Is there a Treatment/Supplement to get rid of brain fog from adrenal fatigue?

[Jane0218]

Brain fog is a real problem.  I know there are supplements for clarity, but I can't find them.  Does anyone know how I can get 'clear' again?  The problems with concentration aren't as scary as this brain fog.
Thanks!

[Sherta]

Hi Jo,

AD = antidepressant.  

By taking the DHEA and not addressing true AF- Adrenal Fatigue, its likely your ACTH function has slowed down cortisol output more and stressing the adrenals further or even shutting them down.  You need to give your adrenals time to re-coop.  When this happened to me I found a doctor who put me on Cortef (HC or hydrocortisone) in small doses throughout the day.  It took over two years to repair mine.  (Delta and Isocort didn't help me, my adrenals were in really bad shape.)

The Nutri- Adrenal supplement may help a bit.  I use it now to keep my adrenals strong.  You may benefit or understand the adrenals better by reading literature by the European doctor, Dr Barry Durrant-Peatfield.  He STRESSES that one MUST adhere consistently to: a healthier lifestyle to promote a stronger body, with regular exercise, regular meals and the elimination of as much stress as possible; and a full and restful sleep.  I found that not even Cortef helped until I did this everyday for weeks.  I was so SICK of being sick.  It was that or continue to live a dying life.

It was Cortef that gave my adrenals the rest they needed and healed then.  I take the Nutri-Adrenal twice a week now to keep my Adrenals strong.  I never want to go back or where you are now.  I hope you find appropriate help and soon.

Sherta

[Jo_Stafford]

Hi Sherta,

Thanks so much for your comprehensive response.   I understand now that T3 directly affects the brain and that is why my head felt so funny when starting and stopping the T3 meds.  

One question - you mentioned AD in your post but I am not sure what that is - apologies for being ignorant!

My Endo has now tweaked my meds so I am on T4 75mg and T3 10mg.   I started on Nutri Adrenal support and DHEA (the dhea supplement was recommended by my Endo to get rid of my dark circles).   I have now started to have anxiety attacks - great - I suffered with these last year when I was soley on T4 and now they have come back......Why on earth can't my body just be normal !!!   I am so frustrated.....

Thanks for your help and support.

Jo

[Sherta]

Glad I could help.  Serum means blood.  My morning blood (serum) test was "normal" too.  It was at the bottom of the range though.  If I remember the range is 4-22 and mine was 5.  ACTH range is 9-52 and mine was 50.  Low cortisol and high ACTH could mean Addison’s, so I did the ACTH Stim test, but it was normal, meaning my adrenals did respond to what the test measures.  The test doesn't detect lagging or tired adrenal function.  To complicate things I also did a 24 hour urine cortisol test with 10-80 being normal.  Mine was 138.  This only gives a total value and missed my low morning cortisol level.  It doesn't tell what is going on during the 24 hours, just how cortisol is in the urine.

Saliva testing for the adrenals tells how the adrenals do at four points during the day and is a valuable guide for treating the adrenals.

Sherta

[Jane0218]

Yes, your post deifintely helps me understand more about the adrenal gland.

The at home test for cortisol levels that I was given is with saliva.

I had a total cortisol blood test done a couple of weeks ago that came out in the normal range.  I don't know what a 'serum' cortisol test is or how it is taken (blood, urine, saliva).

The ACTH stim test sounds like it could be very informative.

Again, thanks for the info.
Jane

[Sherta]

The ACTH test is usually done after a serum cortisol test result is low.  ACTH -- is short for adrenocorticotropin -- its produced by the pituitary gland. Its main function is the regulation of cortisol.  When deficient production by the adrenal gland occurs you can become cortisol deficient causing Addison’s disease.  Over production of cortisol can lead to Cushing’s disease.  

