• Janie's experience

Last week, after hours, I called the office of the Nurse Practitioner I have used as my doctor for 5 years. I left my message–that I have had rising blood pressure and was curious what she would recommend. (And yes, I like her.)

I mentioned that I was slightly lowering my Armour, just in case the iodine I had been giving myself for a year was now causing my Armour amount to be too much (and contributing to my BP). I also mentioned that I had found many articles on the net about the benefit of taking CoQ10 for rising blood pressure…plus the fact that low levels of potassium and magnesium may place a role in at least 50% of those with rising blood pressure. I also asked if I could be sent lab papers so I can test my potassium and magnesium levels. I was curious.

Last Monday, the office called. It was the nurse under the physician that my NP works under, and whom I was FAR less impressed by. She explained that I would now be under his care, since blood pressure doesn’t fall under her specialty–female hormones. (first inner alarm).

Next, she says that the doc feels there is “no strong research” that CoQ10 will help me. (second inner alarm) I replied that there’s “no strong research” that Armour turns the lives around of thyroid patients, yet it does. Cough.

Finally, she stated that she doubts he will feel “comfortable” with letting me test my potassium and magnesium (final alarm). Excuse me…HE would not feel comfortable for me to know what my levels were? HE would not feel comfortable?? WHO’S BODY ARE WE TALKING ABOUT HERE?!?

And today…I received the lab papers I was to use…and all he checked were electrolytes….and TSH. Thud. Granted, there is a relationship between electrolytes and blood pressure…but I was appalled that he gave no respect to my request to know my potassium and magnesium levels….and wanted to test the WORST and most unreliable “thyroid” test there is.

I have tossed those lab papers…and I am making an appointment with a new doctor…one I have heard about from another patient….and who has a reputation of listening, not simply dictating.

p.s. I’m back on my regular amount of Armour. And..my blood pressure has fallen to a respectable level: 125/74 tonite…and 105/69 the other night. What did it? Probably the release of stress from letting go of some responsibilities. I’m also making sure I take a full spectrum of minerals, CoQ10, and I’m back to walking aerobically at least 4 times a week. And finally, I’ve been using a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar (acv) daily with 1/4 tsp baking soda for over two weeks. The acv has done wonders for my husband’s FORMERLY poor digestive issues….and there’s evidence it helps control blood pressure in two weeks!! (Remember: these blog posts are ONLY for comments. Want to talk to others? See the TALK TO OTHERS link on any STTM page.)

I normally don’t write about me here, but more on thyroid advocacy issues. But this time…it’s going to be ME, because YOU need to be aware of what happened to me…because it can happen to you.

I appear to have adrenal fatigue.

Now understand this: I didn’t have it when I got on Armour over 4 years ago. I raised my Armour without a hitch, except for low Ferritin twice that I had to correct. And for approx. 3 1/2 years, I’ve been optimal with Armour with a perfect mid-afternoon temp of 98.6

So why adrenal fatigue now?? It helps to explain it this way: Two years ago, in Dec. of 2004, I entered serious peri-menopause. My progesterone fell rock bottom while I still had a youthfully high estrogen. And I’ve had to deal with the misery of severe estrogen dominance for two years. I’ve used compounded progesterone cream for those two years, but it was often never enough to stop the symptoms of estrogen dominance.

Also, Dr. Lam states the following and it explains me to a T: In early stages of adrenal fatigue, cortisol output is high as the body attempts to neutralize the stress by producing more of it. However, when too much cortisol is produced, it will have multiple undesirable effects. For example, cortisol blocks progesterone receptors, making them less responsive to progesterone. Progesterone normally produced by the adrenals comes to a halt in favor of cortisol. Insufficient progesterone production leads to an imbalance of estrogen to progesterone…(aka estrogen dominance). And voila–I did have high cortisol in the morning and noon. I had done the saliva adrenal test just a month after my progesterone had dropped.

Finally, this past October, I noticed the estrogen dominance FINALLY stopped, as did my periods. A huge victory. But in early December, after a particularly busy day on a Saturday, I majorly crashed………and haven’t recovered since.

