Adrenal Fatigue

This past month I reached a significant milestone in my recovery from chronic fatigue/fibromyalgia syndrome. As described in my previous post I began Oral Systemic Balance treatments with Dr. Farrand Robson one year ago - a therapy that I believe addresses the root cause of my health condition. I continue to have appointments every three to four weeks to adjust my oral appliances and bring my nervous system into balance. Although I experienced significant improvements in my health over the past year I hit a wall in my recovery last spring. It seemed that as my oral balance improved and the adrenaline that I had been living on for years subsided my fatigue increased along with increased sensitivities to foods and supplements and chronically loose stools. By last August I was basically down to eating mostly protein and was wiped out physically. In June I scheduled appointments with my naturopath and Dr. Ralph Golan, a holistic medical doctor I have worked with over the past five years. Neither of them understood what was going on with me suggesting that I pursue further programs addressing food allergies and overgrowth of fungus and bacteria in my gastrointestinal track. Due to my increasing sensitivities I was not able to follow through with these programs. Finally in late August I called Dr. Golan back and this time he "got it". Dr. Golan suspected that my cortisol levels had dropped and that I had collapsed into a state of adrenal exhaustion. This was confirmed with a saliva test performed by Diagnos-Techs Laboratory. Dr. Golan prescribed hydrocortisol which I started taking the first week of September and my health began to improve immediately. Four weeks later I have few food reactions and am eating things I have not been able to eat for 15 years including all kinds of fruits, vegetables and nutritional supplements. My energy is also much improved.

I was diagnosed with adrenal exhaustion by numerous alternative health practitioners over the past 18 years. I was first diagnosed with this condition by Dr. Jonathan Wright,  a well known leader in the field of alternative medicine from Kent, Washington, in 1990 and subsequently took hydrocortisol for a year and DHEA for 8 years. Although initially I felt some improvement taking these hormones they did not resolve my food sensitivities or fatigue. I believe this was because the underlying source of stress on my body which was an obstructive breathing disorder remained unresolved. I then tried various other means of addressing adrenal fatigue including several years of acupuncture, herbs and nutritional supplements with no lasting results finally abandoning this line of pursuit. When I began Oral Systemic Balance I suspected that adrenal fatigue was still a big issue for me but I wanted to give my body a chance to recover on its own once the breathing was addressed. Dr. Robson and his staff encouraged me to stick solely with their program before I started exploring other things. They viewed my case as particularly challenging and difficult but were confident that OSB could resolve all my issues. Though I have great respect for Dr. Robson I am not sure that he understands the complexity of the impacts of a person who has lived for years with prolonged, sustained stress from restricted breathing resulting in chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia. I am discovering that an approach that addresses the root cause with OSB combined with glandular and nutritional support may be the best route for recovery for those who have been sick a long time. At my request Dr. Golan discussed my case with Dr. Robson and I am hopeful that this will begin a professional relationship that can help other patients like myself. 

When I first became ill in 1973 my predominant symptoms were fatigue and headaches. The medical diagnosis was "stress" implying emotional or psychological stress yet I was sure that my stress was entirely physical. Little did I know it would take me 35 years to find out the source of my stress! In the intervening years I lived increasingly on adrenaline in a "wired tired" state as I pushed against my fatigue to have a life. Like most people with chronic fatigue/fibromyalgia I developed severe insomnia, night sweats and gastrointestinal complaints. These were the result of an agitated sympathetic nervous system from living with prolonged physical stress.

In my research on chronic fatigue syndrome I frequently came upon discussions of the "hypothalmic-pituitary-adrenal axis" which refers to the complex set of influences and feedback interactions between these three glands which are part of the neuroendocrine system that control reactions to stress and regulate many body processes including digestion, the immune system and energy storage and expenditure. This axis it typically out of balance in patients with CFS & FMS. Many physicians are now treating CFS/FMS patients with hydrocortisol. From my first hand experience I can tell you that this can be helpful in restoring health.