[Annabel]

Hi insomniac, and thanks for sharing your story. Chronic insomnia can be such a hard condition to live with. Yes, adrenal fatigue can definitely cause insomnia. Usually, the most important thing is to address the cause of whatever stress is behind it.

Do you think the insomnia causing your stress, or is the stress causing your insomnia? Perhaps you’re a type A kind of person who gets easily stressed? Having two sets of twins in a few years must have been tremendously stressful too.

Do you often find yourself biting your nails, fidgeting, grinding your teeth, or exhibiting other tell-take signs of stress? If so, it might be worth revisiting therapies like meditation, perhaps with a guide this time. Some stress counseling could help too. Giving up caffeine, or at least switching to something like green tea, would be a good choice.

Fawne also wrote an awesome post with lots of tips for sleep hygiene. It sounds like you’ve probably tried most of them already, but you might find one or two new ideas. You can find it here:
http://adrenalfatiguesolution.com/essential-guide-to-sleep-hygiene/

Let us know how your cortisol/dhea tests turn out. Hopefully you got the 4-sample cortisol test so you can see the way your levels change through the day?

Sorry that I can’t offer any more specific ideas, but I hope this helps a little?

[Annabel]

Hi Bill, I’m sorry to hear that you’re struggling. Have you been under a lot of stress recently? Is that something that might be disrupting your sleep? Do you have food allergies that you aren’t aware of? Any digestive problems? If you can try to identify what might be causing the issues that you have, it will make it much easier to solve them.

Here’s a link with some of the causes of adrenal fatigue:
https://adrenalfatiguesolution.com/causes-of-adrenal-fatigue/

I would recommend getting blood tests to look for any nutritional deficiencies. Maybe test your hormone levels too (cortisol, thyroid etc), if you can.

[Annabel]

Its best to avoid alcohol where possible, but the occasional drink is not going to hurt. Especially if it helps to reduce your stress levels! Vodka soda and lime would definitely be a good option (squeezed lime, not the cordial/syrup). Just don’t drink too much, stay hydrated, and get plenty of sleep 🙂

[Annabel]

Remember that a drop in cortisol is perfectly natural in the afternoon and evening!
http://adrenalfatiguesolution.com/cortisol-levels-change-throughout-day/

[Annabel]

The best integrative doctors are often those that started off as MDs, got frustrated with the system, and then started learning more about how to complement their knowledge with some more holistic medicine, hormone therapy, lifestyle changes etc.

If I were you I would get all those tests done. The dogma that TSH/T4 testing is sufficient has been well and truly shattered by now. Any endocrinologist that only orders those two tests is just not good enough. Try to get the full thyroid panel if you can.

As for the cortisol test, you can actually order those online, send to the lab yourself, then take to your health professional. Or you can ask them for the specific test that they prefer. The gold standard is a 24 hour salivary cortisol test with 4 different samples. That could help to diagnose any issues with your hypothalamus or pituitary too.

The stool analysis might be unnecessary, but given the GI symptoms that you mentioned it would be worth looking at.

Keep on trying and you’ll figure it out. Keep us updated!

[Annabel]

Hi Karen, it sounds like you’re very frustrated and, given your history, I completely understand that. One thing I wanted to ask is if your testing has been sufficient?

e.g. Have you had the full range of thyroid tests? Including Free T3, Free T4, Reverse T3, Total T4? Was your cortisol test a daily average, or was it a salivary test taken 4 times within a 24 hour period? These would make it easier for your integrative doctor or an endocrinologist to identify where these issues are coming from.

Also, have you done a stool test? The GI problems that you describe could be caused by some kind of gut dysbiosis or stomach acid problem, which could be feeding into problems elsewhere.

It’s very difficult to recommend anything specific, but if you get more testing then perhaps you can get a little closer to the root of the problem.

[Annabel]

Hi Karen,

Thanks so much for sharing your experiences!

Regarding overtraining, Fawne actually wrote a post about it a while ago. You can find it here.

It sounds like you’ve tried lots of different medications with both your Western and integrative doctor. You haven’t found the right combination, and I wonder if that’s because you’re not addressing the root of the problem.

I thought the most important of your post was actually this:
I have a lot of life stress and anxiety. I hate my job I’ve been at for over 10 years and have a lot of dissatisfaction with how things are going in my life-even though there isn’t anything logically that is “that bad.”

It’s really common to underestimate the effects that stress can have on your physiology. Stress can affect your hormone levels, your general sense of wellbeing and vitality, and has been linked to all kinds of medical conditions. If you’re in any doubt about this, take a look at the infographic that Fawne put together: https://adrenalfatiguesolution.com/17-reasons-to-avoid-stress/

At least some of your problems could be caused by a combination of physical stress (from the overtraining), and the emotional stress that you mention above. Until you address these issues, all the different medication and supplements might simply be addressing the symptoms rather than the cause.

