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Adrenal Issues: Have to get up in the middle of the night and eat - anyone else have this?

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Posted 2/27/2013 7:24 PM (GMT 0)
Hi all -

Until 3 weeks ago I was doing a bit better - then we had some serious stress at home, and my adrenals went all out of wack again :( I wake up every night - at least once - and have to eat - feels like low blood sugar. Anyone else go through this? How did you solve for it and get your adrenals back in balance? I take thyorid meds and adrenotone, vit c and Ashwaganda for my adrenals

I'm just exhausted from lack of good sleep and need some help.

Thanks.

Julie

 

Posted 2/27/2013 7:40 PM (GMT 0)
Hey Julie,
I absolutely get this.. I totally hate it! It feels so bad to have to eat when you're not even really hungry.
Samantha gave some really good advice on adrenal support to me a couple of weeks ago... Look for the thread "adrenal fatigue or herx?"
I started taking ADR on her recommendation and I think it's helping. The only thing I don't love about it is that it has animal glandular in it -- I'm not going to take it forever, just until I get more stable.
I just discovered that Megafoods has a really great adrenal support vitamin. I love Megafoods because it's very high quality and all food based. It contains all the really great adaptogens for adrenals in a very absorbable form.
Also, you probably know this but thyroid meds are contraindicated in adrenal fatigue. You have to be even more careful about supporting your adrenals when you take thyroid replacement, and if you're adrenals are really not keeping up, your dr might consider backing you off the thyroid replacement a bit.
Posted 2/27/2013 7:47 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you marigold. We tried backing off on my thyroid - but it didn't help :( and without my thyroid meds the wheel REALLY come off the bus - so my doc is helping me support both adrenal and thyroid - but it's not helping yet. This is SO miserable - I was so grateful when I get past this part this summer. I just feel like my blood sugar is not "even" all the time. And if I eat any carbs (even with protein) things get worse. I saw my doc yesterday and he upped my flaygl (metronidizole) thinking that "bugs" might be causing problems in my gut, and making my adrenals work harder.
Posted 2/27/2013 8:41 PM (GMT 0)
Aww Julie, so sorry it's so bad right now! I totally understand about needing the thyroid meds. Here's everything I ever do for my adrenals when it gets super bad, maybe some of it will help?: meditate 20 minutes in the morning first thing, give myself as much time as possible every day to do nothing & write in my journal, stay warm, eliminate all caffeine and other stimulants including starches, eat frequently or better, drink vegetable juice throughout the day, breathing exercises, ADR, megafoods adrenal support, licorice root/licorice root tea, restorative yoga (shoulder stand is actually supposed to be really good for the adrenals), joy & fun, even if that's just a silly movie, sleep even if that means taking a sleep aid.
Posted 2/27/2013 8:48 PM (GMT 0)
Julie I go through the same thing. I had a Larabar and a glass of almonds milk in the middle of the night, I only know that because I found the wrapper and the cup on my beside table when I woke up, lol!

What kind of thyroid meds are you taking? I'm taking generic synthyroid. I've heard Armour is much better, more natural. I can't afford it and my insurance
Doesn't cover it but I wanted to mention this to you in case it helps at all :)

I def have blood sugar issues. My OB was so confused when I was pregnant. They thought I had gestational diabetes but couldn't quite figure it out, it just wasn't adding up. Of course at the time I knew nothing about Lyme disease, and they obviously weren't exploring that option. So frustrating.

Hope you feel better soon.
Posted 2/27/2013 9:08 PM (GMT 0)
Marigiold - Hi - couple questions - What is "ADR"? and can you give me a link to the thread you mentioned: ""adrenal fatigue or herx?" - I don't think I know how to find it.

Lymer - Hi - I take T3 and T4 - the same as you synthroid. I just want this to STOP. I'm so mad at myself for letting the stress add up and get to me and put me back in this place :( And I'm scared the new "upped" dose of metro will create a new set of issues....just scared :(
Posted 2/27/2013 9:18 PM (GMT 0)
Here's the thread... Lot's of good info from Sam, including about ADR..
https://www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=30&m=2622312
Posted 2/28/2013 3:53 AM (GMT 0)
Hey Marigold33,

I am happy to hear that the ADR is working for you. I do so well with that.

Julie61012, definately go to the link marigold posted. I went into adrenal crisis. It was a bad situation. I was placed on meds to stablize my adrenals, but I wanted to get off them. In a few months, I was completely off them from taking the herbs listed on that link. It even helped my thyroid some. I had to cut back on the amount of meds I took...also a great thing.

I highly recommend all the herbs. If I stop taking them for a week, all my adreanl issues start up again, so I remain true to them.
Posted 2/28/2013 4:32 AM (GMT 0)
Julie,

There are several possibilities as to the causes of sugar/energy problems such as you are experiencing:

Sometimes it is Adrenal dysfunction alone. Pituitary or Hypothalamus dysfunction can also be a secondary cause of Adrenal Dysfunction.

In other cases, it is both Adrenal and thyroid. The Adrenals dysregulate, and then the thyroid attempts to take up the slack in normalizing energy production. In this case, if the Adrenal function is normalized, then the thyroid will usually normalize with minimal therapy.

Sometimes it is thyroid function alone that is the culprit.

It takes a very knowledgeable and skilled physician to properly diagnose, and then to skillfully treat the dysfunction(s) in a logically prioritized fashion.

Eleutherococcus is an adaptogen that is well known to help the Adrenal glands to a more balanced regulation status. You don't want to stimulate the adrenals, which may actually serve to dysregulate them even more. Adaptogens serve to balance or normalize glandular function. Eleutherococcus will serve that purpose. We used the extra-strength formulation made by Herb Pharm. There are other adaptagens such as Rhodiola that work very well. My daughter is experiencing "secondary adrenal insufficiency" which is caused by Pituitary or Hypothalamus dysfunction. Dr. J. has prescribed a product made by Biotics Research Corporation called Cytozyme PT/HTP which is a Lamb Pituitary and Hypothalamus Complex. It also contains Superoxide Dismutase. She is also taking low-dose cortisol which takes some of the stress off the glands, so that healing can occur. Ideally she would remove all stressors such as her challenging swim practices, but she doesn't have that luxury.

I have read that the Adrenal Glands contain the highest concentration of Vit. C in the body. It would be advisable to take as much C as you can tolerate- up to bowel tolerance. Also folate supplementation is advisable as well.

Heather used to have strange sugar issues and the need to eat quite frequently. They seem to be less of an issue these days.

Don
Posted 2/28/2013 4:41 AM (GMT 0)
How do you all know about the adrenal issues? Is it something you've been tested for, and of so, by your LLMD? What kind of test is it?
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