Adrenal/hypothyroid

[db0704]

I have been diagnosed with hypothyroidism and adrenal fatigue.  I had the 24 hr saliva cortisol testing done about a year ago which basically showed my adrenal glands were flat.  At that time, I was put in hydrocortisone tablets.  I had also been diagnosed with hypothyroidism approximately 4 months before this but got extremely ill at the same time but the cortisol was not done until later.  I have been through hell and back!   I was working full time before I got sick and haven't been able to work since.  My thyroid is still not right yet and I feel ill most of the time.  I have been, of course turned down for disability through the government and through my employment disability and really need to get back to work.  I am better than I was a year ago but have an extreme hard time getting up in the morning.  I mean an EXTREMELY hard time!  I feel ill, my heart pounds and I just can't move until about 10 am, no matter what.  The other big problem I have is that I cannot seem to handle any stress or extreme concentration whatsoever!  What the heck?   I've always had high stress jobs and have handled them well.  I don't even know of a job that wouldn't be stressful that I could get in my line of work.  I takes lots and lots of supplements and have found the ones that help tremendously but I wonder what I may be missing.  I have seen an endocrinologist and the first thing he wanted to do was take me off all the meds!  UGH!  No way!  I went through hell before I got on them and really believe I went undiagnosed for years until I crashed!  Anyway, his reasoning was 1. he didn't believe the saliva tests were reliable.  2. I did have an ACTH prior to the hydrocortisone and it was normal so he said nothing was wrong with my adrenal glands.  3. he wanted me to stop the med for the thyroid to get a baseline testing of my TSH to be able to see how my pituitary gland was functioning.  I had given him labs prior to that, that showed I had almost normal TSH.  My T4 and T3 are what is so low.  The saliva test also stated I had HPA axis deviation.  He didn't take that seriously either.  Needless to say, I didn't go back to him, nor did I stop the medication.  I see an integrative medicine doctor but to me, I seem stuck and have been for a while.  But now, I really don't have a "real" diagnosis for disability, or do I?  I am so lost in all of this, it's not funny!  I really want to be able to go back to work and I have been recently offered a part time job but I fear I can't even handle it.  
If anyone out there has any input for me, I would greatly appreciate it.  If you have any questions, I will be glad to answer them!  I really would appreciate any and all comments.  Thank you!

[db0704]

Thank you so much!!  I really needed to hear that!  I see an integrative medicine doctor and saw the endocrinologist once.  I know I have been extremely ill, in fact, more than I think anyone understands.  The integrative doc has the, "give it time" attitude and the endocrinologist had the attitude of just being cocky and acting like I was crazy!  I kept asking about the stimulation test but neither ordered it.  I also wondered why no one did scans or at least something on my adrenal glands.  I am truly beginning to believe I might have something pituitary going on.  The endocrinologist did want me to come back to talk about testing for that but he wanted me to stop all my medications.  I tried but go soooo sick and now I can't get my thyroid back to where it was and my hair is falling out again.  I just wonder what other tests I should have had.  I also think like you said, they didn't  handle the test right and my am cortisol test was at 10:30 and no one seemed to think anything was wrong with that either.  The saliva tests, to me, seem like they would be the most accurate but the endo seemed to think they were a joke and almost wanted to write me off when he saw them and saw that I was on Armour.  I truly am confused but will definitely take your advise.  I posted on another site about pituitary and was told the same  thing about a neuro endocrinologist, so I would say that will be the first thing I work on tomorrow.  I am having one of those days of having this horrific feeling in my head, almost dizzy like, unable to focus feeling and every time this comes back, I swear I'm going to get back on it again to figure this out.  It takes so much energy to get well, just on the finding a decent doctor side of things!  It's tough, to say the least but I have to say, I've read other posts on this site and I do feel extremely lucky compared to many others here.  Thanks again for your input and if you think of anything else, or would like lab results, etc., please let me know!!

[rumpled]

Adrenal fatigue is not a medical diagnosis.

If you take the steroids in your own you can do more damage and end up needing them for the rest of your life When before you did not. Adrenals do not rest, they suppress. They atrophy.

Your "doctor" did not test you properly... One test is not enough to know if you have an adrenal issue and you need a stim test. ACTH is often low due to poor handling and if if it is legit low, then it is a pituitary issue and that means you need another doctor a specialist Neuro endo.

[db0704]

I take Armour Thyroid 90mg am and 45mg pm.  I just posted on the thyroid site, so hopefully I will get some help there too.  I haven't been taking my temperature but I did for a while.  I probably should start again.  Thank you for your input!  I really appreciate it!

[Dee1956]

Have you tried taking your temperature first thing in the morning before you get out of bed?  That was one thing that my doctor had me do.  I would place a thermometer under my arm every morning, before getting up, to see what my temperature was.  I had a low temp which he said was another sign of low thyroid.

[Dee1956]

I am so very sorry to hear of your problems.  There are some really knowledgeable people on here.  I am sure they will soon see your question and be able to help.
It is odd that your TSH is normal yet your T3 and T4 are low.  They might ask you to state your numbers if you don't mind.

What medication do you take for your thyroid?

I had something similar where my TSH was ok but my T3 was high, my doctor advised me to split up the T3 dose to twice a day.
I take synthroid and cytomel.

I wasn't taking it the right way and Barb and Gimel helped me to understand that I have to take it on an empty stomach

Then my Mom told me not to eat grapefruit or the juice as it could interfere with the medication.

I hope someone will be along soon to help you out. Dee