Topper - Adrenal fatigue, etc.

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

Thanks for your response - and to everyone who's

jumping in and helping me! First of all , I'm so

sorry about the complications you have from the RAI!

How awful! Is there any extra care you could be

receiving for that if you had insurance?

That adrenal fatigue - that sounds so much like me!

I'm still waiting for my free t results, but even

before I started having these hyper symptoms, I was

having some of the symptoms you mentioned for adrenal

fatigue. I feel emotional alot of the time and cry

much easier. The strongest symptom I have is my

ability to deal with stress. I've been having a

terrible time at work, unable to concentrate and deal

with stress - feeling like I literally can't do my job

and like I'm going to have a " break down " during the

day. And I was always SO productive and able to deal

well with stress. My doc is having me stay home from

work for a few days to relax and let the beta blocker

work - I don't go back to work until Monday the 30th.

But right now, sitting at home and just thinking about

going back to work, my chest tightens and hurts and my

breathing gets heavier...I'm actually scared about

going back! This isn't like me!

So if I have adrenal fatigue, how is it treated? It

has to be through a cortisol prescription, huh?

I'm SO interested in treating myself once I go hypo

again...I'll do whatever I have to do. Unfortunately,

I haven't been able to take my waking temp and pulse

for the past couple days, but I'll try to get that

started tomorrow. Other than that, I've been tracking

everything since Nov. 2004.

I'm so grateful for everyone's support and guidance.

I'm scared and don't feel well, but you give me hope.

I hope I can return the favor in some way.

(((hug))) M.

--- topper2@... wrote:

> Some of the easiest symptoms to spot, on your own,

> It can be a rise in pulse rate during the day...

> your resting pulse rate

> in the morning will be less that your resting pulse

> rate later in the

> day.

> It can be weird emotions, crying for stupid things,

> not able to handle

> stresses, silly things like accidently breaking a

> glass while doing

> dishes can cause a crying jag...

> Sleep patterns.... exhausted from 'lack of sleep'

> yet unable to go to

> sleep at night, or waking in the wee hours of the

> morning, still tired,

> but unable to go back to sleep....

>

> Do any of those seem to fit you? There are more, and

> some of these

> symptoms can also be part of both hypo and hyper..

>

> -----------------------

> Yes, it's helped quite a few, how much it helps

> depends on how 'abused'

> your body is, how long you been dealing with the

> swings and how severe.

> The key is to add enough replacement to suppress

> gland activity.. you'd

> have to be going into a hypo phase to start.

> When you consider that if you have the gland removed

> or killed you'll end

> up on replacement hormone anyway, this option is no

> worse in that you'll

> still be on pills for the rest of your life...but it

> has the plus in that

> you won't have to undergo surgery or radiation.

>

> BUT you still need to have it scanned and be sure

> that all is well, no

> nodules that are going to be a problem and to make

> sure that there is no

> cancer, cancer is not common, but it's possible...

> if there is cancer

> quick removal is the best bet.. Others can comment

> on that aspect. Most

> likely, with antibodies high its just going to be a

> damaged gland from

> antibody activity. But the more you know, the better

> informed you are,

> the better prepared you will be for whatever comes

> up and can make and

> educated decision and not one of panic, or to be

> pushed into something

> that you might later regret.

>

> ------------------------------------------

> Each time you cycle your time of 'normal' shortens

> and you go more hypo.

> How much it changes each time, and how long between

> intervals is an

> individual thing... we can't sit back and say it

> will be dead in a year,

> or ten years... or thirty years... it happens in

> it's own time....

> Some docs expect you to deal with this until you are

> absolutely miserable

> before they will deal with it.

>

> can comment more on what it's like to

> wait until the gland is

> soo damaged that she's been considering surgery

> anyway, cuz of other

> issues.

>

> -----------------------------

> In my own opinion, RAI should be ONLY a last

> resort.... or as the follow

> up treatment after surgery to remove cancer. It's

> potential to cause

> other problems in the body is too high. I'm now

> dealing with Lymphedema

> from the RAI. The 'clog' seems to be in my upper

> chest... I spend 1 1/2

> hours, minimum, a day doing self massage to keep the

> swelling under

> control. I've got my lower legs and feet back to

> normal but my belly is

> where the fluid is collecting now.... I've tried

> twice to concentrate

> efforts on reducing the fluid retention in my belly

> and every time I end

> up with fluid in my chest that causes difficulty

> with breathing, coughing

> and chest pain.

>

> Before I learned about the massage technique my feet

> and toes were so

> swollen I honestly feared the skin would split. How

> I found out what was

> going on, after months of symptoms, was when someone

> here posted links to

> some pics of folks with lymph and the infections...

> and those pictures

> showed my legs EXACTLY.. that's when I knew what was

> going on. It took a

> few months to clear up the infections on my own (no

> insurance so I have

> to do most everything on my own) but it's been good

> now for six months or

> more. had the infection too, far more

> widespread than I, it's

> called Cellulitis... she ended up in the hospital

> with it twice in

> '04....

>

> The risk of lymph node damage also exists with any

> surgery.. but at least

> that wouldn't be deep inside the body, like this

> thing I have.... I

> haven't been able to find the node, or nodes. that

> are clogged.

>

> In the last year I've also found out that the RAI

> treatment GREATLY

> increases the risks of developing other cancers,

> specifically breast

> cancer. That doesn't make me real happy either.

> Keep asking questions... what ever comes to mind...

> Only you can decide

> what is right for you.. and the more you know of the

> pros and cons of all

> the approaches/treatments the better choice you can

> make for your self...

> IMHO, of course.

>

> I didn't get a choice.. the first doc blew me off

> and by the time I was

> diagnosed it was RAI or die.... now, all these years

> later, for the

> genetic flaw that I have that caused my gland to

> mess up... I could have

> used medication to control it.... and would still

> have my gland and would

> never have been exposed to the radiation.... or all

> the damage to my body

> from the radiation or the years of under treatment

> by docs.

>

> It makes me very bitter. That's why I want to help

> others to learn, to

> understand, to weigh pros and cons and choose the

> option that fits them

> the best and not just do the first thing the doc

> says.. the docs, many of

> them, don't understand this thyroid stuff enough.

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