Hi, Can anybody tell me any other sources of medication for Adrenal Fatigue?" - My Cortisol and ACTH were very low.
Are there any other medications; apart from Adrenavive 11 that would support my Adrenal glands?
I do have underactive Thyroid- I take NDT (Natural Desiccated Thyroid ) - readings are fine.
Previously
Booblet,
In your previous post you advised that Nutri Adrenal didn't suit you & you had switched to Metavive. Was this no better?
Glandulars aren't for everyone and you may find an adaptogen is more useful. Are your cortisol & DHEA levels still low?
Isabella Wentz gives lots of advice in the following link
thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...
Hi RaddWhat are adaptogens please? And how do they differ from Nutri Adrenal/Metavive?
Thank you
PixieElv,
Adaptogens are made from plants/herbs & come in tablet, liquid, powder & other forms, single or combos, to stabilise physiological processes that promote homeostasis.
Some have properties that are anti-inflammatory (curcumin/turmeric), or lower blood sugars (cordyceps), etc. Research shows many are influential on the HPA axis (hypathalamus-pituitary-adrenal), and as such can alter cortisol behavioural patterns to encourage better health, ie encouraging higher or lower cortisol output & helping to balance levels in those whose are both too high & too low so following a very dysfunction circadian pattern.
They do not work by directly making cortisol but modulating the HPA axis pathways/feedback loops that govern the body's stress response mechanisms. How an adaptogen works for one person may be slightly different to how it works in another, They can be extremely powerful & this makes the choice very individualised and it's really a case of trying.
Glandulars come from different animal organs, ie thyroid, adrenal, pituitary, thymus, pancreas, etc. It is claimed the contained enzymes & nutrients support our own gland (ie, ‘like heals like’). Sometimes other tissues & structures are incorporated, & they are either made for a single targeted problem gland (ie adrenals) or into combos to support a system (ie HPA axis).
All Nutri glandulars are bovine. Metavive comes from both porcine & bovine glands. It is claimed by many that thyroid glandulars must contain some T4/T3 hormone because some hypothyroid people appear to achieve & maintain well-being when supplementing them. They are sold as a dietary supplement so avoid the usual licensing laws that drugs & prescription NDT are subject to, and so the amount of contained hormone remains controversially unknown.
Members use them either instead of their prescription thyroid hormone replacements or as a supplement alongside their prescription meds. Dr Peatfield was a huge advocate of thyroid glandulars as claimed they helped Levo conversion. There have been both good & poor reports from forum members.
If your cortisol is very low you should be asking your GP for a cortisol blood test. If you have adrenal insufficiency then it is a,life threatening disorder and you need proper treatment, not self treatment.
Totally agree with you - as an Addison's patient - if your ACTH is low then this has to be addressed possibly with HC - there is nothing you can take that would replace this.
Hi,Thks for your reply. Been to GP and Cortisol was not low enough to warrant medication.
You could do a trial of pregnenolone, I could not get on with adrenal glandulars either, but I find pregnenolone is helping. Best to start at 5mg and keep below 20mg and have breaks now and then. However if your cortisol is very low you should see a doctor first to see if you need a prescription.
Hi,Thks for your reply. When I went to see Dr P he suggested Pregnenolone. Couldnt take them. Dr P suggested they too strong for me, which I agree. Cortisol not low enough for NHS prescription!
Hope you are well.
You were probably taking too high a dose, the maximum dose recommended by Dr David Brownstein is 5 - 10mg for women. I see ridiculous amounts being sold of 500mg capsules. I am sure if you bought 10mg capsules and split them starting with half a capsule (5mg) a day for 2 weeks and then slowly build up you would find it ok, that is how I did it. Dr P In his book suggests 30mg along with 25mg of DHEA which is far too strong. Your body will turn it into what it needs, in your case probably cortisol if it is low. I currently take 10mg of pregnenolone and 5mg of DHEA, but when I run out of DHEA I will switch to 15mg of pregnenolone instead.
Forgive me if you’ve tried this, but have you looked at natural light therapy?
Ive recently been reading /listening to pod casts about resetting the whole hormonal system through circadian rhythm as melatonin/ mitochondria is/ are v powerful.
Have a look at Dr Dylan Petkas and also a book called Tired but Wired by Nerina Ramlakhan. Petkas is trying to make money via coaching so doesn’t give much away but from older podcasts it’s essentially using natural light, and I think linked to what Dr Michael Mosley did a radio 4 prog on, walking briskly first thing in the morning. Lots of natural daylight through the day. Being extremely careful about screen use in the evenings, v dark room at night.
Petkas believes there’s very little need for diet and supplements bar some basic ones (probably vit d) over the importance of natural melatonin produced via light regulation. It’s extremely good for resetting cortisol etc.
I’ve personally always found I have to rise with the sun and go to bed early and feel best like that. I used dawn simulators years ago, before I had kids. (Kids wreck sleep!) smart phones and misusing at night did wreck my whole system.
westonaprice.org/podcast/21...
Not listened to this yet:
chartable.com/podcasts/the-...
Thankyou so much for this reply. Yes, I agree with natural light and brisk walks . I spoke to a Psychiatrist not long ago and he stated that, we, has human being are meant to be in the natural light. (Animals too). It seems so simple but it is so, so true.
I love your suggestion regarding Dr Mosley and Petkas; Not been too well - but looking forward to reading their advice
Wow, you sound just like me: re; Mobile phones, -- I know we have to use them; but conversing through a screen, - which seems to be constant,I believe can be the cause of increasing depression and possibly other types of Mental Heslth issues. Similar to being in the natural light, we are meant to be as people - to converse naturally - but what can we do? My daughter finds it so difficult to verbally communicate via a phone.......not used to using it!!
PS are you Scottish? Re; Aggisplant???!
I tried Adrenal cortex etc for many months when I tested for 4 lows on a saliva cortisol test, but it did nothing for me. I'm now on Hydrocortisone 25 mcg a day and feeling much better, I'm hoping to come off it eventually.
( the test I had at the doctors, which is a single cortisol test, was low but not below range )
Were you prescribed HC ?
I self treat as I couldn't find a doctor to help.
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