Adrenal fatigue – a case study
Do you have a constant feeling of depression and fatigue? Do you feel that even if you stayed in bed all day, you would still be too tired to function efficiently? What about your overall health issues? Feel like your body is shutting down little by little? Is your weight gaining even though you’ve drastically cut back your eating habits?
These are just a few of the factors that were controlling Lisa’s life. Then by what she calls pure chance, she found one answer to all of it. Although she’s still not completely back at the level she wants, she says she “is on the road to a better me”.
Being a single mum with a full-time job, livestock, and your everyday trials and tribulations is stress enough for anyone. Add to that a hoax of medical problems that seemed to be compounding daily, well, let’s just say Lisa felt like she was failing. Or to be more exact, like her body was shutting down. Sleep was all she wanted to do. She would be so exhausted that she couldn’t sleep. Her mind would race as soon as she hit the pillow. Kids, money, work issues, her failing health, etc….. When sleep did hit; crazy, unexplainable dreams would steal any rest that might come. Needless to say, another day would start with her trying to catch up to yesterday. Depression was a constant shadow that kept getting darker every day. She went up four pant sizes and more than 30kgs in the last year. She tried skipping meals and continued to gain. This only further complicated her health issues.
Finally, she had some personal issues come up and made an appointment. Her regular Dr. wasn’t available, so she took a chance with a NP on duty that day who said Lisa was suffering from Adrenal Fatigue. She was in shock; could it really be that simple? The NP ordered some blood tests, another visit, and sent Lisa home with a handout on the topic. Finally, she had some hope. This “one problem” covered nearly all her symptoms.
What is adrenal fatigue?
The adrenals are two walnut-size glands located on top of each kidney. Basically, they are important control centres for many of the body’s hormones. The adrenal glands produce cortisol and adrenaline to help our bodies deal with the everyday challenges of life. They were designed to release cortisol in short bursts to help overcome these challenges. Unfortunately, in today’s society, there are so many short bursts needed that your cortisol levels begin to maintain at an elevated level. When these high levels are sustained, it begins to cause all sorts of trouble. It impairs digestion, destroys healthy muscle and bone, weakens your immune system, and more.
Cortisol is a hormone in everyone that works hand-in-hand with so many things. It is a major factor in metabolic functions, which as we all know, controls our weight. Not to mention the way it helps to control the way our pancreas regulates our sugar levels. As I researched, the list got longer and longer.
Symptoms at a glance
- Fatigue
- Feeling tired after sufficient sleep
- Insomnia
- Weight gain
- Depression
- Hair loss
- Acne
- Reliance on stimulants (caffeine)
- Sugar cravings
- Salt cravings
- Poor immune system
- Intolerance to cold
The results
Lisa’s levels came back at the very bottom of the scale. She was sent home with a couple of prescriptions and simple directions to follow. After a couple weekly phone appointments with the NP, and small adjustments to the medication levels, Lisa feels like a new person. Her energy levels are up, as well as her spirits. Daily problems are not so tragic, her weight is falling (basically by itself), and her sugar is under control again. In fact, she now has to make herself stop and go to bed. Of course, she still gets run down from the course of the day, and not every day is great, but the change is drastic. Family members comment regularly on the difference. Lisa was told that she no longer goes around with a scowl and doesn’t snap every time she speaks.
If Lisa’s story resonates with you or you have similar symptoms – don’t be afraid to ask for the professional help of a health practitioner. There are also many websites available on Adrenal Fatigue if you want to familiarise yourself with it further.