Post by kcannings on Dec 28, 2008 12:51:47 GMT -5
Hi there,
I am new on here, but have been sick for about 20 months now. Long story short, an Endocrinologist just diagnosed me with "early stage" Addison's Disease, but he feels it is due to a lack of ACTH (secondary adrenal fatigue). I have a few questions:
1. Is Secondary Adrenal Fatigue reversible? Or will the Pituitary always produce a lack of ACTH?
2. Is there any other treatment besides hydrocortisone? ACTH injections?
I also have Hashimotos Disease. My predominant symptom from Day 1 has been nausea...constant nausea - like pregnancy nausea. I woke up one day feeling like I had the flu and it has never gone away. Didn't come on slowly - just happened one day. Then the fatigue set in and joint pain, but nausea continues to be my predominant symptom. They finally (after 14 months) diagnosed me with Hashimotos Disease and put me on 100mcg Synthroid. Initially, it worked, but after a few weeks the nausea returned. I flip flopped between different dosages, but nothing would stick. I then tried Thyroid-S from Thailand (was living there at the time) and bam, all of my symptoms went away (I was on 3 grains). For 3 weeks I didn't have any symptoms and then I began to develop joint pain in my feet and hands - really bad. I stopped the Thyroid-S as I couldn't handle the joint pain. I then remained off of thyroid meds for about a month. I saw an NMD in Arizona after that who put me on hydrocortisone. Initially I saw an improvement at 20mcg, but never fully took away my symptoms. I went as high as 60mcg of hydrocortisone, but no result. During that time, I tried Armour again, but had a terrible reaction and every part of me swelled up - now, looking back that was most likely due to the high dosage of HC. So, I am now seeing this new Endocrinologist who did the cortisol stimulation test. When he did the high dosage test, my levels quadrupled. When he did the low dose, they only moved 25%. So, the first test pointed to Secondary Adrenal Insufficiency, but the second test pointed to Primary Adrenal Insufficiency - is this right? Anyways, he put me on 20mcg of hydrocortisone which I have been on for 12 days. I have seen very little minimal results from it - my fatigue has improved, but no change in my nausea or joint pain. I was on 125mcg of Synthroid as well. Yesterday, I started the desiccated thyroid hormone, Thyroid (in Canada), only 1 grain. I saw such results from it in Thailand, I figure it is time to try it again.
I really do not want to be on hydrocortisone if it is doing anything. My hands and feet swell on it and I continue to gain weight even at the moderate dose.
A few more questions:
1. Should you see a result from HC pretty quickly? Or if I haven't seen a noticeable improvement, should I go off of it?
2. Do you think I could support my adrenals naturally based on my cortisol tests?
3. Do you think the majority of my symptoms are thyroid related rather than adrenal related. Every thyroid medication I took, all of my symptoms disappeared except they eventually returned EXCEPT for when I took desiccated - unfortunately, join pain resulted.
I desperately need some advice. I feel very lost as I really don't have a doctor that understands this. Any advice you can give is greatly appreciated!!
Also, is this called "Hypopituitarism" or is this something else?
Thanks so much!!
Kelly
I am new on here, but have been sick for about 20 months now. Long story short, an Endocrinologist just diagnosed me with "early stage" Addison's Disease, but he feels it is due to a lack of ACTH (secondary adrenal fatigue). I have a few questions:
1. Is Secondary Adrenal Fatigue reversible? Or will the Pituitary always produce a lack of ACTH?
2. Is there any other treatment besides hydrocortisone? ACTH injections?
I also have Hashimotos Disease. My predominant symptom from Day 1 has been nausea...constant nausea - like pregnancy nausea. I woke up one day feeling like I had the flu and it has never gone away. Didn't come on slowly - just happened one day. Then the fatigue set in and joint pain, but nausea continues to be my predominant symptom. They finally (after 14 months) diagnosed me with Hashimotos Disease and put me on 100mcg Synthroid. Initially, it worked, but after a few weeks the nausea returned. I flip flopped between different dosages, but nothing would stick. I then tried Thyroid-S from Thailand (was living there at the time) and bam, all of my symptoms went away (I was on 3 grains). For 3 weeks I didn't have any symptoms and then I began to develop joint pain in my feet and hands - really bad. I stopped the Thyroid-S as I couldn't handle the joint pain. I then remained off of thyroid meds for about a month. I saw an NMD in Arizona after that who put me on hydrocortisone. Initially I saw an improvement at 20mcg, but never fully took away my symptoms. I went as high as 60mcg of hydrocortisone, but no result. During that time, I tried Armour again, but had a terrible reaction and every part of me swelled up - now, looking back that was most likely due to the high dosage of HC. So, I am now seeing this new Endocrinologist who did the cortisol stimulation test. When he did the high dosage test, my levels quadrupled. When he did the low dose, they only moved 25%. So, the first test pointed to Secondary Adrenal Insufficiency, but the second test pointed to Primary Adrenal Insufficiency - is this right? Anyways, he put me on 20mcg of hydrocortisone which I have been on for 12 days. I have seen very little minimal results from it - my fatigue has improved, but no change in my nausea or joint pain. I was on 125mcg of Synthroid as well. Yesterday, I started the desiccated thyroid hormone, Thyroid (in Canada), only 1 grain. I saw such results from it in Thailand, I figure it is time to try it again.
I really do not want to be on hydrocortisone if it is doing anything. My hands and feet swell on it and I continue to gain weight even at the moderate dose.
A few more questions:
1. Should you see a result from HC pretty quickly? Or if I haven't seen a noticeable improvement, should I go off of it?
2. Do you think I could support my adrenals naturally based on my cortisol tests?
3. Do you think the majority of my symptoms are thyroid related rather than adrenal related. Every thyroid medication I took, all of my symptoms disappeared except they eventually returned EXCEPT for when I took desiccated - unfortunately, join pain resulted.
I desperately need some advice. I feel very lost as I really don't have a doctor that understands this. Any advice you can give is greatly appreciated!!
Also, is this called "Hypopituitarism" or is this something else?
Thanks so much!!
Kelly