Adrenal Fatigue And Celiac Disease

[Lizz7711]

Everybody reacts differently to cortisone and where some may take a huge dose and not develop total adrenal failure - another may. I have known of some that completely switched off their own adrenals after a few weeks of 30mg HC.... Osteoporous is a risk for being Celiac - being on HC as well may double that risk ( or more)

I can only suggest you research physiological doses a little more before you take the major step onto a drug that may be with you for life. Has your Holistic Dr explained the dangers of surgery, traffic accidents, major dental work - while you are taking HC ? Do you have a treatment plan in place for those events with letters of documentation for the ER people ? Do you wear a Medic Alert bracelet ? Have you researched 'addisons crisis' and have family and friends also trained to recognise the symptoms ?

This is another site where you will learn a lot if you spend the time to scroll around. I hope its not 'Dr like' for you but it is all good basic knowledge. Read particularly how to dose for surgery, dental work - what a crisis is - and you will see that HC is not a simple drug to take .....and I know for me - this was my first alert that some web sites and books had it a bit wrong.

Open Original Shared Link

I am not saying that people don't need physiological doses of HC to help their recovery. Just be aware that Addisons people work their doses out to the mg - and 20mg is about it for a pharmalogical dose. Some take 18mg - some take 22mg, some 24mg etc. And these are people that in some cases have had adrenals removed by surgery! Yes - they may feel better for a time if they take more - but Cushings features develop and over years - they work the dose out with their Dr - the fine balancing act between maintaining life function and over replacement.

Hope this helps.

Did you know that the woman who founded the stopthethyroidmadness.com website (Valerie) runs an adrenal forum and she regularly advised people to up their HC even up to 45 mg based on temperatures?

There seems to be very little information out there that I consider trustworthy. She of course is not a medical professional, but she has done extensive research, more than i'll ever have time to do I think, and read many books as well, so why would she do that if as you say this can lead to Cushing's etc? My doctor is an MD, but adrenal insufficiency is not an area that he's highly knowledgeable about unfortunately, so i'm doing most of my own research. I plan on buying Peatfield's book next. There does not seem to be a good book that combines the issues of adrenal fatigue and hypothyroid, and I'm very frustrated with this lack of good information. The medical websites are good for looking at diagnostics, but I don't trust their treatment methods 90% of the time and the "evidence" they follow is usually bought and paid for by some pharmaceutical company.

anyway, I do appreciate that you're just trying to help.

Liz

[georgie]

If you are looking for a good book to buy - how about Dr Hertoghe's "The Hormone Handbook". Its a text book written for Drs - so is about $400. There is a cheaper book coming out soon written for patients ( the Drs book has over 300 pages of references) without all the references.

Dr Hertoghe is a Belgian Endo from a long family of Endos. He wished to break away from the family tradition and trained to be a psychiatrist - then realised that most of his patients were people with Endocrine problems treated badly. It was his great grandfather that pioneered the first and early Armour treatment for low thyroid in the late 1800s. So he went back to being an Endo, and now lectures all over the world training other Drs. The International Hormone Society now has 1800 Drs I believe - around the world - all using these methods. There are constant battles with drug companies and traditionalists which is strange really - as bio identical hormones came before the drugs we have today.

Hertoghe promotes treatment for adrenals. Its all about - 'how much' and recognising the balance of the other hormones like DHEA and the sex hormones as well. In experienced hands it is safe - but not for amateurs. I have this book and can say it is the only book to have IMO. Do a google for him - its worth it just for his pic - LOL - he is so cute!

I believe Dr Friedman in USA has similar goals and treatments - also with a book and website.

But in answer to original question. 20mg HC is about the dose most people with official Addisons Disease take. Why would a person want to take more than that for adrenals that are only partially failed ?? Jeffries was working a long time ago - and CA is absorbed differently to HC. And more has been learnt since that book was published. And if you really do have Addisons Disease ( its usually autoimmune- so many Celiacs may have it ) - then you need an Endo to document it , work out a dose 'for you' and be there if you have surgery, accidents etc.

