I am feeling so defeated because of Adrenal Fatigue! For the past eight months, I feel like I have tried and tested just about everything, and I am not really seeing any major improvement and have wasted thousands of dollars trying to figure out what is wrong with me! I’ve been feeling this way for two years and can’t seem to get better!
SYMPTOMS:
- Sleep issues – cannot fall asleep unless I take Melatonin & Tylenol PM
- Zero energy/fatigue – I went from running & exercising daily to barely being able to go up a flight of steps without feeling exhausted
- HAIR LOSS (lost about 1/2 of my hair) – dermatologist diagnosed me with chronic telogen effluvium – NO improvement over eight mo keeps falling out drastically, the scalp is visible everywhere, more hair falls out every day
- Hair breakage/brittle hair too
- Burning/tingling sensations – mostly on the scalp
- Thinning eyebrows
- Itchy, dry inner ears – wake me up at night!
- Pinpoint blood-red spots (petechia?)
- Brain fog/lack of focus/no mental clarity/can’t concentrate
- Can’t lose weight even with a strict diet
- Mood swings
- No motivation/lack of enjoyment in life
- Always thirsty, feeling dehydrated, dry mouth/throat
- Stress
- General “blah” feeling
- Dark circles/puffiness under eyes
- Can’t relax/constantly feel tense
- Period cycle stops & goes, heavy than light, then heavy again, spotting between cycles
- Severe bloating – by the end of the day looks like six months pregnant
- Speech – sometimes slurred or can’t get out the words I want to say
- Rosacea (arms, chest, face)
- Teeth clenching (sometimes I wake up with a sore jaw)
- Stomach pain (right side)
- Low libido
- Easy bruising
- Irritable – don’t want to be around anyone
- Cancel plans – don’t want to be social
- Food cravings (salty/sweet)
- Sensitive eyes (to bright light)
TESTS (ALL NORMAL unless otherwise noted):
- Thyroid (including antibodies)
TSH 0.68 (lab range 0.30-5.0)
Free T3 3.18 (2.5-3.9)
Total T3 1.13 (0.87-1.78)
Free T4 1.4 (0.8-2.7)
Total T4 7.7 (4.5-12.0) - Cortisol
- Ferritin
- B12
- Folate
- ANA & AntiDNA screen
- Rheumatoid Factor
- Celiac
- Estrogen & Testosterone
- Follicle Stimulating Hormone
- Luteinizing Hormone
- Mono
- Parvo B19 (Positive for past infection)
- Abdomen & Pelvis CT scan for stomach pain
WHAT I TRIED:
- Diet change – vegan & gluten-free for six mo
- SUPPS: Biotin, Omega 3-6-9, Vitamin C, Iron, B-Complex, Magnesium, Saw Palmetto, Viviscal, Evening Primrose oil, Vital Adapt, Supren drops, Vit D w/K
- Meditation
- Probiotics
- Collagen powder
- Naturopathic DR
- Acupuncture
- Massage & self stress reduction
- Lifestyle change – less social media, etc
- Rogaine
- Switched to all-natural shampoo
- Daily scalp massage & treatments
- Diatomaceous Earth
- Filtered showerhead
I will say since I have started the Vital Adapt & Supren for adrenal health, I have noticed my anxiety has been less (about six weeks now). Other than that, all my other symptoms remain! The hair loss especially has been alarming, and it just keeps falling out every time I touch my head! I don’t know what else to test for, what else to try, what else to do to make me feel better! Any suggestions for anything I haven’t tried yet? Are there any natural ways for that?
Answers ( 27 )
I've been similar to this for 6+ years. Look into nutritional balancing. It's the most promising solution I've found. I'm in a state of four lows (adrenal burnout). All supplements like adrenal support, B vitamins (anything stimulating) are to be stopped because they're telling my body to rev up when it can't.
Taking targeted supplements like lots of magnesium, calcium, kelp, desiccated liver, and on a diet for slow oxidation. It's a program that adjusts to each person's individual chemistry via a hair test through a specific lab. If you go to Dr. Lawrence Wilsons' website, you can find a local practitioner in your area. I work with one over the phone.
Another important thing is to drink spring water (find a local place that delivers). Almost all filtered water (reverse osmosis, etc..) doesn't have minerals in it. Carbon filtered tap water is second best but still has fluoride.
