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Re: Supplements for brain fog?- Larry » KaraS

Posted by simus on July 25, 2004, at 0:44:47

In reply to Re: Supplements for brain fog?- Larry, posted by KaraS on July 24, 2004, at 22:17:37

Hi Kara,

I hope you don't mind if I butt in again. It's just that I opened your post, and the words "adrenal fatigue" caught my eye. I had to read on. You could have been describing me! Well, there are a few differences, but let me tell the similarities:

> I mentioned to you about how I start the day so slowly and how I don't usually come alive or feel normal until late in the afternoon.

Mornings are not my friend. I start to feel better as the day progresses, and then around 9:00 at night I am at my best, physically and mentally. Then I can go strong well into the night. It's hard to live that way in a "daytime" world, though. I have tried to adjust my sleeping times, but my best sleep is always after 5:00AMish.

> I've always been a night owl.

I have too. I remember when I was younger and worked so hard that I would be exhausted (but not sleepy) at the end of the day. Then I would go to bed around 10:00PM and lay there sleepless and watch the clock roll around to 11:00, 12:00, 1:00... day after day after week after month after year. When I had to get up at 6:00AM to get ready for work, I would be absolutely exhausted. It was sooooo frustrating. But now, on sick leave, it really doesn't matter that much.

> If I don't sleep much, I come alive much sooner in the day. I'm not as groggy and brain dead. I have more energy and I'm not nearly as depressed. Unfortunately, I can't do that very often as I end up feeling sick a day or two later.

Yep, yep, yep, and yep.

> I probably have an overabundance of candida yeast from antibiotics and too much sugar.

That comes and goes for me, depending on my sugar intake.

> I was diagnosed with CFS almost 20 years ago. One day when I was incredibly worn out, I got a horrible flu that included stomach symptoms, nausea, swollen glands, sore throat etc. It got better gradually and then a few days later I'd get it again. This went on for years. There's no doubt in my mind that it's viral. (I've known of 3 other people with exactly the same symptoms.) As time went on, the "attacks" started to occur less frequently. I would even go months without it. Now, it only seems to happen if I get really run down.

I have never been diagnosed with CFS, but I had mono among other viruses that have had this effect on me.

One difference is that I don't have thyroid problems.

> Some other issues of mine that might also be important are that I've had a lot of allergy problems

Absolutely - the more worn out I get, the worse the allergies.

> cholinergic urticaria

I had chronic hives - every day for over two years. It was triggered by a time of very high stress. At the beginning, I was taking 4 Benadryl at a time, several times a day to keep my sanity because of the intense itching. But since half that dose is taken as a sleep aid, you can imagine what my life was like. My doctor wanted to try to "shock" my system with a heavy dose of steroids, but that didn't go well. Then he prescribed another antidepressant, thinking that it was just from nerves. That didn't go well either, so I just decided to live with it. Fortunately, since treating the adrenal fatigue, the hives diminished. Now I get only a few maybe once or twice a week, and they just quickly go away.

One other disturbing thing I experienced was severe edema in my legs. It was to the point that my lower legs were bright red and hot and very, very painful. I even had trouble bending my legs very far at the knee because of the swelling. That has diminished too since I started treating the adrenal fatigue. (My family doctor prescribed "walking" more, which didn't help.)

> I'm menopausal as well.

I'm only 43, but I have been showing signs of starting menopause for about 6 months now.

> I must sound like a mess to you but surprisingly, I still present well. Ironically, I still look like I'm in good shape and I look younger than I really am.

Hey! Since I have all the same symptoms, I want the "present well" too!!! But sadly, after years of Paxil and then double-dosing on Benadryl all day long for two years on top of that, I now have a LOT of weight to lose.

>My sense of humor is still intact.

That is how I have survived all of this.

>All of this deceives most people (esp. my family and friends) who think that I'm just lazy. They don't get it that I just don't have the energy or the motivation to get a job or take care of my apartment.

I know this all-too-well. I even thought of myself as lazy. Looking back now, I see myself as having been a very sick person. But the energy level is coming up, as is the motivation, thanks to a med change and adrenal fatigue supplements.

> At any rate, I know that it's critical for me now to diagnose this correctly because otherwise treatment of the wrong condition could make things so much worse. I had been planning on trying everything noradrenergic and/or dopaminergic until I found relief. However, if adrenal fatigue is a major factor here then I'd, in effect, be whipping a dead horse (or a very sick one), wouldn't I? (metaphor not simile, right?)

Can I recommend a very good book, "Adrenal Fatigue The 21st Century Stress Syndrome" by Dr. James L. Wilson? It has been a tremendous help to me.

Again, sorry to interrupt. I hope all goes well for you.

God bless,

Simus


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