My Adrenal Fatigue History

No one tells you that being a mother is easy. But despite all the cautionary tales, and well meaning advise, there is just no way of knowing how being a mother will effect you until you jump in and do it. In my case, the stress of growing two babies and caring for them has taken a toll on my health.

I wanted to start this blog because of how alone I felt when trying to figure out what was wrong with me. When my second child was about 10 months old I found myself struggling just to get out of bed in the morning. No amount of sleep ever left me feeling refreshed, and it felt like I was trudging through mud all day long. My brain was foggy, I had lost my usually abundant supply of patience, and I kept getting sick. A stomach bug, a sinus infection, mastitis, and a cold all in a 10 day span. I felt jittery, anxious, depressed, and just generally worried about why I felt so awful. My normally supportive husband expected me to "step up". But I could not.

After a bit of searching online, I started to connect a few dots. The information I was finding led me to believe that I had Adrenal Fatigue. So I made an appointment with a Naturopath to get a diagnosis. She did the appropriate Cortisol tests, and confirmed my suspicion. Since I was still nursing my son, my treatment options were limited. She set me up with a few mild supplements and I began down the very long road of healing.

Adrenal Fatigue is caused when you body encounters too much physical, mental, environmental, or emotional stress. Your adrenals glands aren't able to keep up with your body's demand, which results in a decreased output of Cortisol. Not enough Cortisol = tired, grumpy, & sad. The thing about Adrenal Fatigue is that it is not recognized by most traditional doctors. In order for most doctors to treat you, your adrenal glands have to quit functioning completely, a rare syndrome known as Addison's Disease.

And what's equally unfortunate about having Adrenal Fatigue is the long list of conditions that seem to go hand-in-hand with it. Allergies, hypoglycemia, low blood pressure, PMS, auto-immune disorders, frequent illness and infections, and depression/anxiety. In my case I have dealt with most of these issues, and though they are not life-threatening, seriously impact quality of life.

After being diagnosed with Adrenal Fatigue I did a lot more reading and research. The best all around book I found is Adrenal Fatigue: The 21st Century Stress Syndrome. I was equal parts relieved, and discouraged. You see, I have had many of the symptoms of Adrenal Fatigue for much of my life. I was thrilled to see that there might just be a reason for it. That I wasn't just "lazy". I was also dismayed to read that the road to recovery can be a long one. And now, more than a year after I started treatment I can see that it is true. Although I began to feel better within a month, it took around six months to feel "fine". And I have experienced many setbacks along the way.

But I have learned (and am still learning!) so much about my body, and how to feel my best along the way. There have been dietary changes, a romance with yoga that I hope will last a lifetime, and a commitment to listen to my body when it has had enough. I feel more educated about my situation every year, and equipped to deal with it so that I can continue on the path to being the healthiest me possible. Most days I feel fine. And let me tell you, when you have spent an extended amount of time feeling horrible, "fine" is pretty great. But I am also unwilling to accept "fine" as my final destination. I am prepared now to live with the high likelihood of relapse, though I take every precaution to prevent it and to continue on a path to optimal health.

When I think about how long I suffered before getting help, it makes me hurt for the others who are out there suffering now. I only hope that Adrenal Fatigue will become a syndrome recognized by traditional doctors, and that information about it will spread to those who need it.