Look into a parasite cleanse. Tests rarely show up positive for them. Sorry, don't mean to freak you out! They have a lot of parasite tests, but none are really accurate. Is your progesterone out of balance with your estrogen? I just did a herbal cleanse called Humaworm, and it's not bad for you and no prescription, and it helped some things I was dealing with. Not all, though.
I can bet progesterone could be an issue! Even if it's not low and if you are just estrogen dominant, you will have issues! I had the same problem! I treated with bioidentical progesterone cream.
Have you had food sensitivity testing and saliva cortisol? Many of your symptoms could be caused by food sensitivities, which cause an inability to access and absorb nutrition from your food.
Dairy and gluten may not be your main problems. Food Sensitivity testing is so helpful in identifying what foods you need to avoid. I removed dairy and gluten without much benefit. Through testing, I found I have very poor sensitivity to both but was eating a lot of other foods I considered healthy that I was highly sensitive to. I also found that my gluten-free bread contained ingredients I was more sensitive to than wheat.
My Integrative doctor ordered the Food Sensitivity test from Genova Labs. After removing those foods (and it was a lot of stuff and hard in the beginning, but I was so sick), I saw some immediate improvement, and now several months later, my body is starting actually to absorb nutrients and supplements. Previously the supplements were going right through me with little benefit.
Try Kratom for sleep, pain, and energy. Find an excellent integrative (holistic) doctor in your area. Mine did a ton of testing on me and found numerous health issues (added to the ones I already have). I had no idea that at the time, I had a viral and bacterial infection. He gave me medicines for those and also supplements. It helped a little, but I still had horrible adrenal fatigue.
I feel you. I went through this for years. Gluten-free was not enough for me. I had major food sensitivities and didn't even know it. Spend thousands for the natural doctor to basically just lead me to a food sensitivity test.
I actually created a mini-course just to help people and give them all the tools that I used. It was so frustrating. I'm feeling so much better now, after only of few months of eliminating certain foods.
I'm doing the MMT protocol. Also, I did a parasite cleanse with diatomaceous earth but started it with Pin-x oral. Sure enough, I had parasites.
A few suggestions – drop the supplements for a few weeks and gradually reintroduce one at a time. I was surprised to find that Vit B & C and even too much magnesium were causing me adverse reactions. I now get most of my Vitamins from Nettle Infusions.
Are you eating enough meat, fats, and salt? Grey sea salt is best! Not having enough of these can make you feel awful. Consider liver cleanses (castor oil packs on liver helped me hugely), and parasite cleanses (they steal your minerals and can cause hair loss).
Also, do you have mold in your home or workplace? Also look into EMF's/smart-meters/wifi etc. I was surprised at how much they have been affecting me negatively!
Hmmm, that is a good idea about the supplements, undoubtedly worth a try. I do not eat any meat. For fats: avocados, coconut oil, nuts & seeds, almond butter. I drink a tsp of sole water every morning for salt. I am wondering if I have a parasite, so I will look into those cleanses. Thank you!
Being a nutritional therapist, I strongly recommend doing Food sensitivity testing (not allergy). I see you've done the more common diet changes but maybe not had a test identify those exact triggers to your immune system – so if you were my client, that is what I would advise you.
Didn't they test progesterone? I would say you sound exactly like me or some of the stuff I have had in the past. It's so frustrating not to have a diagnosis. 🙁
I did find out my neurotransmitters were super low, low progesterone, and for me, while most of my thyroid was in balance, and nothing could be diagnosed, I tend to have hyperthyroid symptoms. So while your labs may show normal, it could be abnormal for your body.
No, they didn't! I had to fight to get estrogen and testosterone tested! My regular doc just keeps telling me I'm depressed and trying to throw anti-depressants my way (which I refuse), that's how I feel. Maybe my lab is normal but not optimal for my body?
I have been going to a chiropractor for two years to help me recover my adrenals. She started with a hair analysis. I'd recommend finding someone who can order one and interpret the results.
She's had me use supplements, but also has made herbal tinctures and tonics specifically for my needs. I would also suggest trying to work on getting your circadian rhythm back in order.
Light exposure to the eyes is very powerful in doing this. Wear orange, blue-blocking glasses in the evening and get 30 min of sunshine within an hour of waking. (I use a full spectrum light for this).
