trinityroyal
Well-Known Member
As requested (in Beth's post), here is some more information about adrenal fatigue:
http://www.womenshealthnetwork.com/adrenalfatigue/default.aspx
http://naturopathconnect.com/articles/adrenal-fatigue-syndrome/
Many of us CD parents are under so much stress all the time that our bodies don't have the chance to regroup, and recover from it.
From the newstarget site:
Diagnosing (and misdiagnosing) adrenal fatigue
To make matters worse, doctors often don't diagnose this problem. Dr. Wilson offers the example of a woman who has been to 37 doctors before finally receiving proper diagnosis and a renewed sense of hope. So, why don't doctors recognize adrenal fatigue? In medical school, they are only taught to look for extreme adrenal malfunction -- Addison's Disease, which occurs when the glands produce far too little cortisol, and Cushing's Syndrome, which stems from excessive cortisol production. They check adrenal function by testing ACTH levels, using a bell curve to recognize abnormal levels. This is where the problem occurs. ACTH tests only consider the top and bottom 2 percent of the curve abnormal, yet symptoms of adrenal malfunction occur after 15 percent of the mean on both sides of the curve. In other words, your adrenal glands can be functioning 20 percent below the mean and the rest of your body experiencing symptoms of adrenal fatigue, yet most mainstream physicians won't recognize that you have a problem.
Fortunately, there are ways you can test yourself for adrenal fatigue. To start off, go ahead and "check off" the symptoms you have been experiencing.
Symptoms of adrenal fatigue:
* Morning fatigue -- You don't really seem to "wake up" until 10 a.m., even if you've been awake since 7 a.m.
* Afternoon "low" (feelings of sleepiness or clouded thinking) from 2 to 4 p.m.
* Burst of energy at 6 p.m. -- You finally feel better from your afternoon lull.
* Sleepiness at 9 to 10 p.m. -- However, you resist going to sleep.
* "Second wind" at 11 p.m. that lasts until about 1 a.m., when you finally go to sleep.
* Cravings for foods high in salt and fat
* Increased PMS or menopausal symptoms
* Mild depression
* Lack of energy
* Decreased ability to handle stress
* Muscular weakness
* Increased allergies
* Lightheadedness when getting up from a sitting or laying down position
* Decreased sex drive
* Frequent sighing
* Inability to handle foods high in potassium or carbohydrates unless they're combined with fats and protein
In addition to noticing these symptoms in yourself, you can objectively check for adrenal fatigue by using the following three tests:
1. Ragland's sign (blood pressure test) -- (Equipment required: Home blood pressure kit) Take your blood pressure while sitting down. Then, stand up and immediately take your blood pressure again. Your systolic (first) number should have raised 8 to 10 mm. If it dropped, you probably have adrenal fatigue.
2. Pupil dilation exam -- (Equipment required: Flashlight and a mirror) Look into the mirror and shine the flashlight into the pupil of one eye. It should contract. If after 30 seconds, it stays the same or, even worse, dilates, you most likely have adrenal fatigue.
3. Pain when pressing on adrenal glands (located over kidneys)
http://www.womenshealthnetwork.com/adrenalfatigue/default.aspx
http://naturopathconnect.com/articles/adrenal-fatigue-syndrome/
Many of us CD parents are under so much stress all the time that our bodies don't have the chance to regroup, and recover from it.
From the newstarget site:
Diagnosing (and misdiagnosing) adrenal fatigue
To make matters worse, doctors often don't diagnose this problem. Dr. Wilson offers the example of a woman who has been to 37 doctors before finally receiving proper diagnosis and a renewed sense of hope. So, why don't doctors recognize adrenal fatigue? In medical school, they are only taught to look for extreme adrenal malfunction -- Addison's Disease, which occurs when the glands produce far too little cortisol, and Cushing's Syndrome, which stems from excessive cortisol production. They check adrenal function by testing ACTH levels, using a bell curve to recognize abnormal levels. This is where the problem occurs. ACTH tests only consider the top and bottom 2 percent of the curve abnormal, yet symptoms of adrenal malfunction occur after 15 percent of the mean on both sides of the curve. In other words, your adrenal glands can be functioning 20 percent below the mean and the rest of your body experiencing symptoms of adrenal fatigue, yet most mainstream physicians won't recognize that you have a problem.
Fortunately, there are ways you can test yourself for adrenal fatigue. To start off, go ahead and "check off" the symptoms you have been experiencing.
Symptoms of adrenal fatigue:
* Morning fatigue -- You don't really seem to "wake up" until 10 a.m., even if you've been awake since 7 a.m.
* Afternoon "low" (feelings of sleepiness or clouded thinking) from 2 to 4 p.m.
* Burst of energy at 6 p.m. -- You finally feel better from your afternoon lull.
* Sleepiness at 9 to 10 p.m. -- However, you resist going to sleep.
* "Second wind" at 11 p.m. that lasts until about 1 a.m., when you finally go to sleep.
* Cravings for foods high in salt and fat
* Increased PMS or menopausal symptoms
* Mild depression
* Lack of energy
* Decreased ability to handle stress
* Muscular weakness
* Increased allergies
* Lightheadedness when getting up from a sitting or laying down position
* Decreased sex drive
* Frequent sighing
* Inability to handle foods high in potassium or carbohydrates unless they're combined with fats and protein
In addition to noticing these symptoms in yourself, you can objectively check for adrenal fatigue by using the following three tests:
1. Ragland's sign (blood pressure test) -- (Equipment required: Home blood pressure kit) Take your blood pressure while sitting down. Then, stand up and immediately take your blood pressure again. Your systolic (first) number should have raised 8 to 10 mm. If it dropped, you probably have adrenal fatigue.
2. Pupil dilation exam -- (Equipment required: Flashlight and a mirror) Look into the mirror and shine the flashlight into the pupil of one eye. It should contract. If after 30 seconds, it stays the same or, even worse, dilates, you most likely have adrenal fatigue.
3. Pain when pressing on adrenal glands (located over kidneys)
