diet for Adrenal Insuffiency

I have Adrenal Insufficiency...having a real rough time, rapid heart rate, short of breath, sweats, etc.  I am on prednisone.  I am interested in finding information on what diet would be good for this condition.  My cortisol levels are quite low.

[rumpled]

If you are sweating, rapid heart beat etc.... you need to be more aware of adding salt.

AI is basically when the body cannot hold sodium and the loss of sodium is when the body has a crisis. Usually, when sodium goes down, sodium drops and potassium rises. There are a few of us where both sodium and potassium drop.

Until you know about potassium, you need to add salt and if you feel bad, go for salt (but avoid potassium loaded foods like bananas etc) as sodium and potassium take care of themselves. Eat pickles or buy non-buffered salt tablets (the buffered ones are buffered with potassium!) to lower your heart rate.

You may want to change doctors to find a doctor who can help you more. You may also want to see a cardiologist too. Prednisone is not the best replacment medication - hydrocortisone is more like what the body makes and is more often used. Pred has more side effects with the body and sleep.

Do you have an acto-o-vial and syringe for an emergency kit? Do you have extra medication and know how to stress dose?

[greeneyedraven]

Did you just start taking prednisone?  Because too much can cause those symptoms.  

[jonesnc]

My doctor took me off of high fructose corn syrup and soft drinks.I also have a sensitivity to milk so I am off milk products. I am also off yeast and am loading protein in the form of lower fat meat, legumes, almonds and eating lots of fresh fruit and vegetables. I feel much better. Diet makes a huge difference. I take pregnenolone instead of prednisone.

[ill13632]

I have a 4.0 cortisol level, does that mean I am AI?  I am trying 100mg of pregnenolone also and adrenal glandulars

[Ozzieandharriett]

I just had a zero cortisol and was put on cortisone after cervical fusion surgery. I cut out sugar, maybe one mint or two. I cut out all white bread, pasta, etc. I increased my protein.

Southbeach and special K make high protein bars that have 10-12 gms protein and are low in calories. I also eat string cheese, cottage cheese, tuna, and snack on salted cashews.

I eat vegetables with salt, and fat free margarine. You can eat the whole package. It seems the more protein, less sugar plus I do take fiber, I feel better diet wise.
They also make antioxidant fiber bars you could snack on.
Good luck.

[rumpled]

The only way to tell is a stimulation test.

[ill13632]

my endo told me to cut out all refined and white sugars, white breads and look up hypoglycemic numbers on everything- he thinks my low cortisol is due to high insulin/sugar intake; I guess I drink a lot of soda  
someone at the vitamin shoppe told me licorice root can help but I'm not sure for which type of problem, I think I am AI and have had cortisol 2.4
I found these GNC protein shakes that seem to be good but I still feel the same after taking them

[ill13632]

I'm curious what are your levels?  I had an afternoon level of 2.4 and the doctor still wouldn't treat me and a 4.0 am level