I also have EBV, which seemed to have reactivated after the birth of my daughter three years ago. The chiro helped me with that too.
There is a lady with Bartonella, and she slowly started taking MSM, and she is now acting, happy where before she could hardly do anything. I have Lyme and probably some co-infections and have been doing bee stings for two years and now feel normal plus added in MSM 2 months ago working up slowly, I am now at 8000mg and going to keep going till I'm taking at least twice this amount. I buy MSM from Kala health; it has no additives.
Have you tested for food intolerance? Ask for a blood food intolerance test for IgG antibodies. It's called a FIT test. I was making zero improvements until I changed my diet to avoid those foods.
My blood work was otherwise pretty normal. I had inflammation, high CRP levels, and daytime cortisol was high. But, I was weak, had stomach pains, awful heartburn, and other weird symptoms.
I had ALL of your symptoms. I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's / hypothyroidism and adrenal fatigue and was going through menopause. The doctor put me on Bioidentical pellets with compounded Progesterone, Neurodevelopmental Treatment (NDT), and a whole lot of different Nutraceuticals. And I am feeling more like myself again. I hope you get yours all figured out.
Most likely, it was Helicobacter pylori, as it causes all that you listed. I had the same issues. I treated it and then started supplementing hormones. If you get symptomatic again, look into that. Dr. Lam teaches not to supplement before figuring out the root cause first.
Quad therapy (which is Tetracycline, Metronidazole, Omeprazole, and Pepto-Bismol liquid) for 14 days is the best way to treat H Pylori. It has the highest eradication rate and protects the gut from SIBO and C. difficile.
To me, it sounds like Dysautonomia. It can cause brain fog, sleep problems, not being able to relax, etc. Also, look into Ehlers Danlos Syndrome with easy bruising, petechiae, and jaw pain. With bloating, a lot of people have SIBO, so I'd get tested for that. Good luck!
Lyme/MSIDS, which may or may not include toxic mold illness, causes all of these things you mentioned, which I agree she may have.
It can cause all these things, but other conditions can as well. Unfortunately, figuring it out is a challenging part many times. Ehlers Danlos Syndrome can cause all of these, for example.
EDS is often seen with Lyme. EDS is a genetic illness that is often triggered by pathogens.
It definitely can be triggered by pathogens. I have EDS and know a lot about it, but there is much I don't know as well. In my experience, many of my issues have been caused by EDS. Lyme is definitely worth looking into as well!.
You probably need some iodine and selenium for your thyroid and a good adrenal protocol. You might also be taking too many things that stimulate the adrenals, which override and lower the thyroid. Plus, the liver is probably overloaded and can't cleanse.
The first thought is Lyme; I would also get a Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA). I would call Desbio and ask if they can point you to a doctor/practitioner in your area that orders the Lyme protocol regularly. Next thought, is it possible you live in the mold?
Vegan may be cleansing if done right, but if you are not detoxing properly then it might make you feel worse. Long term easier to get nutrients from a plant and animal-based diet. Agree on food sensitivities.
I am saving up for an HTMA! I am going to ask my doctor about testing for Lyme ASAP. I live in a very old house, and we discovered mold in the basement when we moved in but had it taken care of that seven years ago.
Is Candida an issue for you? If yes, get anti-candida supplements. Do not further starve your body. The starving Candida diet also starves your body. Get anti-fungal. Eat a clove of garlic per day, with a teaspoon of coconut oil, for example, to start knocking down Candida. Feel worse first, keep pooping and peeing, then the better days come. Consider enemas as well to purge.
Have you done any detoxes or been to a holistic doctor who does Nutrition Response Testing and can find if you are switched or blocked. If you are, you won't heal. Being blocked or switched can cause anxiety, sleep problems, and exhaustion. Detoxing can unblock you and unswitch you. It is what I did to alleviate my adrenal fatigue, and now I exercise 6 days a week.
No, I haven't had this testing done! How did you detox?
