Many of you regs know how poorly I have been for the last 8 months to the point of feeling suicidal (and still am). My private Endo (after tests) just put everything down to the fact that I am stressed and if I reduce that, my T3 will go up, my cortisol levels will drop and I will be hunky dory again, but that couldn't be farther from the truth. Just because depression and anxiety is on my records from years ago he auto homed into that. He never even addressed my high antibodies.
I still CANNOT work out why I had about 5 brilliant days over the last bank holiday weekend. Considering how ill I have felt for a good 12hrs EVERY day for the last 8 months, they came completely out of the blue! I had energy, felt brilliant mentally, ate well (for a change), so did some chores and gardening. Then out of the blue (again), after a few of those good days, I went downhill and that is where I have stayed!
The only thing I can think of for going back downhill is that I overdid the chores and gardening after sitting around for so many months and it bumped my cortisol levels back up which I felt were coming down - I am just so frustrated and I want to know why I suddenly felt so amazing for those few days and why I now feel bad again I really thought after 8 months I had turned a corner
I hate taking anything to be honest and when I do I would rather take the minimal dose so not to add to my symptoms BUT I am looking for guidance on what I am currently taking, whether I am should be taking a higher or lower dose of each?
500mg Sainsburys brand slow release vitamin c
Natures Aid Vit B complex (B1 5mg, B2 5mg, Niacin B3 25mg, B6 5mg, Folic Acid 200ug, B12 5ug, B5 5mg, Biotin 75ug)
I found the site below because their supps are magnesium stearate free (which most arn't) but I thought the doses of each might be too high. What do you think?
Swanson Holy Basil Leaf 400mg (just upped to 3 two to 3 times a day)
Fultium D3 800iu 1 twice daily
I do have some Swanson Soy Free sunflower Phosphatidylserine 100mg that I purchased for my adrenals but think I have only tried one. Anyone else tried them which helped reduce their high cortisol levels?
Also purchased some Pukka Wholistic Holy Basil as I wasn't sure the Holy Basil was working. Dosage is 9mg. Haven't tried them yet in case the dose is too high?
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Jefner
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Complex B can push adrenal glands sometimes. So even though in the end adrenal glands need vitamin B's, in very bad situation it might work as a stimulant.
Not sure if you have already tried if any of the supplements causes over stimulation.
I'm a few months new to this site so forgive me if I don't know your history. Like me I have adrenal fatigue and Hashis and I very strongly feel our medicine is in the food we eat! Forgive me but you haven't mentioned any exclusions you have made in your diet?. I gave up gluten, dairy and sugar to heal leaky gut (which Hashis people tend to have) and bring down bodily inflammation (I'm obsessed with eating foods that cool Hashis inflammation!) I take a probiotic nightly. Look up leaky gut associated with Hashis - interesting.
I have found the adaptogen Ashwangadha excellent for both Hashis and adrenals. I buy it in powder form and add it to my morning smoothies. Within the first week of taking it I found my energy levels shot up. I had been told it's very good for adrenals. It has been just over a month now and I have felt a lot better with only one day where I felt like I crashed but I think that was because I had gluten and was very stressed. I also take Bioglan's probiotic Ultra Flora and Vitabiotics 'Brain Function' containing amino acids, HTP-5 and Omega 3 among many others zinc which has cured my brain fog following two years of taking statins (and ???? of having Hashimoto's!!!!).
Selenium I get from eating Brazil nuts daily
I also recently started taking Dr Wilsons Adrenal Rebuilder.
I also take a mega vitamin D dose as prescribed by my Endo of 20,000 per fortnight but I don't feel I need that now we have some sunshine in the uk!! I definitely need it in the winter and was taking that every five days at worst.
I swear by my Ashwagandha and the Brain Function supplement. I'm getting my life back!
Just starting Ashwangadha for high cortisol levels in afternoon and evening and am on 20mcg of T3 for hypo. ?Hashimoto's but suffering from bad anxiety. Did you suffer from that and did you find the Ashwangadha helped?
Have also been gluten free for 2 months now which doesn't seem to make any different and wondered whether I needed the vit/minerals in gluten food?
I suggest you read all you can about the effect of the gut on autoimmune diseases.
Stop The Thyroud Madness - book is very good.
Isabella Wentz (a Hashimoto's sufferer herself) has a great book called Root Cause of Hashimoto's
Also...my favourite..
Follow Dr Mark Hyman and Ragan Chatterjee via social media. Their knowledge and experience with solving inflammatory diseases is vast. Their attitudes are refreshing, enlightening and very positive. Makes you feel like there is a solution to your health problem...and there is! They have inspired me to fight the fight to get better. Stop listening to negative GP's and Endos...they are sole destroying!
