Adrenal supplement for heart?

[oozlumbird]

Hi folks. I read somewhere (I think it might have been Stop the Thyroid Madness) that if your heart goes like the clappers on thyroid meds it's wise to sort out any adrenal problems first. Having just started on NDT I've had to stop (even though head and energy were much better) because I felt I was about to have a heart attack.

I've been looking at Nutri-Meds:

the-natural-choice.co.uk/Nu...

but not sure which of these adrenal supplements I should try (if any). Any advice?

I had a blood test for cortisol and it was well within range, so I asked both my GP and the private (recommended) endo if they would pay any attention if I did saliva tests, but they both said I could do it if I liked but they would go by the blood test result.

I have been under unbearable stress with family issues, particularly within the last six years (victim of massive fraud, lost business and home, father's death, divorce, and both mother and son with severe mental health problems, in particular mother who has bullied and disinherited me even though I'm her only child... you get the picture), and my therapist is sure that my adrenals must be flaked out...

My heart (in my view) has been very worrying for several years. I often have pain and 'judders' which last for a few seconds and the slightest exercise (eg climbing stairs, or getting up in the night) makes me feel like I've just run a marathon. Docs just check RESTING heartbeat and have given ECG but it's always fine.

I don't want to go back to the doc with this as I've already got him to treat me with B12 when results were 'normal' and he knows I've been to see an endo when my thyroid was 'normal' and now I'd be complaining about my heart when that's 'normal' too. He must think I'm a hypochondriac attention-seeker (I'm not!).

Thanks!

[galathea]

If you dont have adrenal problems. ( check with a 4 point saliva test... A single blood test is not enough). And you are on a decent dose of thyroid meds, then something else may be making your heart go like the clappers.

I cannot tolerate much in the way of carbohydrates, and recently ate a meal with wholegrain rice in it.... Sitting at the table my heart rate reached 116 bpm and my blood sugar rose to 18.

Also a few years ago, i was so bad when i moved.., just a walk to the bottom of my garden left my heart racing, i considered just buying a disability scooter. Turned out i have asthma exacerbated by grass and weeds, and the fast heart rate was because i had no oxygen. Asthma means you can breathe in ok, but not really out.

Dont be afraid to keep going back to the doc, if you have a problem which he isnt solving, he is obviously not doing the correct tests. However, i usually get my own tests, and only persue the doctor when i am sure there is a problem.

Xx g

[oozlumbird in reply to galathea]

Thanks Galathea. Crumbs, it's amazing how our bodies hijack us! I don't think mine is asthma as it's not really a problem in breathing out, just breathlessness in general. Maybe I'll try the saliva test anyway. If the results are definitive the docs may well look at them, despite what they say. Obvs with the GP there's a cost basis to not ordering tests, but with the private endo, when you're paying for all the tests yourself, I'm more inclined to believe them if they say a test isn't worth doing.

[Clutter in reply to oozlumbird]

Oozlumbird, if they are only trained to interpret serum cortisol results and they won't understand 4 x daily saliva cortisol results.

Low iron can cause breathlessness too. Have you had ferritin tested?

[doris59]

I have similar problem. After many years of family stress, I get the rapid heartbeat too. I am taking 100mcg levothyroxine. I had the 24 monitor for heart and the strange beats did show up on this but cardiologist said they are nothing to worry about. Mine start and stop for no particular reason. I don't know if it's linked to long term stress, or if it's got something to do with the thyroid. Strange thing is, I don't get this every day, it just starts out of the blue and is not linked to physical activity. I also have a doc who probably thinks I'm a hypochondriac. Dee

[oozlumbird in reply to doris59]

Thanks Dee. I'm sorry you're going through the same thing. Yes, mine comes at odd moments too, even when at complete rest. I can only describe it as being like a pigeon taking off in my chest! I've now not had any NDT for two days an my heart still doesn't feel right. Definite drop in energy and mood though.

[Nikki28]

Hi. I too would recommend that you do the adrenal stress test. I did mine through Genova a few months ago and none were our of range but were at the bottom. I see an integrative doctor who also found issues with my gut and liver so I started treatment for these alongside starting on Armour Thyroid. He said that once the gut and thyroid were supported that adrenal function would improve. I got to 2.5 grains of Armour then started showing signs of over medication so I dropped back to 1.5 and then crashed. My doctor now says I can take Nutri Adrenal Extra to support my adrenal so that I can increase my Armour again. Sorry for the long post but just wanted to explain how my adrenal function(or lack of it) impacts on my NDT. Buy, I had the short Synacthen test done and the results were perfect so it means nothing when talking about adrenal fatigue.

[oozlumbird in reply to Nikki28]

Hi Nikki. Many thanks – that's really useful. Would it do any harm to skip the test and just take the Nutri Adrenal Extra – i.e., can it do any harm if my adrenals are actually okay? Hope that's not a stoopid question...

Whereabouts are you, btw? I was looking for an integrative doctor a while ago but the ones I found sounded a bit odd. I'm in the South Oxfordshire/West Berkshire area but happy to travel anywhere that's train-able.

[Nikki28 in reply to oozlumbird]

I think Nutri Adrenal Extra is for treating low cortisol so you may do more harm than good by taking it if your cortisol is normal/high. I've read that the symptoms of low and high cortisol are similar so doing the test would be safer. I'm in Northern Ireland so I don't think mine would be handy for you. 😊 I think he's the only one we've got which is a shame.

[Nikki28 in reply to Nikki28]

Have a read through this and see if it helps. 😊

thyroidnation.com/overcome-...