adrenal episode or herx?

If it were my guess, I don't think that the two are really related, but seperate issues. That pin prick rash can be a co-infection, or from a medicine. The key thing for me with adrenals ( I was in stage 3) was the exhaustion. It was so difficult just to lift my arm. Exercise exhausted me. I crashed. And usually for more than just that day, usually the next day too. However, this is just my account. Adrenals levels have a lot to do with things. Have you had your cortisol levels tested?

I take ADR by Pure Encapsulations, (vitamin), that has really helped my adrenals tremendously. I was able to get off my script.

Are you on anything to treat the low cortisol? My doctor put me on hydrocortisol and it helped a lot. If you have low cortisol levels though, you have adrenal insufficiency. There is something called adrenal crisis, which can be fatal if not taken care of properly. Adrenals must be taken care of, and lyme disease is much more managable when adrenals are tended to. Suddenly, that feeling of exhaustion isn't so debilitating. There are many other smptoms that come along with low cortisol levels, that you may be blaming the lyme for.

Remember adrenal level first rise and then they drop. Raising your cortisol levels will prevent that, although if a doctor prescribes too much then it can cause your body to deactivate the process in your body and getting off the meds can take a long time. There are a few things you can take and do to help your adrenals without meds.

No sugar, caffeine, or refined carbs, grains and starches tax the adrenals when consumed in excess. Replace processed salt with sea salt, be in bed sleeping by 10:30

The following herbs: 3 weeks after taking these herbs, my cortisol levels were increasing and I started decreasing the cortisol prscription.
1. Licorice Root
2. Ashwagandha
3. Siberian ginseng aka Eleutherococcus senticosus
4. Maca

Also ginger root and Ginkgo Leaf are great to take during stressful times.

In addition to the above mentioned herbs, I also take ADR formula, which does have some of the herbs and others. I would say it is the ADR and Licorice which my body depends on the most. Licorice Root is also excellent for the thyroid. I am on Armor for hypothyroid, and I have been able to lower my dose due to Licorice. It is stated to take Licorice for 6 weeks and then take a break or it may cause thyroid to be hyper (if already closer to the higher side). Although I have been on it for nearly a year and it works excellent for me without stopping it at all since I have hypothyroidism.

Hope this helps. Honestly, I can't urge you enough to get the ADR. It has been my saving grace.

Samantha

I take the licorice root - glycyrrhiza glabra - 450 mg. I actually take the one by the Vitamin Shoppe brand - I found it to be better and more effective than the big name pricey brands. Make sure you don't get the one that has DGL, you will find it in parenthesis on the bottle. I don't remember what it is, but the part that helps the adrenals is removed and thus utterly useless for us. I would also recommend the Siberian ginseng aka Eleutherococcus senticosus. That one is also by the Vitamin Shoppe. But the ADR by Pure, the are more expensive, really great vitamin brand.. maybe one of the best in my opinion and covers so many remedies for the adrenals. I am really happy you are going with that one. If I had to choose just one, that would be it.

Remember when you start these to give yourself 3 days before introducing a new one into your diet, just in case something doesn't agree with you, you won't have to stop all and start all over again. I find it doesn't matter if I take them with or without food.

You have the right idea, that treating the adrenals is crucial. You will find some of the brain fog clears up, as well as some of the fatigue, pain (especially by the kidneys), thyroid stablizes (mine used to go up and down all the time), as well as numerous other symptoms. And it's a lot easier to deal with this debilitating disease when we start fixing some of the other things it is damaging. Let me know if you have any other questions, and let me know how the vitamins go for you!

Sincerely,
Samantha

In my case, when I went into crisis, I was in the hospital. I believe if you go into crisis, you need to be in the hospital or the situation is fatal. That's what was happening to me. But I was very aware that I needed to be in the hospital.

I never had a shot at home either... of course I am also allergic to bees and I dont have a shot at home for that either.

