Pantothenic acid, niacin amide, P5P and vitamin C aid the adrenals, so that may be why it affects your sleep. Take the first two in the morning, 200 mg is the recommended dose though 500 should be ok, in the morning so it doesn’t cause lack of sleep.

Also, magnesium at bed time may help you sleep, two to four grams — too much causes diarrhea.

When there are more hormones, in this case stress hormones, to be broken down by the liver, then the estrogens build up even more.

Lack of sleep is a stressor and so, stress hormones are released. Coffee and alcohol are others stressors that do the same thing.

Without seeing you or getting more information it is hard to say exactly what to do, but here are a couple of possibilities. Instead of B6, take P5P, the enzyme activated form of B6. Add selenium, no more than 400 mcg a day to avoid a toxic overdose, and a gram or so of cysteine, TAS alpha is the best source I’ve found.

With this information can you give an educated guess on what stage my adrenal fatigue may be and what treatment you recommend? I currently am taking B50 complex, vit c 2000+mg, b6, pantethnoic acid (experimenting with dosage for too much seems to keep me awake), fish oil, mag, calc, small amount of potassium, and some homeopathic remedies to support thyroid, adrenals and pineal gland.

Do you have any suggestions?

Thanks!

You provide a lot of information and it looks very specfic and interesting. I will try what you suggested when I have means to.

I am 59. I have had adrenal exhaustion nearly all my life, along with a very serious systemic candida til about 4 years ago, and very severe fibromyalgia since 1977.

In 1971 I virtually stopped sleeping. I think this has been causal in the fibromyalgia, which developed 6 years later.

I now have a costant condition of nearly always sleeping for less than 8 hours-even with drugs it’s often as little as 2 hours or staying awake all night. If I get 8+ hours of sleep I am pain-free. It rarely happens. I take a lot of things just to sleep.

I know adrenal exhaustion is the key. However, despite having a good diet except when I can’t afford it, I am so weak from fibromyalgia that have had to keep using caffeine in order to do any activity. Lately, I had terrble stress and found that vodka worked better. I take b-vitamins and C. I often cannot do all the protocols in recommended amounts as it’s expensive.

When I did have excellent nutrition it was not enough to change the problem one bit. I knoe the adrenal stimulants I have to use except the rare times I’ve slept enough are the problem. I hope the adrenal complex will help me. I’ll get it when I can. (the store bought kind and some I’ve been prescribed did nothing)

It sounds bad, but when you are in agony and you cannot get up and walk across the room or even breathe without a painkiller, what can you do?
I actually tried heroin many years ago, but it does not work for fibro-thank goodness! Alcohol often reduces the pain by up to 50% and nothing else works.
The thought of the state of my liver is scary.
The real problem is the insomnia/fibromyalgia visious cycle.

If you get time I’d be interested in any comment you have or protocols you suggest.

In your case I would say that brain chemistry is one of the most important things to deal with. It is this imbalance that causes people to lose control of their eating habits. And, if there is rapid weight loss the issue can be intensified due to the lack of nutrients needed for brain chemicals.

The only supplement that you mention that can cause some damage is the adrenal cortex, and then only if you over do it.