I had below range morning serum cortisol and high normal ACTH, and then an ACTH stim (stimulation) test was done – this test measures how well the Adrenals respond and produce cortisol and aldosterone and takes about four hours to do.  This test ruled out Addison’s and Hypopituitarism and just showed I had fatigued Adrenals.  I found after spending gobs of money on numerous doctors that traditional medicine doesn’t recognize nor treat fatigued adrenals.  Although these diseases are considered rare, I am glad the tests were done so there is no doubt.

The urine cortisol tests, IMHO, are worthless.  Mine came back high and then the unknowledgeable docs said that's not medically possible, so they had me do it again and again.  They decided I had a pre-Cushing’s syndrome and put me on Licorice Root and I got worse immediately and stopped it.
  
Finally after finding a well-informed doc, which took another two years.  The saliva tests showed I was at phrase 4 Adrenal Fatigue. At this phrase morning and noon cortisol levels are low while afternoon and night cortisol levels are high.  I went on a small dose of HC – Cortef, for almost two years and rebuilt my Adrenals.  Then very slowly went off of it.  I have been off the Cortef since Oct 2008 and only had to stress dose for a couple weeks after my hubby was in a car wreck.

Hope this helps,
Sherta

[Jane0218]

All these posts have been so helpful.  Thank you all!

A few days ago, the brain fog seemed to have a couple of 'holes' punched in it.  I'm a bit more clear.  One step forward...hopefully no steps back.  I've spent the last 3 weeks trying to eat fresh foods (I'm a processed foods junkie--I hate to cook), and taking some supplements.  I had to stop the multivitamin and B-stress vitamins--they were making me jittery.  I started a huge dosage of fish oil and acidophilous a few days ago as well.
I can't say exactly what has eased the fog a bit,but I'm not complaining.

I've read for many years my very light depression (more like melancholy) could be thyroid related, but doctors have always dismissed me.  I'm on a small dose of anti-depressant, smaller than the amount prescribed, because I just hate synthetic medicine.

I think I've found a holistic (functional medicine) doctor who can help me.  She says the light depression could be related to my thyroid (finally, a professional has said this to me!  I could have jumped for joy!).  She believes I have severe adrenal fatigue and possibly Hashimoto's (due to high antibody levels from a prior blood test), and possibly hypoglycemia.  She's testing me for all kinds of things, 23 tests in all, including Free T3 (I have a current Free T4 lab result), Reverse T3,vitamin and metal levels, a bunch of different antibodies.  She has a negative opinion of most endos because she feels they don't check what they should.  She said anyone's thyroid tests resultscan be in the normal range, but what if the T4 isn't being converted into T3 (something like that---remember, I'm in a brain fog here)?  And lots of other reasons why she feels endos for some reason 'just don't get it.'  She (and I) aren't saying there aren't any great endos out there, but from my experience and what I've read online, it sure is difficult to find an endo who will listen to the symptoms and not just read the test results.

To Sherta:  I can't find the "ACTH" on the blood test order, though. I don't know what this test is for?
I know about drrind.com's website and have found it so informative.  
I'll also be looking for Dr. Arem's book.  Thanks so much for this!

I also did a home saliva and urine test that gets mailed out and is supposed to check cortisol levels over the entire day, and and the things like serotonin, norepenephrine, etc.  That test will take 3 weeks to get the results.

I think I may have stumbled onto someone who finally understands me and believes me when I say I've had a low libido all my adult life (other drs. would say to get a new boyfriend or just dismiss me out of hand), the cold hands, feet, and nose, etc..  She thinks a lot of what I've experienced all these years could be related to my thyroid.  I think she does want to treat the adrenal fatigue first, though. When I told her if I take a multi-vitamin after 4PM I can't get to sleep until midnight or after, she immediately said, "Oh, that's because of the B vitamins--the energy vitamins--you must be really sensitive to meds and supplements."  She was non-plussed and very matter-of-fact about it.  It feels so good to have that.

I'm currently on a huge dose of fish oil and a probiotic acidophilous/bifidis supplement.

I'm thankful the brain fog has lifted a bit.  It gives me hope.

Thanks again, everyone, for all your informative, caring posts.  
Jane