Frances - Re: trouble with adrenals?

[Guest guest]

>

> Hello all,

>

> Just saw my dr. I explained all my latest symptoms and that they

> point to adrenal insufficiency(i.e. heart racing and

> palpitations,adrenal like rushes,shortness of breath cold hands and

> feet,shaking,weakness, startle with noises etc.). I've been on t4

> thyroid only therapy for a number of years and haven't experienced

> any improvements with hypo symptoms.

Well, that's the major point, isn't it. If it isn't helping, it

makes a lot of sense to try something else.

> Also did the pupil dilation test and it clearly expressed weak

> adrenals (pupils dilated and fluttered instead of constricting).

> My dr. was familiar with Jefferies protocol for cortisol use, but

> was hesitant in giving me a trial. He said he had seen cases where

> patients developed osteoporosis and that the cortisol can be hard to

> wean off of. I have been magnesium defecient for many years. My

> rbc mg is always too low, sometimes even when on high doses of mg

> citrate(mercury being the culprit I assume). He said many of these

> symptoms could be explained with mg deficiency, even the pupil test!

I was probably magnesium deficient for many, many years. I take a

lot of magnesium, but have found it helpful to take taurine with

it. Taurine helps you to retain magnesium. I have also used

a couple of other products that helped a lot with magnesium

retention/absorption (Magnelevures and Gammadyn Mg).

Another thing that might help is taking an electrolyte drink.

> but I don't believe that's the cause of these dibilitating symptoms

> i've had for 2 mos. now.

> He said maybe with mg i.v.'s we could get my levels up and I should

> start on T4 only again (i've been off for 2 weeks) and said T3 could

> cause heart palpitations. I've read that you treat your adrenals

> first . He said that Jefferies book was old stuff. I don't know

> where to go from here. He suggested a 4 point cortisol saliva test

> costing $200. I am in Toronto area. Is it possible get Isocort OTC

> and how does it differ from HC? or even HC without Rx? Is Canary

> club any cheaper for hormone saliva test?

I did a saliva test from Canary Club a few months ago - it was $150

for 4 point cortisol, dhea, estradiol, progesterone, testosterone,

and thyroid. This was one of their Diagnos-techs test packages.

I've had very low levels

> of dhea(blood tests) in the past and now taking 50 mg a day seems to

> have improved this (dr. says low dhea can mean you have high not low

> cortisol?????)

Well, I've had low dhea and low cortisol. It's also possible to have

low dhea and high cortisol. The test could be informative, but if

you don't want to spend the money, you could just try some adrenal

support (glandular, herbal, or hormone support) and see if it helps.

> I've been trying to chelate with dmsa but can barely tolerate even

> the smallest dose. I think weak adrenals and hypothyroidism are

> playing a role in my ability to chelate without intolerable symptoms.

> I want to do the right thing.

I think only you can decide what is the " right thing " for you.

Sometimes trying things has helped me decide what is right for me.

I don't have much personal experience with thyroid yet, but *many*

people have had problems with T4 only supplementation and do much

better with something like Armour. Many need adrenal support first.

--

> Any comments and suggestions would be very much appreciated.

>

> Thanks to all,

> Frances.

>