My doctor’s muscle tested me to see what I needed to detox (chemicals, Radiation, and Heavy Metals) and which detox would work best with my body. I detoxed Chemicals, Radiation, heavy metals, chlorine, car exhaust, and food preservatives. These detoxed were done over five years, so I did not do them all at once. Here is how to find a doctor: https://unsinc.info/resources/find-a-clinician/
AdrenaVen and Adaptogen. I've been on these two supplements recommended by my functional medicine practitioner, and they have helped immensely. Also, I've been on an AIP diet for well over a year now. Slowly attempting to tradition to veg/vegan, but I'm not sure if my functional medicine specialist supports it.
But AIP did wonder for me. And like I said, I'm well into my journey with this, GERD, leaky gut, etc. it takes a LONG time to heal. Be patient with yourself, and keep seeking out help!
There is a lot of good advice here. I went through an identical situation – awful menopause at the same time as complete Adrenal Crash. All of my blood tests said I should be healthy, but I was falling apart.
I got the Adrenal Reset Diet book, which was a lifesaver. My doctor put me on Estrogen & Progesterone to reign in the menopause symptoms so I could recover from Adrenal issues.
I followed the book to the letter, and the recovery was slow (2 years), but I am finally fairly normal functioning. Also, consider a 23andMe genetic test to see if any underlying conditions are keeping you from getting better.
MUCH cheaper than testing at a doctor's office but very comprehensive. Found out I have an MTHFR gene mutation that was keeping me from returning to full health. Now I can address it. You also need an excellent naturopathic doctor that you can trust.
Natalia's symptoms are identical to mine. Quick question for you though – how can you take estrogen & progesterone with MTHFR? Or, maybe it's just my type c677T – homozygous that is deterring my doc from prescribing my hormones. I'm absolutely miserable going through this change.
I have the 1298 gene mutation. I had no problem with hormone therapy, and it was a complete lifesaver. Perhaps because of the MTHFR and lower resilience, Menopause was 100% debilitating before I started hormones. I could not function physically or mentally.
You need to check out the book – Thyroid Pharmacist by Dr. Izabella Wentz. Her website is https://thyroidpharmacist.com/ Her second book, Hacking Hashimoto's, just came out a couple of months ago. She also has a ton of info on her website. I did her 12-week hacking Hashimoto's program a couple of years ago, and it was very helpful.
There are some people who can only be diagnosed with a thyroid ultrasound. Their labs look normal, but they do have Hashimoto's and/or hypothyroid. Many of your symptoms are consistent with Hashimoto's.
It sounds like you have multiple autoimmune diseases. Hashimoto's is called the gateway autoimmune because it tends to be the first autoimmune that people get. Sjogren's is when your saliva glands and tear ducts have been attacked. That could account for your dry mouth.
You probably have leaky gut and Epstein Barr Virus. Statistically, nearly everyone has EBV, though it may be dormant in some people and even though you may not have had Mono. Also, a lot of people had it and didn't realize it was mono and just thought it was the flu. You may have other viruses or toxic exposure that were root causes or triggers for autoimmune.
Approx 95% of people with Hashimoto's get atrial fibrillation. A lot of your symptoms are of atrial fibrillation and/or Hashimoto's. There's an overlap in symptoms because some could be symptoms of atrial fibrillation or Hashimoto's. Izabella addresses AF since it's so common among people with Hashimoto's.
There are other resources, but those two are where I'd start. It may feel like you've tried everything. The problem is that the things you've tried haven't been the right ones. I'm not saying it's your fault. It's just that it feels like you've done everything when in reality, you haven't.
I'd start following an AIP (autoimmune protocol) and also gut-healing protocol. Gut healing protocol = eliminate all food intolerances, which is usually accomplished with the AIP diet. Alternatively, you can do a blood test for food intolerances and only remove what you need. Take a really good probiotic daily – high quality, not what you find in Costco or Walmart. At least 50 billion strains. Drink bone broth daily. Take 4-5 g — L-Glutamine powder in water or a beverage daily.
If a Dr is treating you, I think you need a new one. They are wasting your time and money testing for stuff that doesn't need to be tested, and not checking for things you should be (like viruses, parasites, heavy metals, thyroid ultrasound, etc.)
For me, it was zinc deficiency. Zinc controls a lot of things, from gut health to hormones to hair growth and connective tissue and muscles. I also took the iodine. The combination is making my hair grow back. Also, support your liver as everything goes through your liver, so it needs extra loving, especially if you have already been taking lots of other supplements. My doctor has put me on a type of volcanic ash that removes any nasties from the digestive tract.