For Endos that understand all this - look for your local Addisons Society - see which Dr is their patron, writes their newsltter articles etc. Some Endos focus on diabetes, some on osteoporous and a small few - focus on Adrenals. This is a lot of effort I know - but - the final results are worth it.

[covsooze]

Liz, Dr Peatfield's book is the one to buy to explain the connection between the adrenals and thyroid problems. It's easy to read as well, which always helps when fogged up I agree that you need to be careful with treating adrenal insufficiency. I know some people embark on doing this themselves from what they've read on the net, but I would strongly advise against that if at all possible. One example in my situation is that I would never have worked out without Dr P's help that the thyroxine is not actually helping me - most likely, if I was 'treating' myself, i would have upped my dose and that could have caused big problems.

Georgie, the website I'm getting my progesteronse cream from, progesterone.co.uk, has loads of information about oestrogen dominance. it's incredible the number of problems it can cause!

Susie

edited to add: funnily, just as I was typing this, the postie delivered my progesterone cream.

[Skylarker]

As someone with Addison's due to pituitary failure, I'd like to add my cautions as well.

20 mg hydrocortisone is the full replacement dose -- i.e., it's (approximately) the amount one's adrenals would normally produce. If your adrenals currently function and you take that amount, your pituitary will sense that you're getting enough cortisol, and shut your adrenals off. That's the problem. Your adrenals will stop working altogether, and eventually atrophy. Then you'll have to take a cortisol replacement for the rest of your life. (This is what happened to my sis-in-law who was given high doses of prednisone -- another steroid which is an alternative to hydrocortisone -- for a lupus treatment, and whose adrenals no longer work.)

A lot of adrenal disease is caused by autoimmune illness which attacks the adrenals directly. Celiacs would be at a higher risk for it, as they are for other autoimmune illnesses.

Another source of adrenal failure is pituitary failure, which is what I have, where the pituitary stops sending messages to the adrenals to stimulate output of cortisol.

What concerns me is that it sounds like some of you have failure of thyroid and adrenal -- both glands which only work if they are stimulated by the pituitary -- but have never been tested for problems with the other glands and hormones stimulated by the pituitary or produced by the pituitary. The other tests would be for the sex hormones (estrogen, progesterone, testosterone), growth hormone (yes, grown-ups need it), and desmopressin hormone (DDAVP - can't think of the correct name at the moment).

Or, pituitary problems could cause a complete or partial deficiency of any ONE of these hormones, or cause overproduction of any one of them.

A deficiency (or overproduction) of any of these hormones can make you seriously sick, with very diverse symptoms, which most doctors won't recognize. Pituitary problems can be caused by head injury (the pit is about 2 inches behind the eyes, near the sinuses) or tumor or Sheehan's disease (happens during pregnancy) or birth defect (invisible, only detectable by pituitary tests) or autoimmune reaction (rare, I think).

If you suspect you might have a problem with one or several of these hormones PLEASE visit the Pituitary Network Association website at Open Original Shared Link and/or go to an endocrinologist. An endocrinologist specializing in pituitary disorders is highly preferable because it's a very complicated disorder, but these are few and far between. If you live in Massachusetts, Mass General Hospital has an excellent neuroendocrine center (where I travel from Philadelphia). There's also a good one at Johns Hopkins in Maryland, one in Virginia, and others I can't remember. The PNA site lists them.

I want to underline the issue which has already been brought up: If in fact you have complete adrenal failure, your life will be in danger if you undergo an extreme stress like a car accident or infectious illness. That's because your adrenals won't produce the high amounts of cortisol necessary to prevent shock. Doctors attending you won't realize what's going on and you'll die, croak, sing with the choir eternal, bite the dust. So please follow this up if you see yourself here.

FYI, since I haven't posted much here before and somebody may be curious, I have total pituitary failure due to a surgical accident which occurred during surgery for removal of a pituitary tumor. As a result I take prednisone, thyroxine, growth hormone, estrogen/progesterone/testosterone, and desmopressin hormone every day, and will have to for the rest of my life. It's a b***h, but at least I'm still alive.

