Vulnerable..?

[Gary1310]

Feeling weak and vulnerable and decided to cancel a month at the beach. I am at 3 mg for November. Tapering at 1mg per month. I am doing well but have this vague feeling of weakness. Not me....I am a take charge kinda person. Hope to feel stronger next month for the trip. I just need the security of my home, now. Hate feeling vulnerable!........is this normal?

[Hidden]

Good luck! Fingers crossed for you! Ooooo, sorry about beach trip... maybe that is just what the doctor would have ordered????

How long have you been at 3mg? I have never been as low as 3 mg but reducing by 1mg a months (at that low a level) sounds like a LOT! Even at 10mg I was reducing by I'm sure the experts will comment soon.

[Hidden]

Hi Gary1310, you are certainly in that adrenal region and have got there quickly. I hope you feel better. Check this fatigue assessment scale out. It's more to help you think. It won't link to score. But sometimes we are more fatigued than we think.

wasog.org/dynamic/media/78/...

[Thelmarina in reply to Hidden]

I did it but didn’t understand what the acronym I was given, meant! Is this a sign? 😱

[SnazzyD]

Hello. I think you’re reducing faster than your adrenal glands can keep up with. At this point they need to make up the shortfall and often they can’t do this 100% of the time. So yes, you are thinking what your body is probably feeling in that you are vulnerable if you don’t have enough of that life saving hormone. 1mg per month would have floored me and it was quite enough doing 0.5mg per 12 weeks. It is worth asking for a Synacthen test to see if your adrenals are capable of working but are just being slow to wake up or whether they can't switch on at all.

It’s worth reading this but start from the secondary adrenal insufficiency heading and look for signs of adrenal crisis so that you recognise it if some physical event you have is too overwhelming for your current output of cortisol and you need medical hlep.

nhs.uk/conditions/addisons-...

[Gary1310]

Thank you...🌷.. I think you are right. I do have a benign tumor in each Adrenal. Poor little glands are probably exhausted trying to keep up.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Gary1310]

Ease off... and if necessary go back up to 5mg - you have reduced very quickly.

Just plenty of rest, and forget about the reducing for a while. This is one illness you can't take complete charge of! much as you'd like to.

[Gary1310]

Thank you...🌷

[SheffieldJane]

Of course it is normal! I think that saying no, you’re not up for something is quite empowering. We should do it more often, ladies in particular, take note.

[Gary1310]

Thank you🌷

[whitefishbay]

Oh a month at the beach is probably just what you need to recharge. I wish. I am @ 3/2.5mg too.

[Gary1310]

Kept my reservation for Jan, Feb, Mar. I am terrified of ice. Will check my symptoms before I head south. Do not want a health crisis so far from home...I go solo. I have friends down there but....there is no place like home in a crisis.

[OutdoorsyGal]

Keep in mind that warmth is good for pain and stiffness, and if you have access to a warm swimming pool or hot tub, waste no time in going on your holiday. Wearing less clothes is freeing too.

[Gary1310 in reply to OutdoorsyGal]

Thanks for the encouragement..🌷

[OutdoorsyGal in reply to Gary1310]

I have mentioned elsewhere that a foam pool “noodle” provides enough extra buoyancy to make water exercise/swimming a joy, rather than a chore. Hope it works for you, too.