What kind of iodine do you take? I noticed when I added back iodized salt, it helped me a lot, and my breast cysts are much better.
It's by name Idoral. I started off with a lower dose and worked up to one tablet a day. Maybe start with half a tablet.
I can totally relate, I've been going through eerily similar symptoms, and it is incredibly overwhelming. Absolutely exhausting, and I'm so sorry! Especially feel you with the hair loss, it's been more devastating than I ever thought. But I can't say I ever imagined it would happen, especially like this – sudden and without a "simple" diagnosis/treatment. ?
My advice and what I'm working on that I don't see if you have yet are nutrients. I don't know all the fancy lingo like most here I'm noticing. Still, after checking minerals, it turns out my system is depleted, so I'm taking supplements, upping protein (using protein powder as well), and follow an autoimmune paleo diet to get my nutrition back on track.
Nutrition and gut health is what I'd suggest looking into next. Leaky gut, SIBO, heck if I know lol, but I'm working on being able to digest everything better. Also might be a good idea to check out how your liver is doing.
I wish I could be of more help, but I'm right there with you still trying and keeping the hope, staying positive! Be kind to yourself, and make sure to practice self-care every day to keep your stress minimal. Meditation, breathing exercises, practicing mindfulness, and sleep meditation have been helpful for me. Take care ❤
Thank you! ❤️
I am still working on the self-care part; it's hard when self-esteem is at a low point. I'm about ready to shop for wigs; my hair is getting so bad. I am going to save up for the hair mineral test and look into the leaky gut.
Test for Lyme Disease through Igenex Laboratory in California! It is the most accurate testing for Lyme in the country. Call them, and they will send you a test kit. Have your doctor sign off on the papers and get your blood drawn at your local hospital. Then send back to Igenex!
Find a Lyme literate doctor and have your tears interpreted! Sounds to me like possible chronic Lyme Disease! I have pretty much the same things you listed and ultimately found out I have Lyme disease. I also recently found an expert nurse practitioner in the Pittsburgh area who specialized in the hypothalamus, pituitary, adrenal, and thyroid hormone issues! Finally, someone who knows what they are doing!
To treat Lyme, I am doing herbals mostly, colloidal silver, infra-red sauna, therapeutic massage, and lymphatic drainage, and many supplements for the support. When I am able to financially, I need to do other treatment methods such as LDI, ozone therapy, Rife, etc.
My hair would come out in clumps, just running my fingers through my hair. The new doctor I started seeing put me on NatureThroid & has retested me & upped the dosage every six weeks. About a month ago, I suddenly realized my hair wasn't coming out anymore, so I wasn't getting wads of hair out of my hairbrush every day.
Before I was diagnosed years ago, I always tested normal, even though my doctor & I felt like I probably had thyroid issues & he was going to put me on a low dose of medicine anyhow & about that time, I started testing low. I've heard that people with Fibromyalgia often test normal when they're not & I have that too.
Maybe you have histamine intolerance? I had some of your issues before I knew about mine! Eating less histamine containing foods, be aware that things like smoking (I never smoked, but just be near smoking people is enough) or heavy smells or bad air, in general, make me sick/angry/irritated.
Vitamin-B protocol helped me a lot. But you have to take the active forms and only some of them.
I myself have 2 1/2 years of similar symptoms plus a loud heartbeat and racing heartbeat. I started the 'Medical Medium diet' by Anthony William three months ago and seeing a slow positive change. Still a challenge, one day feel better, the next back to square one! But I am holding on the one day feeling better! He did say it can take some people up to a year or more to heal! I would give it a try! Know you are not alone!
I have 90% of your symptoms for over 20 years now. Didn't read all the posts, but regarding the hair falling out, I see you take iron AND Vit C. I'd be sure to run an iron panel: TIBC, serum ferritin, and % of saturation before I'd take any iron supplements.
Iron overload can cause a myriad of symptoms, including hair loss, and we need very little iron. I have homozygous mutations for hemochromatosis and a gene that helps your body discard extra iron. I am trying right now to get the proper testing done as we have high iron in our water also. My hair has been coming out in clumps for a year now. Like me, I am sure you have other issues, but too much iron is worth checking out.