Marly

[georgie]

Excellent info Marley. Thankyou. I second this and also draw awareness to PolyEndocrine Syndrome - which can also be associated to people having multiple thyroid and adrenal problems. Open Original Shared Link This is very much what I am being referred to a consultant now about - and its a very complicated web. And also wish to draw attention to the fact that statistics show that one in five people have a pituitary tumour of some type. If your blood tests start to support this theory - push for the best treatment plan you can find.

I very much fear that cortisone will become the 'quick fix' of the 2000 decade as valium was to the 60s and 70s.

Susie - I noticed your history of miscarriages and Protein S. I assume you have been checked for Factor Five Leiden - a genetic test ( FVL) and APS ? Both are major causes of miscarriages and coagulation disorders can be inter related. I have FVL - am on high alert for APS ( blood tests can be inaccurate as antibodies can fluctuate but it is autoimmune and can be associated with PolyEndocrine Syndrome ).

www.fvleiden.org

Open Original Shared Link

also called Hughes Syndrome and a UK site for you

Open Original Shared Link

[Lizz7711]

Thanks for the info and links, i'll check into them! I've been swamped the past few days and won't be able to do any study till later this week. I appreciate the help,

Liz

If you are looking for a good book to buy - how about Dr Hertoghe's "The Hormone Handbook". Its a text book written for Drs - so is about $400. There is a cheaper book coming out soon written for patients ( the Drs book has over 300 pages of references) without all the references.

Dr Hertoghe is a Belgian Endo from a long family of Endos. He wished to break away from the family tradition and trained to be a psychiatrist - then realised that most of his patients were people with Endocrine problems treated badly. It was his great grandfather that pioneered the first and early Armour treatment for low thyroid in the late 1800s. So he went back to being an Endo, and now lectures all over the world training other Drs. The International Hormone Society now has 1800 Drs I believe - around the world - all using these methods. There are constant battles with drug companies and traditionalists which is strange really - as bio identical hormones came before the drugs we have today.

Hertoghe promotes treatment for adrenals. Its all about - 'how much' and recognising the balance of the other hormones like DHEA and the sex hormones as well. In experienced hands it is safe - but not for amateurs. I have this book and can say it is the only book to have IMO. Do a google for him - its worth it just for his pic - LOL - he is so cute!

I believe Dr Friedman in USA has similar goals and treatments - also with a book and website.

But in answer to original question. 20mg HC is about the dose most people with official Addisons Disease take. Why would a person want to take more than that for adrenals that are only partially failed ?? Jeffries was working a long time ago - and CA is absorbed differently to HC. And more has been learnt since that book was published. And if you really do have Addisons Disease ( its usually autoimmune- so many Celiacs may have it ) - then you need an Endo to document it , work out a dose 'for you' and be there if you have surgery, accidents etc.

For Endos that understand all this - look for your local Addisons Society - see which Dr is their patron, writes their newsltter articles etc. Some Endos focus on diabetes, some on osteoporous and a small few - focus on Adrenals. This is a lot of effort I know - but - the final results are worth it.

[Lizz7711]

Thanks Susie! I need to get Dr. Peatfield's book ASAP.

Liz

Liz, Dr Peatfield's book is the one to buy to explain the connection between the adrenals and thyroid problems. It's easy to read as well, which always helps when fogged up I agree that you need to be careful with treating adrenal insufficiency. I know some people embark on doing this themselves from what they've read on the net, but I would strongly advise against that if at all possible. One example in my situation is that I would never have worked out without Dr P's help that the thyroxine is not actually helping me - most likely, if I was 'treating' myself, i would have upped my dose and that could have caused big problems.

Georgie, the website I'm getting my progesteronse cream from, progesterone.co.uk, has loads of information about oestrogen dominance. it's incredible the number of problems it can cause!

Susie

edited to add: funnily, just as I was typing this, the postie delivered my progesterone cream.

[Woolygimp]

Did you know that the woman who founded the stopthethyroidmadness.com website (Valerie) runs an adrenal forum and she regularly advised people to up their HC even up to 45 mg based on temperatures?

