ADRENAL FATIGUE/HYPOTHYROIDISM

[Liz1900]

Hi,

   I was wondering if anyone out there has experienced adrenal fatigue or insufficiency problems.  I have been having a problem and was on Armour Thyroid for 40 years with no problems.  In Dec 2007, I developed heart palpitations and finally in mid-March 2008 my doctor changed me to Synthroid.  Well, it has not been a good experience and I have been minimally functional since then - fatigue, exhaustion - inability to do much at all.  I have now switched to an endocrinologist and my dosage set at .88 mcg in mid-April.  Went back May 21st feeling no better, but my labs are in normal range, although my Free T3 is on the low side of normal.  He said he would try adding Cytomel - 1/2 of a 25 mcg tablet a day, but didn't know if it would help.  I have been a bit afraid of getting heart palpitations from the Cytomel from what I have read, so I have been splitting it and taking about 6 mcg in the A. M. and same in the afternoon.  So far in 5 days, I don't feel any better.

   That said, I have been reading a lot about adrenal fatigue and have many of the symptoms involved and wondered if anyone who was deemed in "normal" range still had the same symptoms of hypothyroid (Hashi's) - and ended up with adrenal fatigue .....experiences, tests for, treatment.   I am not sure what to do next if the Cytomel doesn't help.

Thanks,
Liz

[stella5349]

Gold seal testing for adrenal fatigue is  a 24 hr saliva - I don't  think a blood draw really is the best to get.

Treatment is a wide range - most commonly "life long treatment of HC" or a very long time and then weened off ever so slightly.

Another is natural adrenal support - If you get to that road I will go into that further. It is very complicated.

[peggy64]

wow, if you go back and read my last 2 posts, cytomel and anxiety, and adreneline, we could be twins. I went to the dr (GP) again today from some relief as I am exhausted. Everything I have tried for sleep is overridden by the adrenaline. I got a shot of visteril and came home and slept about an hour.

He has referred me to an endo, but they won't be able to see me until next week. In the meantime, I hate to live off of xanax.

Wish I could be of more help, but it helped me, knowing there are others who know exactly what I am talking about.

[Liz1900]

Hi,

   I have been reading two books on thyroid too and yes, I am the same type person with stress and it seems worse the older I get.  I stress over most everything and wouldn't be surprised if that is what threw my whole system out of whack back in December - will never know.  What a person would deem routine becomes a stressor for me - good or bad and I hate being that way, but don't seem to be able to control it.  I internalize things, so someone looking at me wouldn't know what I was going through on the inside.

   I took Armour for 40 years with no problems, as I said, then in December started with heart palpitations and after reducing my Armour 4 times the doctor switched me to Synthroid and now I am worse than ever.  

   Exactly what are your symptoms?   I now have blood results that same I am in normal range, although my Free T3 is at the low end of the range and I understand the lack of T3 can make you feel pretty bad.  Armour has both T3 and T4, so you don't have that problem.  After all those years on Armour and then having to adjust to my body converting the T4 to T3 - it has been rough.  The doctor added the Cytomel T3 last Thursday - so far I am no better.  Feel better at night - not good, but a bit better and that seems to be one of the signs of adrenal issues - along with others I seem to have.

Let me know how things go.
Liz

[MKlacza]

Its funny, I am reading this book on thyroid and they said that stress can bring on adrenal fatigue. Not just everyday stress, but extremely stressful people. I am one of those ppl unfortunately.

I am just starting to see ( how pathetic) how precious our health really is and when its taken from you, its so hard to explain how this feels. Its devastating!

[Liz1900]

You are right - right now I would do or pay anything to feel normal.  I have learned something I thought I knew - if you don't have your health - nothing else matters.  After three months with the problems with my Armour and another 2 plus with the Synthroid - I have just about had it!!!!!!  I am wondering how about depression, if not adrenal problems - because symptoms of these things are so much the same....who knows?
Let us know how your test goes.

Liz

[MKlacza]

I am having a saliva test for the adrenals. Per the dr's orders.. I have been reading that when some people are having palps... their dr might put them on Armour and a low dose of the Synthroid. This is what I read... not sure its accurate or not.

I know that this takes time, and again, if I have to go broke for awhile...so be it!!! I cant just sit here and not be an advocate for my own health. If I dont, no one will!!!

MK

[Liz1900]

MK - I am with you - I need to do something else - changing doses, waiting for weeks and weeks and not feeling better.  Terrible.  I don't know if the other T4 Levoxyl (sp) would be any different - I have read that people try different things.  What would be the difference in that and Synthroid.  I am afraid to try Armour again because of the heart palpitations after 40 years - don't think my heart could take the T3 - who knows at this point.  I just know that I have felt awful each and every day since going on Synthroid.

Regarding the adrenals - yes, what is the treatment for that?
Is testing for adrenals blood work?

Liz

[MKlacza]

Well.. I have been on the Armour for 3 plus weeks and doing just ok. I need a bump in the meds. I am a very stressful person and I havent had a sex drive in who knows how long....So I am having my adrenal or cortisol levels checked tomorrow. I am at the point that I will pay whatever to get to the bottom of this and feel better....Also going to get my blood checked to see where I am on the Armour. I am definitely in the hypo mode. I had a terrible panic attack yesterday and holistic Dr said that if your adrenals are off or pooped out, they can cause anxiety and panic. My question is this...if they are shot, what is the treatment for that?

[anree]

I was also wondering how common this was. I keep reading that it might be a possibility, but also that it is not common. I really can not afford too much testing... at this point I am knee high in bills. I am giving my Armour plenty of time to see if it helps before I go in for more testing. Anyone else out there?

[Liz1900]

Hi,

   No, I have not had testing.  I have been through this whole thyroid thing with the switch from Armour because of heart palpitations after 40 years to Synthroid mid-March and feeling terrible since.  I understand the adrenal situation can be caused by stress and I definitely have been under tremendous stress since this all started.  I have never addressed this with the doctor because I was hoping the medicine would work and now he added Cytomel and so far I don't see any difference in 5 days.

   I have been waking up feeling my heart beating - but didn't know if that was stress or Cytomel or what.  Feel so exhausted I can hardly get up - but can't go back to sleep so I get up and lie around all day mostly.  Have to force myself to do anything.  Just don't feel good enough.

    I always feel a little better after dinner in the evening and then it all starts over again.
What are the tests for this - blood, saliva???  What are treatments?  My thyroid levels are within normal range now although my Free T3 is a bit on the low end of the scale.

    Perhaps I need to address this issue with him now as I am not getting any better at all.

Thanks,
Liz

[stella5349]

Liz
I am in adrenal exhaustion and trying to supplement to repair. I had a cortisol blood get my check a few months ago and I am low in the AM This is how my day at this time goes:

Morning I wake up with moderate anxiety ( atypical with low cortisol) Then I get a dip 4 hrs later. I go through the day OK until 4pm then I drop. then if I push - I get a burst around 9pm.

This cycle is so typical of adrenal exhaustion. It has helped to get the Armour tweeked to what I need each day. But I am working on the adrenals now.

Have you had testing?