My review of Dr. Wilson's "Adrenal Fatigue The 21st Century Stress Syndrome" became featured July 12, 2008.
Those of you with interest on this subject, feel free to post your comments, recommendations and personal experience with adrenal fatigue.
I have this syndrome that developed co-morbid to my thyroid disease and I take adrenal support supplements that help mine when it flares. Adrenal support vitamins I take on a continued basis, to help keep my adrenals stay healthy.
I'm different about the other supplements I take as-needed because I like to give my adrenals as much opportunity as possible, to function normally on their own. The supplements I only take as needed, are "CortiTrophin" (Glycyrrhizic Acid & Adrenal Glandular powder) and an herbal supplement recommended by my pharmacist "Adreset" (ginseng, rhodiola and cordyceps).
When my adrenal fatigue flares, I see significant improvement with a few days or couple of weeks regimen of these supplements.
Any members out there have advice or experience to share about adrenal fatigue or a comment about Dr. Wilson's book?

Link to review>> http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art57365.asp

I was never officially diagnosed but I definately suffered with adrenal fatigue. In college. It took me about a year to recover and I've learned what triggers my run-down feeling and "flare ups" as you put it.

I highly recommend anyone who thinks they may be suffering from this to do their own research because I had worked with two different doctors who wouldn't listen or help. One just referred me out when the basic tests came back normal seeming and the specialist just said I must be depressed because I was in my early 20's. *wry grin* How's that for stereotyping a diagnosis.

I've never read that book but I'll definately have to check it out.

Blessings, Angela <><

Angela,

Thanks for commenting.

You inspired a new article that I have written and I include medical research article quotes within it that clearly describe "adrenal fatigue", although they do not use this term for it.

The new article "Adrenal Fatigue by Any Other Name"
(will be featured 7-23-08)

Link>> http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art57755.asp

*laughing* Yeah - the second doctor said, "If you were older I would say you have stressed-induced chronic fatigue syndrome but since you're only 20 it must be depression."

Well - if I have all the symptoms of something.....*grin*

Angela <><

It really is amazing, the comments made by some less-informed Doctors.

Here's an interesting quote from a UK website that addresses CFS:

"ME/CFS can occur at any age, even in children as young as seven. The commonest age of onset is between the early twenties and mid forties."

Link> http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/medical_notes/1002458.stm

Jim, you point out in some of your articles that thyroid patients often get the adrenal fatigue. Could you explain why that is?
BTW we continue to enjoy the articles and are the more informatives ones of all we have searched on the net. The audios you've been putting on this forum are amazing and being able to listen using those links is the neatest thing. We're grateful for the info!

jellybean33

Thanks for the kind comments! It's always my goal that information is helpful and safe to share here with fellow thyroid patients.
In my opinion, adrenal fatigue can be triggered by any chronic disease because this places a great deal of extra stress on the body and medical research has shown low cortisol in people who experience chronic or traumatic stressors.
Autoimmune diseases are especially stressful on the body because they cause inflammation and places extra demand on the adrenals because "cortisol" is the body's natural anti-inflammatory. This extra demand to fight inflammation by the adrenals, is part of what fatigues them.
Here are a couple of research article quotes that have found low cortisol (cortical insufficiency) in Hashimoto's patients.

"Isolated ACTH deficiency is a rare cause of secondary adrenocortical insufficiency.
...
In isolated ACTH deficiency, there have been occasional associations with Hashimoto disease which is characterized by the presence of a autoimmune mechanism."

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8254946

"Cortisol and prolactin, which are considered to have an immunomodulatory effect, and selected autoantibodies were determined in Hashimoto's thyroiditis.
...
Patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis exhibited significantly higher prolactin values than did control subjects. In contrast, cortisol levels were lower in Hashimoto's thyroiditis vs. normal state."

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11607877

There are more research articles associating low cortisol and DHEA (adrenal fatigue) with stress related syndromes like CFS, Fibromyalgia and PTSD but there are also some that associate it with Lupus, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Crohn's Disease.

Hi Jim,

Fabulous book!!!!!

I discovered this book about a year ago, and refer to it at least once a week. When I first read Dr. Wilson's book, I couldn't believe that FINALLY someone was speaking to all the nebulous, "under the radar" symptoms I was having. (I also have Hashimoto's). I can't recommend this book HIGHLY enough.

Just as I was getting started on finding out about Hashimoto's, learning more about adrenal fatigue, etc., the breast cancer diagnosis hit, so thyroid and adrenals got shelved temporarily. I'm now starting to get all of that under control, and your site has been very helpful in that regard as well. Thank you!

Thanks Gail for the comments!

Like I have said for several years now, we "adrenal fatigue underground" people have to keep telling what we know about this condition and refer people to great resources like Dr. Wilson's book, until more Dr.s come on board in recognizing this stress syndrome and the treatments that can help it!

Hey Jim ! do you know anything about adrenal tests? Yesterday, I had a fasting acth, serum cortisol level blood test. I don't have the results back yet. I know what I went through with being diagnosed with Hashimoto's and am afraid it will be the same run around for my adrenal function.

My symtpoms are extreme fatigue. I barely get up in the morning. I literally drag myself out of bed and am tired all day. I perk up later in the evening. I feel run down all the time. Feel better with less stressful situations. Tremble under pressure, brain fog.

My thyroid function is currently great. So it can not be that any more. I am just so very frustrated adn don't know where else to turn.

Teresa