I don't know of anything other than the shot that helps during a crisis. Although, I believe your episode was due to your walk. You need to fix your adrenals before you exercise. The symptoms you had were similar to mine when I over exerted myself. Adrenal crisis was a whole different bowl of wax. It made those other symptoms seem like a walk in the park (excuse the pun). Adrenal crisis would occur if your body went into sudden trauma, severe car accident, emergency surgery (usually something along that line). Exercise or over exertion won't do it. It will just make you feel horrible. If you were in adrena crisis, you woulnd't have the energy to take a walk. My adrenals were so low that I was sleeping 18 - 20 hours a day, bedridden, and so exhausted that I couldn't life my arm to reach my drink.

I would suggest you take it easy until these herbs start to help your system, and maybe get your levels taken in a month or so.

Let me know how they work for you or if they don't, maybe I can make some other suggestions. Keep me informed!! And feel free to ask anything..

That may have been adrenal crisis then... I was under the impression that you exercised too much, just over did it a little. I apologize for my misunderstanding! I dont know where my head was. Sometimes I just get a bit confused.

But in that case. You may have had an adrenal crisis. I lost a considerable amount of weight too and it was after trauma. You are very lucky it didn't go much worse for you (not that there was anything lucky about the situation) I just mean an adrenal crisis can be fatal!

A piece of advice, if ever you feel something like that coming on, be sure to inform them that you have adrenal insufficiency. Someone with adrenal insufficiency can go into crisis if they go into surgery without a cortisol shot. Even dental work an be very severe and taxing on the adrenals. You should only do one tooth at a time and detox before and after. Also, much better to get your dental work done in the morning, adrenals are more depleting and less resistant in the evening. Make sure your dentist i also aware of your adrenal insufficiency and make sure they understand the complications that may surround the situation. My dentist wants to see my levels and wants a letter from my doctor okaying me for work.

"Ginger Root and Ginkgo Leaf (Ginkgo biloba) are two other herbs worth mentioning for their beneficial effects during stressful times. Ginger is another adaptogen for the adrenals that helps modulate cortisol levels. Gingko is a powerful anti-oxidant that helps protect the adrenal glands, the brain and the liver from inflammation and free radical damage that occurs during stress." I take these as well, especially during times of stress, along with meditation and stretching.

I am very happy I could help. Once again apologize for not understanding the big picture. Let me know on your progress so maybe we can come up with something else if it doesn't work for you. But it did for me, would be great if it does for you!

Wish I would have seen this thread earlier! I too take an adrenal supplement from Pure Encapsulations, only the name of this 'supplement' is just 'Adrenal' and it contains whole adrenal & adrenal cortex only.

I was using a homeopathic remedy that supported adrenal function, but had no actual adrenal in it and I started to crash two separate times, so I sought out this one that I'm now taking.

Sam, can I ask for your input? I also use Gingko Bilboa and ginger root- although they were added in for other purposes.

Thanks so much, Sam!! The only thing I'm not already using is the Eleutherococcus (Siberian Ginseng), but I'll be asking my doc about adding it. I take licorice, white peony and peppermint to control intestinal cramps!! LOL!! The funniest thing is it works better than any pharmaceutical I've ever used!

I wonder if I need to up my dose of ginger and doc has me taking the Ginko Bilboa for brain recovery from my Lyme infection, but I think I'll be asking her about raising that as well. I've had some extra issues (going into the beginning of an Adrenal crash) twice in the last year and have wondered what more I can do to prevent/recover from this. Resting extra is kind of out the question right now!! LOL!

Although I lost my female parts a long time ago (thanks Lyme disease!), I've got very few female hormonal issues....and believe me, being fertile isn't something I want at this stage in my life even if I had the parts!! Giggle!!

Thanks so much for your help!!

With what I've learned about adrenals, due to my own need to supplement, blood tests can't accurately tell you if your adrenals are producing the proper amount of cortisol throughout the day and neither can a one time saliva collection. You need to have 3 or more saliva collections per test to know that.

I would suggest that you start by reading on adrenals. I found this site to be incredibly helpful, although I read quite a few other sites as well: www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/adrenal-info/

If you seem to fit the 'picture' of someone who is having adrenal insufficiency, you can go to your health food store and find an adrenal supplement that you could try for a few weeks to see if you feel better.

I think it took ma a while to feel much difference, but I was doing a temperature graph and could see small changes there due to adding adrenal supplements.