There seems to be very little information out there that I consider trustworthy. She of course is not a medical professional, but she has done extensive research, more than i'll ever have time to do I think, and read many books as well, so why would she do that if as you say this can lead to Cushing's etc? My doctor is an MD, but adrenal insufficiency is not an area that he's highly knowledgeable about unfortunately, so i'm doing most of my own research. I plan on buying Peatfield's book next. There does not seem to be a good book that combines the issues of adrenal fatigue and hypothyroid, and I'm very frustrated with this lack of good information. The medical websites are good for looking at diagnostics, but I don't trust their treatment methods 90% of the time and the "evidence" they follow is usually bought and paid for by some pharmaceutical company.

anyway, I do appreciate that you're just trying to help.

Liz

lolololol.....

Yeah, let's put our lives in the hand of some woman who's medical knowledge is limited to things she found on the internet. /sarcasm. No medical school, no license, and she can't even type straight. Go read her posts, they are complete gibberish as something she is taking/suffering from or whatever has brought her to the point that she can't even write a complete sentence.

Anyway, yeah. Not smart.

Taking 20mg+ of Hydrocortisone is very dangerous. It's a potent drug.

[codyb87]

I'm afraid that since the last post for this topic was back in December, I wont get a reply for this post, but I feel I need to vent and state whats wrong with me anyways.

After having a bad flu in early January, many weird health issues have risen up. I have a long history of anemia and did every GI test to see what was wrong and nothing showed up as to why. Eventually I was just given iron injections and they managed to keep my iron up for short periods of time.

After this flu in January I started getting heart palpitations after eating sometimes and eventually went to the hospital with fear that heart problems could lead to worse stuff if left alone. The doctor that night suggested I look into celiac. That morning after, I joined this forum and went gluten free myself as I was worried about the amount of school I was missing.

About a week after, my doc told me I was IgA deficient, my b12 and other mineral levels where fine, but I had anemia again. So I now have a GI appoitment for April (uuuuughhh, long wait) to look into a biopsy (and yes Ill consume gluten for good biopsy results).

Shortly after this diagnosis I developed extreme fatigue, that happened every day. I just assumed it was either the anemia fatigue or the healing process when going gluten free. But this is getting bad, I seem to show symptoms of adrenal fatigue such as

lightheaded dizzy feeling when standing up even after sitting for a few minutes

I have an extremely tough time falling asleep, almost like Im "too tired to sleep" as i've put it

I have broken sleep

also bright lights bother me and staring at the computer screen to long now gives me headaches ( as a gamer I've NEVER had an issue like this)

So is it just me being paranoid or crazy, or does anyone think I may actually have adrenal problems?

Any advice would be great, I stress easily as it runs in the family, and I never feel better until I know whats wrong with me!

[pele]

Hi,

Yes, it's a surprise to see this thread pop up again!

If you go to a doc, NP or naturopath who will test for adrenal fatigue, you will most likely do a one day saliva test, with four collections, to measure your adrenal output. If you read through the post, then you know that many docs belileve in "all or nothing" for the adrenals, and don't diagnose or treat adrenal fatigue, only adrenal collapse, or Addison's. In any case, it sounds like your symptoms may be ardenal related so please be sure to get tested since Addison's is very serious. Addison's testing is different from adrenal fatigue testing.

Also ask for a complete celiac blood panel right away instead of waiting two months to see a GI doc. If the blood work is positive, then you may not need the GI doc. Just keep in mind that celiac blood testing is still very unreliable. In a recent study at the Mayo clinic, the latest and greatest blood test still missed 25-35% of known celiacs.

Good luck.

[chatycady]

Really, there is no such thing as adrenal fatigue.

They work or they dont (which can be either right in the adrenals-Addison's Disease, which turns you orange, or in the pituitary, which makes you very pale. They both make you deathly bone tired, unable to get out of BED tired, weight flies off you, hyperallergic, hair falls out, and achey as all get out).

Of course, there is a wide range of normal, from 'yeah they're technically normal but barely' which may be one cause of CFS, to just barely sub-Cushings (which is the opposite of Addison's, except it lives in the pituitary and is usually caused by a tumor).