Physical stress is easy to address. Aim for more restorative exercise (swimming, yoga, light jogging) that leaves you energized rather than exhausted. Eat lots of nutritious food and get lots of sleep.

Emotional stress is more difficult, and this is where you might need to get some help. Why are you unhappy in your job and life? Is there an underlying reason? Can you use a technique like reframing to change your perspective. Techniques like deep breathing and meditation might also help. Or would a more concrete change (like a new job) be more helpful.

It’s difficult to say what your best course of treatment might be, but it does sound like you’ve been looking for a quick fix without addressing the high level of stress that might be the real cause. The package that Fawne offers on this site contains some awesome meditations and lots of great advice on reducing stress. You might also want to think about seeing a therapist or guidance counsellor to identify any emotional issues that may be at the bottom of this.

Let me know what you think!
Best,
Annabel

[Annabel]

Have you tried starting with low glycemic fruits? Make sure you avoid any fruit juices and dried fruits, as they can spike your blood sugar quickly.

Be careful with the licorice too, as that has the potential to reduce your blood sugar further. You should ask your naturopath if licorice is appropriate for your situation.

Also make sure that you are getting all the nutrients that you need from your food. Make sure to incorporate highly nutritious foods like chicken liver, seaweed, sweet potatoes, bone broth, and lots of vegetables. Don’t rely on supplements as a substitute for real nutrition. The nutrients in real food will always be higher quality and more bioavailable. Use supplements as an addition to your nutritive intake, not a substitute for it.

Try to manage your reactions to stress better. Have you tried meditation, deep breathing or other mind-body techniques? These can help to minimize your cortisol response to stressful situations, and take some of the pressure off your HPA axis. They might also help to stabilize your blood sugar.

Lastly, getting a 24 hour cortisol test is definitely a good idea.

[Annabel]

Some forms of Magnesium can disrupt bowel osmolarity and cause symptoms like diarrhea. The type that is most bioavailable and tolerated best is generally Magnesium glycinate. You can see a good example here. Glycine is an amino acid that has been linked to better sleep too!

[Annabel]

Yes! But if your hormone levels or cycles are dysregulated before you get pregnant, it won’t make your pregnancy any easier. It would be worth speaking to a hormone specialist or integrative doctor first.

If you get some tests and find that your adrenal or thyroid hormone levels are dysregulated, then you’ll have the opportunity to address these issues before you get pregnant. It might be lifestyle alterations, dietary changes, some methods for coping with stress, or even bioidentical hormone replacement. Fawne’s book contains some amazing advice on changing your lifestyle and coping with stress, but for supplementation and/or hormone replacement you will need to speak to a health professional.

[Annabel]

I forgot to mention a couple of things..

You mention that you have had some blood tests, but have you done the 24 hour salivary cortisol test? That’s your best bet to find out if your cortisol cycle is dysregulated.

As for the best doctor to see, you should look for a functional or integrative doctor.

[Annabel]

There are definitely some parts of your story that sound very much like adrenal fatigue.

1. Feeling sleepy in the mornings and ‘wired’ at night. This could be caused by a dysregulated cortisol cycle. http://adrenalfatiguesolution.com/cortisol-levels-change-throughout-day/

2. Feeling overwhelmed or unable to cope with stress. This can happen when your body becomes unable to produce stress hormones when you need them.

Do you find yourself drinking more and more coffee to get through the day? Cravings for sweet or salty food? These are classic symptoms too.

Fawne has added lots and lots of advice to this website. And the ebook that she wrote with Dr Eric includes even more. Its not about changing one thing – you need to look at all aspects of your diet, lifestyle, and the way that you handle stress.

I hope this helps a bit! Let me know if you have any more questions 🙂

[Annabel]

Hi Rob! You should have received download instructions for the ebooks immediately after your purchase. But no problem! You can also access your downloads by going to http://www.adrenalfatiguesolution.com/get-started/my-account and logging in using your email address and the password that you created during checkout. Your download links will be right there 🙂

Let me know if you have any problems at all.

By the way I am going to remove your email address from your post, so you don’t get added to any spam lists.

[Annabel]

You’re correct about pre-workout supplements. Most of them contain caffeine or some form of stimulant that can stress your adrenals.

The insomnia that you’re describing could be a sign that your cortisol cycle is still dysregulated. The changes that you mention (giving up stimulants etc) should eventually help with this. But there are also a lot of techniques you can use to improve your sleep in the short term. Check out this list for some easy-to-use tips:
https://adrenalfatiguesolution.com/essential-guide-to-sleep-hygiene/

[Annabel]

Hi kmlvr9! Most adaptogens work in a very gentle way. You might want to start by trying either Ashwagandha or Rhodiola Rosea

[Author]

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