And ALL my symptoms point to adrenal fatigue. First, my temps fell. And they were all over the place. My highest would only be 98.3, and one night, I was 97.1. That was VERY wrong for me.

Next, I started waking up EVERY night between 3-5 am. A typical adrenal symptom. Also, if I felt emotional about something, my body would get VERY hot. At first I thought it was a hot flash…but it was different.

And I was achy for 1 1/2 weeks. That stopped when I raised my Armour and got my temps back up. But even without the achiness, I have felt fatigued all over, and just bad.

Also, I fail the blood pressure test in the mornings. The other day, my supine blood pressure was 135/84. Standing, it was 115/84. A good sign of adrenal fatigue. I also have a faster and a pounding heartrate.

I have sent off my saliva samples…but have no doubt what the results are going to be. So….I am going to start the very adrenal support that I have written about in so much detail here on STTM. Because there is simply too much stress in my life to think that practicing all the other adrenal support methods are going to help my adrenals recover, or even help me feel better.

And by the way, for the past year and more, I have always given myself 5000 mgs of Vit. C and high dose B-vitamins, plus E. I have exercised regularly by walking. But it wasn’t enough to stop what a huge female hormonal change has done to me. I now am using Licorice Root daily (which stops some of the breakdown of cortisol in your liver) and 1/2 tsp sea salt, stirred in orange juice and my morning yogurt. And I’ll have to start on cortisol.

What can you do to not find yourself in my shoes? For one, if you enter peri-meno, even without the presence of adrenal fatigue, I would start on some mild OTC adrenal support now, which I was never on. Also, do whatever you can to counter excessive emotional stress in your life during this time by finding times to laugh and doing what you enjoy. I have been stuck with a job that wore me down, and family issues that stressed me terribly, and I’m sure that played a part.

COMMENTS TO THIS POST ARE WELCOME (I could use pats on the back because this makes me SICK), but if you have questions, this is not the place for them. Go to our forums here: www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/community And by the way, I will update this particular blog post when I get my adrenal saliva test results back…and as I progress in my treatment. My fingers are crossed.

Click here to see the continuation of my comments on my own Adrenal Fatigue.

UPDATE as of Feb. 2009: for those still reading all the way down here, I became fully meno by 2008 and remarkably, require no progesterone or estrogen to feel good.  I did start having constant nighttime waking up and probably could use a little progesterone at bedtime. I do use testosterone gel to keep my muscles healthy and stronger.  And my adrenals are still fine.  I’m on 4 grains Armour plus a slew of good supplements.

When I switched from Levoxyl to Armour on one day in July of 2002, the difference in my well-being was so stunning that I never looked back. In fact, I was so stunned that I started an internet talk group about natural thyroid hormones in August of 2002. I went from someone who couldn’t even sand a small wood project without being debilitated (Yes. Really. With a “normal” TSH and on Levoxyl)…….to someone who could eventually own her own store and stand ALL day. I am now on 4 grains, multi-dosed and sublingually, plus 1/8 grain at night. I have a free T3 at the top of the range, and a suppressed TSH.

I have also noticed that some STAY on their T4 when starting Armour. That may not be a bad idea since it would help you bridge over, but it can also end up confusing the issue of where your optimal dose is down the line!! As a thyroid patient advocate, I have noted that those that use their T4 one day, and get on Armour the next WITHOUT the T4, generally have an easier time finding their optimal dose down the line without confusion. And do know that some on Armour alone obtain that high-in-the-range free T4. I am just not one of them.

UPDATE 1-22-07: I found out months later that my failure to recover well from activity was probably due to an adrenal problem, not necessarily a need for a higher T4. My adrenals were in the alarm stage–namely, I was making high levels of cortisol in response to stress in my life, so there wasn’t an adequate response for recovery after heavy activity. It wasn’t a need for more T4. I should have been supporting my adrenals with Isocort in situations like this. (If you have questions about your own treatment…i.e. more than a comment, do go to our Forums)