But sub-optimal functioning isn't caused by wearing them OUT. It can be natural, it can be an autoimmune process that either stops or doesn't (leading to addison's), it can be a pituitary glitch, et cetera.

If you have true adrenal failure, there isn't an herb or supplement out there that will give you back your life. You will be sent from specialist to specialist, thinking you found the answer with the rheumatologist or the toxicologist or the gastroenterologist or the naturopath or whoever. And you watch the weight continue to drop, and you get weaker and paler and more convinced that whatever you have, you are going to die.

Then you see an endocrinologist. And he takes one look at you, sees that your thyroid has been tested ad nauseum TYVM, and does an ACTH stim test. Your cortisol number pre-ACTH is 3 (normal for that time of day being above 15) and after is 12 (normal at that time being at least 25). The diagnosis: central adrenal failure. Not fatigue. FAILURE.

And you will have to take steroids for the rest of your life. In case of emergency you will need to carry a kit with intramuscular needles and injectable 'stress dose' steroids. Otherwise if you get mugged or in a car accident or vomit or anything YOU COULD DIE. Your blood pressure could crash through the floor, you have shaky hands and under a minute to get the needle in because of the impending crash, but you stab yourself or you DIE of adrenal crisis.

But the steroids give you back your life, so you deal with it. And you take the risks, even the ones that might require a needle. Because life is for living.

I understand wanting an answer for a myriad of symptoms. But chronic fatigue for no good reason (or undiagnosed nutritional deficiencies, or sleep issues, or the wrong phase of the moon) is FAR more likely than "mild" adrenal failure, seeing as failure means not-working. And, having lost a year of my life to adrenal failure, having almost died of adrenal crisis, and having gone from a healthy 143 pounds to 85 pounds in several months, I do not wish adrenal problems of any sort on ANYONE. Telling a doctor you have adrenal problems can get you the wrong treatment if they believe you(and crisis-dose steroids can make you psychotic if you don't need them, even if you're normally stable as a rock), or it can make life more difficult for the person who comes in with a genuine adrenal crisis 3 days later. I know that doctors are not fashionable here, but they ARE a fact of life, and when it comes to my hormones I trust my award winning endocrinologist over the herbologist down the street any day.

If you're suffering, look for another answer. If you cannot find one, and are convinced it is your adrenals, have them tested the conventional way. Then you can get the LIFE SAVING treatment before you crash and burn really really hard.

Kassiane

autistic

bipolar

epileptic

celiac

corn allergic

salycilate sensitive

soy sensitive

shrimp anaphylactic

drug allergies

central adrenal failure

central diabetes insipidus

ehlers danlos type 2

MECP2 mutation

Head injury or 2

TMJ

but otherwise perfectly healthy!

Ok. I searched the web and found some of the symptoms for addison's disease are: low blood sugar, low blood pressure, headaches, and muscle cramps, fatigue. I have all of these. Should I be tested?

[Wendy Cohan, RN]

I was wondering if anyone else had adrenal fatigue syndrom before they found out that they had Celiac disease? What I've been reading is that one of the stressors that can lead to adrenal fatigue is gluten intolerance. I had adrenal fatigue syndrom for about 2 years, started feeling better then found out that I had celiac disease. Is it possible to have not known that I had celiac disease and got the adrenal thing from that? Because I also read that a lot people don't know that they have celiac disease until something major happens in their life (which is what happened with me)

So I'm kinda confussed, if anyone knows about this I would love some tips:-)

Hi,

I'm an RN and have been writing a book that contains a chapter on adrenal fatigue, and has a section on the link between gluten intolerance and adrenal fatiuge, but I would love to have more references to really make a strong arugment. When you said, "I've been reading that one of the stressors that can lead to adrenal fatigue is gluten intolerance..." can you tell me what your sources are? Did they come from books, articles, scientific journals, on-line etc.? THis subject is really important, and I am going to see that it gets the publicity it deserves. So far, I've linked adrenal fatigue to chronic inflammation, and adrenal hypofunction to an autoimmune condition that occurs with Celiac Disease, called, "autoimmune adrenal hypofunction". I'd love to learn more, and hope to hear from you.

