How do I know if my Adrenals are not working?

[Matua]

I am down to 3 mgs Prednisone ..had PMR for 3 years..now in a good space...working hard physically and Gym 3-5 times per week..CRP is 4-5...I keep hearing that I have to "wake" my adrenals up? How will I know that they are not "awake"??

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

If they weren’t awake to a certain degree you wouldn’t be able to do what you are without extreme difficulty - and fatigue. But they may not be working at full capacity until at least 12 months after completely finishing Pred.

Sounds as if yours are on the way, and so be pleased.

This from FAQs gives more info -

healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk...

[Matua in reply to DorsetLady]

Thank you

[SnazzyD]

You know they are awake when you get on with your day doing whatever you want to do and you don’t feel exhausted, and have bouts of feeling very weak and feeble, the Weak Wobblies as I call it. It can happen all day or suddenly after something. If you feel ok, that’s great, nothing to worry about.

However, there is still 3mg that your body is still not having to make and you don’t know if there might be a time when you really do something that exceeds your adrenal axis’s ability to cope. This might be any kind of accident or a gym session when you are brewing an illness for example. Until you are off Pred for at least a year, keep some Pred with you just in case when you go out. An adrenal crisis can hit you out of the blue and you might need to pop a mg or 2 and then take it very easy. You’ll know if it happens! Anyway, it’s really great you can do what you are doing without problems. Long may it continue!

[Matua in reply to SnazzyD]

THank you

[piglette]

If your adrenals were not waking up you would be like a zombie, not going to the gym 3-5 times a week.

[Matua in reply to piglette]

Thank you

[Flutterbies57]

How do we wake our adrenals up ? Have you been given any advice on how to do that?

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Flutterbies57]

Have a look at this re adrenals from FAQs-

healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk...

[Flutterbies57 in reply to DorsetLady]

Thank you DorsettLady.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Flutterbies57]

By exposing them to a lower dose of pred than the body would function well on - only lack of corticosteroid in the system does the job.