recently switched doctors and this new doctor doesn't believe in adrenal fatigue. You either have addison's or you don't have anything. He made me come off my meds. I am crashing again. Two times in the last six months, I've been in majorly stressful situations. I could feel that familiar feeling when my adrenals have more than they can handle. I took some leftover meds and it helped greatly. My hair is falling out. My weight is going crazy. I've just ordered a test kit. After I get the results, I'll share them with my doctor and we'll go from there. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IfIOnly Posted January 28, 2016 Share Posted January 28, 2016 I had adrenal fatigue and hypothyroidism. For years I went to my doctor with vague complaints. He'd order a few tests, tell me everything was normal, and that was it. I got to where I could barely function. If I had enough energy to get out of bed and get dressed, it was a good day. I made several trips to the grocery store because I could only do one department a time before I would crash. I researched online and finally found what could be wrong with me. I ordered the tests and sent it in. The results showed my adrenals were in bad condition, and I was barely above a major crash. I went to my doctor. The thyroid meds were easy for him to give. My thyroid was at the bottom of normal and thyroid meds are pretty mainstream. He didn't want to give me meds for my adrenals, but he did. He was amazed at the difference hydrocortisone made in me, and it only took a few days to start seeing results. I took Armour and hydrocortisone for nine years. It worked great, and I never had any problems. I worked down to a very low dose of hydrocortisone. I recently switched doctors and this new doctor doesn't believe in adrenal fatigue. You either have addison's or you don't have anything. He made me come off my meds. I am crashing again. Two times in the last six months, I've been in majorly stressful situations. I could feel that familiar feeling when my adrenals have more than they can handle. I took some leftover meds and it helped greatly. My hair is falling out. My weight is going crazy. I've just ordered a test kit. After I get the results, I'll share them with my doctor and we'll go from there. :crying: :grouphug: 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 28, 2016 Share Posted January 28, 2016 I had adrenal fatigue and hypothyroidism. For years I went to my doctor with vague complaints. He'd order a few tests, tell me everything was normal, and that was it. I got to where I could barely function. If I had enough energy to get out of bed and get dressed, it was a good day. I made several trips to the grocery store because I could only do one department a time before I would crash. I researched online and finally found what could be wrong with me. I ordered the tests and sent it in. The results showed my adrenals were in bad condition, and I was barely above a major crash. I went to my doctor. The thyroid meds were easy for him to give. My thyroid was at the bottom of normal and thyroid meds are pretty mainstream. He didn't want to give me meds for my adrenals, but he did. He was amazed at the difference hydrocortisone made in me, and it only took a few days to start seeing results. I took Armour and hydrocortisone for nine years. It worked great, and I never had any problems. I worked down to a very low dose of hydrocortisone. I recently switched doctors and this new doctor doesn't believe in adrenal fatigue. You either have addison's or you don't have anything. He made me come off my meds. I am crashing again. Two times in the last six months, I've been in majorly stressful situations. I could feel that familiar feeling when my adrenals have more than they can handle. I took some leftover meds and it helped greatly. My hair is falling out. My weight is going crazy. I've just ordered a test kit. After I get the results, I'll share them with my doctor and we'll go from there. Your doctor is an abusive ass, making a sick patient drop meds that they could attest to symptom alleviation with because he has decided his belief supersedes your results. I hate people like that :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 28, 2016 Share Posted January 28, 2016 I really recommend this blog for further research into both adrenal fatigue and failure. This entry is timely given Albeto's comments above :) http://anneshealthplace.com/blog/2010/11/is-adrenal-fatigue-real/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.