Wendy Cohan, RN

Portland, OR

[pele]

Hi,

I'm an RN and have been writing a book that contains a chapter on adrenal fatigue, and has a section on the link between gluten intolerance and adrenal fatiuge, but I would love to have more references to really make a strong arugment. When you said, "I've been reading that one of the stressors that can lead to adrenal fatigue is gluten intolerance..." can you tell me what your sources are? Did they come from books, articles, scientific journals, on-line etc.? THis subject is really important, and I am going to see that it gets the publicity it deserves. So far, I've linked adrenal fatigue to chronic inflammation, and adrenal hypofunction to an autoimmune condition that occurs with Celiac Disease, called, "autoimmune adrenal hypofunction". I'd love to learn more, and hope to hear from you.

Wendy Cohan, RN

Portland, OR

Okay, Wendy, I have a question for you. Do you recommend ashwagandha for celiacs with adrenal fatigue? Who are on hydrocortisone supplementation? Why or why not?

Thanks for your wonderful, thoughtful articles. Can't wait to read your book.

[georgie]

Ok. I searched the web and found some of the symptoms for addison's disease are: low blood sugar, low blood pressure, headaches, and muscle cramps, fatigue. I have all of these. Should I be tested?

I would say so. Most Drs can order a fasting serum cortisol test - and you need to see the results as a low normal result can STILL be a red flag warning sign. If you have a low or low normal serum fasting cortisol test with the symptoms as you describe then you should be investigated for Addisons. You may only have partial adrenal insufficiency at this stage - but you still need the dx and the tablets, and perhaps the emergency kit. Addisons can be a fatal disease if it is not diagnosed in time.

[brossen]

When you said, "I've been reading that one of the stressors that can lead to adrenal fatigue is gluten intolerance..." can you tell me what your sources are? Did they come from books, articles, scientific journals, on-line etc.

Unfortunately, the only place I've seen this in writing is in Dr. Wilson's Adrenal Fatigue book, and I've been told by several health professionals that their experience is that these two often come together. I can also attest to my own relationship between adrenal fatigue and gluten intolerance. I have both gluten intolerance and adrenal fatigue, but it was the adrenal fatigue that really got me to the doctor.

My main symptoms were extreme fatigue, irritability, and "brain fog". I'm a computer scientist, so my life's work is based around thinking clearly. Having brain fog all the time impeded my ability to work, and extreme fatigue impeded my ability to do anything at all.

I started trying to figure out what was wrong with me about 2 years ago, but the problem actually goes back to since I was 16 or so (I'm 28 now). I've been to the doctor a quite a few times over the years for bowel issues. In particular, a sharp pain beneath my belly button and some other symptoms I'd rather not describe... Also, I've always found that I get tired after eating "carbs." Now that I know, it wasn't really after eating carbs, it was after eating wheat.

When I combined stressful work (I'm in grad school for a PhD) with coffee and the underlying gluten intolerance, my adrenal's were what really gave out. I would consider gluten intolerance primary, and adrenal fatigue secondary. Every time I ate gluten containing food, my body interpreted it as being under attack. This stimulated a significant immune response which is viewed by the adrenals as a source of recurring stress. So, after many years of this recurring physical stress, my adrenals started to give out. My Diagnos-Tech's saliva test shows I had stage 5 adrenal fatigue. That's pretty far along in the adrenal failure path.

Now that I've gone on a strictly gluten-free diet, stopped drinking coffee, I'm on adrenal supplements, and I've had a bit of time to rest, I feel a lot better. I've tried each of these solutions in isolation, and they didn't work. If I drink coffee, I take two steps backwards, and just being gluten-free didn't do the trick. Honestly, stopping coffee was the hardest part for me, but it's worth it. It's a lot to commit to, but it's necessary to get one's life back on track. To anyone reading this, if you've got the gluten intolerance and adrenal fatigue -- get rid of every molecule of gluten, take the time off, take the supplements (under advisement of a healthcare professional), and stop drinking coffee. You'll thank yourself for it.