I have watched myself gain 80lbs back after losing 80 in 2007. Now I have been working with a whole team of doctors, and endo, a cardio, a PCP, a Gyno and Neuro etc. Now I have other endocrine issues, including PCOS and an 8mm pit. tumor-status unknown as far as secretions go. I have been tested a lot, but I have been unhappy with my doctors interpretation of the tests and lack of proactivity. I have supected cushings, carcinoid, and my thyroid has been all over the place lately. i have been on 25mcg levoxyl since january (10mo) and the last 3 tests TSH has been 1.7, 2.3 and last week was 5.1. I did not know that adrenal fatigue is a guaranteed hypothyroid ticket. More recently I have been addicted to junk food with no nutritional value, cakes cookies chip and candy bars. and I know this is the worst thing for me, but it is hard to stop when eating them is what makes me want more. I did the pupil exam, and my pupils do constrict at first, but then they kind of struggle to stay constricted, they will dialate some and then try to return again. I have experinced every symptoms on your list at one time or another and many of them I suffer with daily. I have become irratable and totally antisocial. I suffer with major appetite issues, usually extreme hunger but I have times where food has no appeal to me. I times of have extreme fatigue where I cannot even move, and other times I am up into the wee hours of the night (3-4am) l am particularly disturbed with my attitude towards life recently. I have always been a give it my all very enthusiastic straight A student, neurotic about getting assignments done on time. and lately I am getting to class late, missing assignments, all the time knowing I “should” be caring but wondering why I don’t. In the past year I have suffered with tachycardia, hypertension, hypotension, diaherrea, constipation, fluctuating blood sugar, memory problems, worsening allergies (esp. respitory), irregular periods (BC has always taken care of that) anxiety The problem for me with getting a sure dxh tachycardia, hypertension, hypotension, diaherrea, constipation, fluctuating blood sugar, memory problems, worsening allergies (esp. respitory), irregular periods (BC has always taken care of that), bad PMS, worsening light sensitivity, and most recently digestive issues, gas, bloating, cramps and I even had 2 burps that tasted of feces…that was really disturbing,The problem for me lies with getting a sure dx. first of all, in a fit of rage about lack of a dx and my endos reluctance to recognize adrenal fatigue as a condition, I sent an angry email to her telling her she was off my case. I cannot belive I did that and have not had the courage yet to form an apology and ask for her to take me back. I have an appointment with a new endo in February, but now in the meantime I have no endo. I shot myself in the foot, and I know better than to write emails when I am angry, becuase I say things I regret. So my point is, although she would not recognize adrenal fatuigue as a dx, now I cannot ask her to order tests and I cannot afford to get them online. I hate my PCP. I transferred from peds late and have only seen her twice, but I do not like her attitude and am going to switch, but in the meantime she doesnt belive a word I say. I know that MD’s will refuse to recognize adrenal issues unless you have cushings or addisons, but it is so frusterating, becuase adrenal fatigue BECOMES addisons if not treated.I have a long history of high carb (good and bad carbs) and low protein dieting, I eat so much bread, crackers, pasta, rice, potatoes, oatmeal, oatbran..(if it is a carb I will eat it)..I am not a big red meat fan, fish is I will take it or leave it, chicken I like but I will usually just end up reaching for a carb. a lot of them are good carbs but still carbs. the more carbs I eat, the more protein packed foods and veggies seem to turn me off. I have been trying to get a lot more protein into my diet and reduce carbs, but I cant jump into it all at once. (yesterday I actually ate 100g of protein, that was HUGE for me), so I am really trying on my diet, the the junk cravings have not gone away yet..hoping that will happen. I read your supplement list, and purchase the following: adrenal cortex, P5P, niaminicide, tyrosine, siberean ginsing, licorice root, and gynema. I also take a small dose a chromium (1/2 of a 250mcg tab) my question to you, is it safe to start these without “lab evidence” of adrenal fatigue and just a strong gut feeling? I fiugred I know my body EXTREMELY well and the way I figure it is if I start them and start feeling worse or no better, i can always stop, and if I feel better that that was probably the issue. I have been living a miserable life for a year with no answers, this is the thing that has made the most sense all long, esp. considering my high carb lifestyle and my thyroid issues. So if I start the supplements and this happens to not actually be the issue, CAN I HURT/ DAMAGE ANYTHING OR MAKE ANYTHING WORSE??? sorry for the long post, but I am really excited becuase for the first time, I really think I have it here…I am also kind of lonely…forums have been very good for my recently antisocial attitude…it is sad b/c I am 23 and should be having the time of my life clubbin, paryting doing things that other people my age do..but hopefully someday I will get there!!! thanks for your help/advice in advance! hope to hear from you soon.

Sleep apnea is often caused by weak adrenal glands too. Also, the thyroid goes down when the adrenals are down. And, there are many other reasons for hypothyroid besides the thyroid not functioning correctly.