I have wentzs book. Suffering so badly today with anxiety. Feeling suicidal again have a skype appt tomos dr david clark in the states, have been watching a lot of his vids on youtube. Hoping he can help me. Just dont want to go on at the moment. Been so poorly for 8 months now, the anxiety is so bad at the moment. I know my cortisol levels have rocketed again, can feel it in my back. Dont think the holy basil is working. Do you have high levels? Do you rest a lot to help get them down? Am so desperate for help. Thought i was improving when i had those 5 good days and now i feel i am back to sq one anxiety is that bad again i can barely eat but managing some fruit smoothie drink
I think...and this is only from my experience and what I have read...if you have Hashis you must stick with gluten free. It takes about six months to get gluten out of your system and to give your gut a chance of healing. Sugar and dairy also cause the gut problems - feeding bad gut bacteria. The inflammation caused by the attack of the immune system on gluten and thyroid makes you feel ill (I fall asleep within 15 mins of eating gluten...it floors me!). Inflammation is not always obvious to us Hashis sufferers but it affects our all internals. I add turmeric, fresh ginger where I can to dumb inflammation. Maca Powder is also a supplement I use (hormone balancing). No processed foods and only natural (when affordable) organic fruit and veg are my choice.
I always suffer high anxiety when I am underdiagnosed on Levo. That is how I know I'm needing more. I was on a trial period of T3/T4. I felt better on the combo But My Endo didn't want to continue it as it was too expensive so he made excuses for me to stop! That's when I started taking Ashwagandha and I've felt better all round. More less anxious, more energised.
A Functional Medicine Doctor told me that I'm doing the right thing. By fixing my adrenals my thyroid issues will ease...and so they are!
My next plan is to come off Levo and go onto NDT as I have family history of heart disease and Levo increases cholesterol (mine is 4.6).
What dosage of the ashwaganda do you take. Thought about trying it but doesnt suit everyone. How long did u notice a difference after taking it? What advice did your functional doc give u to fix your adrenals. Are your levels high like mine?
I teaspoon a day of Ashwagandha. Give it a go! What have you to loose??
I felt more energetic within days of taking it. No more falling sleep in afternoon. More alert and awake.
Please read advice given to person who hijacked your post!! No time to repeat again.
I had Genova Diagnostics saliva test done last year that showed very low adrenals. My Endo ignored it saying that it was old medicine and that they don't test that anymore. Don't know figures exactly.
You'll feel better after speaking to American doctor. They are more positive.
Have had two genova saliva tests done. My morning one with range of max 35, is in the 80's!! I feel so ill as soon as i wake up with severe anxiety and the nausea prevents me from eating properly when its bad but symptoms do ease off late afternoons which tie in with lower levels. Just getting thru each day is so difficult, just popping beta blockers and diazepam to help me through
just reading through all of these comments...... i was told not to take ashwagandha on anti anxiety meds or if you currently take hormone replacement, is that un true?
Hi Jefner I am certainly no expert but that is quite a small amount of Vitamin C you are taking. Vitamin C is well known as good support for adrenals. If I were you I would increase what you take ( maybe change to a better quality one, not ascorbic acid, that isn't even a naturally produced component ).
I did buy one from a site called health leads cus their products are magnesium stearate free, yeast, gluten, lactose etc but it says its pure vit c powder as ascorbic acid! What do u recommend. Had read up on ascorbic acid n apparently that was the one to buy. Confused now!
I have read that it is a waste of money and just flushes out of our system and it isn't even close to natural. I think you may feel a difference if you get a good quality one with Rose hips, I think Swanson do a good one? There are some good ones on Amazon. Maybe increase to 1000mg possibly 2000, but not straight away because it can make you go to the loo! Very good for the adrenal function and the gut I'd re post and ask for others recommendations of what they use. See what has worked for people with adrenal problems. When you are shopping search for 'natural vitamin c'
No one more than me wants to feel better more than i do, i feel like i am trapped in a dark tunnel with no light at the end of it. Feel very alone dealing with all this as well, no one around me understands so i have no one to talk to. Am hoping dr clark can help me, have a skype appt with him tomos. Other than him i dont know who else i can turn to
Me too cus dont know where else to turn to. Everyone is fed up of me here now cus i get very few members reply to my posts now. No one realises how frightening it is dealing with this alone
(((((((Jefner))))) I'm so sorry I don't know what to say. I'll be thinking of you tomorrow. Write things down tonight so that you remember everything you want to say to him, goodnight, I hope you get some sleep xxx
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I really thought after 8 months I had turned a corner 
I am certainly no expert but that is quite a small amount of Vitamin C you are taking. Vitamin C is well known as good support for adrenals. If I were you I would increase what you take ( maybe change to a better quality one, not ascorbic acid, that isn't even a naturally produced component ). 
just want you to feel better that's all x
Dont take Holy Basil if u have hypothyroid!
Does this supplement contain anything that could RAISE cortisol levels?
Severe hypertension despite meds
High cortisol advice please.
