Adrenal advice please

[Pinkpeony]

I have posted before about my inability to put on weight ( sorry to you all trying to lose it ) and the fact that I have to pee on average five times a night . The doctor is finally considering adrenal and I have recently done a three 24 hrs volume in and volume out chart . I am being referred back to an Endo , unfortunately the one who couldn't help me and I started NDT myself . Unfortunately he appears to be the only show in town .

It was a lovely day here and my OH took me to the beach for some fresh air . I sat on a bench and started to cry . I look in the mirror and see this skinny , tired , and depressed person who used to be me .

I should say that the difference in nightime and daytime urine output is unmistakable .

I am sorry to be such a misery what I wondered is , is there any way I can help myself with this while I am waiting for this appointment because I am really at the end of my tether. I was going to do a saliva test but was told because I use inhalers that I can't do without , this is not an option .

TIA P p

[Saggyuk]

Hi there, sorry you feel so unwell. I can't help much as not an expert but I can list a few things that can cause both or suggestions.

First of, have you had all the typical blood panels - kidney function, blood count, liver function, nutritional deficiencies (iron/ferritin, B12, FOlate and Vit D, bone profile - these can often give clues to where to look further and get print outs from your GPs receptionist and check each one with a fine tooth comb.

Just to rule out the basics - are you eating healthily enough and actually eating enough, many peeps underestimate how many calories they actually need or are on a low calorie diet for example. Do you have any dietary restrictions and getting enough of everything? Are you vegan for example.

Also have you had your thyroid tests recently to ensure you're not over medicating.

Diabeties can cause increased urination and weight loss so rule this out properly and check your blood glucose levels - you can check your own with a three day blood glucose monitor you can pick up from pharmacies. Or you can often get one off's done freely by the pharmacist.

It definitely worth checking adrenal function. I'm not sure what the best alternative you have if you can't do cortisol saliva but possibly a normal blood cortisol test might at least pick up if really high or low although wont give as much a detailed pic. There are other related hormones also such as acth, aldosterone but many adrenal issues have clues in more general blood panels mentioned above. Addisons, for example, often shows up in the potassium/sodium tests done within the kidney function tests and can sometimes also cause low blood sugar levels.

Do you have any problems with your stomach? Coeliacs, inflammatory bowel disease, ulcers etc can cause massive weight loss. Nutritional deficiencies will often give clues to these too.

A few other autoimmune issues can also such as lupus can cause weight loss.

Have you tested for urinary tract infections etc or is it even possible to have parasitic worms lol? Do you drink too much caffeine which can have a diuretic effect?

Are you on any other meds that list either of these in the side effects?

I'm sure there's many other issues to look at and apologies if you've already done all the above but thought I'd mention in case missed. I know it's really difficult when you have no idea what to do next but just look at everything one step at a time and rule as much as you can out. I do hope you feel better soon

[Pinkpeony in reply to Saggyuk]

Wow thank you for your reply .

I will work my way through these, there's a lot to think about . Pp

[Pinkpeony in reply to Pinkpeony]

Saggy , sorry for the short answer . It was a bit early for me to reply . The fact is I have had most of these tests so I am waiting for an Adrenal appointment .

I actually tried to delete my post as it sounded so pathetic , but I couldn't do it .

Thank you 😆

[Camdentown]

Everything that Saggy says is spot on. The only other things that I'd add to parasitic worms are SIBO ( small intestine bacterial overload), and Candida.

To rule out Candida, spit first thing in the morning- before you do anything else- into a large glass of water. Leave it for 30 mins and if it grows "tails" it can be a sign of Candida overgrowth. (You may want to do this in private 😂). If it's positive, look at things like grapefruit seed, and see Dr.P's advice.

For SIBO it's more complicated, and outside my knowledge, but there's lots of information online.

Don't despair; there are lots of experienced people on this forum who are willing to help. You don't need to feel alone. 🤗

[Pinkpeony in reply to Camdentown]

Gosh that sounds interesting 'if it grows tails' I had considered asking the doc about SIBO but he's young and a one thing at a time kind of guy , so I guess it's adrenal first .I had a fall five weeks ago and its really shaken me up . I guess that's why I'm feeling sorry for myself

Thank you for your post 😆 Pp