Not able to lose weigh when you cut your calories down that far almost has to be liver metabolic detox. You can find information about that here: http://selfadjustingtechnique.com/detoxification/how-the-liver-handles-toxins-and-what-you-can-do-to-help-it/

My first guess for supplement needs for you would be: Selenium 400 mcg/D, magnesium 3-4 grams at bedtime, P5P (pyrodoxyl 5 phosphate) two twice a day and probably something else for glutathione production per that article.

And, you need to look into possible toxicity issues and infections.

I wonder if you could answer a few questions for me – I’m unemployed and uninsured at this point in my life (NOT a happy place) – was thinking of taking funds out of a retirement plan (which probably isn’t the best idea) to go to yet another doctor. I really hesitate because I’m sure I’m going to get the same runaround that I’ve gotten over the past 10 years.

For the past 10 years, I’ve had severe problems with ‘excessive daytime sleepiness’ – had sleep studies, wear a CPAP, etc. yet the ‘excessive sleepiness’ has failed to resolve (the CPAP has helped with the apneas though) – been prescribed amphetamines (which helped some) but I stopped taking them because the result of them wearing off was 10x worse than just being tired all the time…

I have steadily gained weight year after year, but haven’t significantly changed my diet – made attempts at losing weight over those years with minimal success.

When I got laid off last September I decided to make a concerted effort to lose weight. At the time I was 325 lbs. Joined a gym, started eating ‘right’ and exercising religiously (and HARD) – sometimes for up to 3 hours a day (but mostly 1-2 hours a day).

7 months later, I have managed to lose a grand total of 20 lbs. I have tried Weight Watchers (gained weight); low LOW carb eating plans (lost no weight) and my own reducing calorie intake programs – from 1800/day for a month or so, downward from there to 1500/day, etc. I am able to lose weight at 800 calories a day, but this is no place to be! I don’t eat a lot of carbs – can’t remember the last time I had bread, rice, pasta, etc. and mostly eat strawberries as fruit. I do eat animal protein and lots of veggies (broccoli, tomatoes, salads (spinach), zucchini, mushrooms, etc.)

I have a LOT of the symptoms of hypothyroid (fatigue, high blood pressure, LOW heart rate (Resting @53), low body temp, brain fog, etc. you name it, if its a symptom of hypothyroid I probably have it (no eyebrow loss though!). My blood work does not support a diagnosis of hypothyroid (latest TSH @ 2.85; Free T41.15; Free T3 @ 2.7).

I did the pupil test, but I thought that the pupils closed rather rapidly (though they never got REAL small). My long-winded question – would the adrenal fatigue explain the lack of weight loss? I’m getting really REALLY frustrated – to the point where I haven’t gone to the gym this week at ALL – I figure ‘what’s the point’ – it seems as though its nothing but a waste of an hour – I’m at my wits end!

I can’t say that I’m feeling very stressed out – while I AM unemployed I am collecting unemployment (for the time being anyway) and the job I got laid off from was FAR more stressful than simply worrying about not having enough money (I worked for a guy who was seriously mentally disturbed – so when I got my pink slip, I about fell over myself trying to get out of the building before he changed his mind).

Any suggestions would be most appreciated! I am DESPERATE to lose weight and its just not happening!

I hope things are going well with your new home and that the move went well!

I wanted to follow up about the protocol i’ve been on for my Phase III Adrenal Exhaustion. As you suggested I took the Adrenal Dessicated for the week and have been on Tribulus for 2.5 weeks, 5 per day. I have certainly noticed a feeling of being more “alive” and my symptoms of having to “go” urgently and / or vomitting have subsided.
I am hoping you can let me know how long to take the Tribulus for and when / what to change too after that. If you think a phone call may be better please let me know what time works for you (EST).

Also, I was wondering if you would be able to recommend any good healers in the northeast. Mainly for my cousin who has been deathly ill; you had mentioned it was a likely toxicity issue but I believe we talked just before your move.

I hope all is well and, of course, thanks again!

Jeff