hi, my name is cindy. i'm 33 and have been trying to figure out what is going on in my body. i've gone thru this message board, sighed many times w/ relief that i am not alone. although the one thing that i do get that haven't read is thoughts of suicide. i have read else where that it is a side affect of adrenal dysfntn.? i found out yesterday that i'm in stage 3 of adrenal exhaustion and am working w/ a nutritionist to get back into some normalcy. i am afraid @ times that i'll never be the person i once was - outgoing, driven, positive etc- i'd like any response really, just to talk about this w/ someone that can relate would be lovely http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif thanks!!!!

Hi CJP,

Please do not give up....that is part of the winning is not to give in....YOU know how you feel...the doctor doesn't...and Addison's is not completely understood...and good as they are they hate to admit they do not know all....and you will feel better...it may take some time...this did not happen overnight...even though it may seem it did...everything just caught up...finally....Therefore the bad feelings...I've been there also....alone and thought I was CRAZY...WACKO....etc....you will learn to pace yourself and REST is very important...and you will be able to do the things that you enjoy!

hi gritsla! thank you for your kind words. sorry took so long to respond. have you had experiences w/ heart palpitations? i could just be standing doing dishes when all of a sudden my heart thumps or something. this has been happening for about 5 mths or so.cardiologists say i am fine....hmph.
cjp

cjp - I've had the same symptoms as you in the past. I had the saliva testing done for adrenals and tests done for female hormones as well as thyroid. (There is also a full-month saliva test available for female hormone testing.) That heart thumping can be scary, but also related to estrogen and progesterone imbalances in your body. I have a physician who treats the whole body, not just my adrenals, and I take only natural hormones and creams to balance everything out. The depression I felt monthly was horrible and that has balanced out as well. My sister had the same problem with her heart, went through all the cardio tests and her cardio doc said it was estrogen-related in her case (but gave her no solution).

I go see my endocrinologist tomorrow for Addisons testing. I've been suffering with symptoms since June of last year - mostly digestive - that have progressively gotten worse. After reading several posts here, I'm having hope that the tests will be positive and I can get on medication and back to living the good life that I once knew. I too have palpitations, and increasing anxiety and depression at times. Mostly what I thought was because I've been so ill with no diagnosis. But apparently it's also a side-effect of the disease? At times I don't even feel like I'm in the right body. Like any minute I'm gonna lose my mind cos I feel so awful. I've NEVER felt like this before - just completely overwhelmed. I used to live such an adventurous life. But now I feel vulnerable and fearful of such little things. Anyway I'm prayin like nobody's business that I get some answers. I'm so exhausted from dealing with these symptoms 24/7.

Regarding symptoms as well, does anyone else have very dry skin from this disease? I've got dry, flaky patches all over my face. I read that cortisol in the body stimulates oil glands, so it would be my understanding that if there is limited cortisol, that skin might be dry. Just a thought.

Anyway good luck to everyone in their recovery.