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Old 01-30-2016, 09:07 PM #11
caroline2 caroline2 is offline
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I don't know what dosage you got in Melatonin. I buy 1mg tabs from source naturals and break them in half. My remedy is low dose melatonin. Years ago before I knew what I know now, I bought some melatonin and don't recall the dose but I took one and it made me really groggy. This was over 20 yrs ago I think. I never took it again until years later when I really got into this alternative healing world. I have no side effects with what I do, but nice sleep. And if and when I wake and can't get back to sleep quickly I pop a calms or an inositol.

I know we are all different.
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Old 01-31-2016, 04:14 AM #12
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Hi again Appletree

Yes low cortisol can be a sign of adrenal fatigue and you're right Adrenal Fatigue is still not recognized by many doctors. That's probably partly because there is such a variation in individuals of the levels and also because it mimics so many other conditions. How did your chiropractor diagnose the adrenal fatigue - was he going by your symptoms. On the other hand Adrenal Insufficiency (Addison's Disease) is a rare and serious condition (potentially fatal if not treated).

If you decide to get cortisol serum testing done make sure it is an 8am fasting test - if that is low then they may want more testing done to exclude Addison's. If this happens please feel free to ask me for more info and I can direct you to sites I've found useful.

Melatonin can be effective if the problem is not a physiological disorder (ie: if it's due more to stress than a physical cause). You're right to try and stay off the sleeping meds if possible until you find the cause. Many are recommended for short term use only and can be addictive and hard to get off if used for long periods. That said they have their place for occasional use to either break a pattern of poor sleep or just to get a decent night's sleep here and there to keep going. Be aware that there can be side effects - I had similar sleep patterns to you for a long time and during a particularly difficult spell was prescribed Ambien (Zopiclone). I use it sparingly partly because I wake up feeling like I've got a 'hangover' the next morning.

As Lara suggested a sleep study might be a good idea - can't hurt.
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Old 01-31-2016, 08:30 AM #13
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Big chicken I am, I didn't take the teeny-tiny melatonin as I planned.

Carolline it was 3mgs and I cut it half. I was ready to take it when I decided to check out the patient reviews at webmd. Most weren't bad but one person had a terrible time with flashing lights over and over in his/her brain all night long and no sleep. With my prior paradoxical reactions to meds, that was enough to scare me. I did sleep a bit better last night, from about 10 to 6:15 and was up for an hour and a half in the middle of the night. At least I got back to sleep which doesn't always happen.
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Old 01-31-2016, 08:38 AM #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lara View Post
p.s. You don't have gastic reflux do you??
My endoscopy showed very mild reflux and a very mild hiatal hernia. The doctor (GI) said it wouldn't be enough to cause my problems. He prescribed a couple of different meds just in case (nexium and such) which made no difference. In fact one of them gave me heartburn which I have never had before. Another paradoxical reaction from my body.

I also have very restless legs. I've been taking 250 mgs of magnesium for a year, sometimes twice a day. Maybe I should be more consistent with the twice a day part.
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"Thanks for this!" says:
Lara (01-31-2016)
Old 01-31-2016, 08:52 AM #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bluesfan View Post
Hi again Appletree

Yes low cortisol can be a sign of adrenal fatigue and you're right Adrenal Fatigue is still not recognized by many doctors. That's probably partly because there is such a variation in individuals of the levels and also because it mimics so many other conditions. How did your chiropractor diagnose the adrenal fatigue - was he going by your symptoms. On the other hand Adrenal Insufficiency (Addison's Disease) is a rare and serious condition (potentially fatal if not treated).

If you decide to get cortisol serum testing done make sure it is an 8am fasting test - if that is low then they may want more testing done to exclude Addison's. If this happens please feel free to ask me for more info and I can direct you to sites I've found useful.

Melatonin can be effective if the problem is not a physiological disorder (ie: if it's due more to stress than a physical cause). You're right to try and stay off the sleeping meds if possible until you find the cause. Many are recommended for short term use only and can be addictive and hard to get off if used for long periods. That said they have their place for occasional use to either break a pattern of poor sleep or just to get a decent night's sleep here and there to keep going. Be aware that there can be side effects - I had similar sleep patterns to you for a long time and during a particularly difficult spell was prescribed Ambien (Zopiclone). I use it sparingly partly because I wake up feeling like I've got a 'hangover' the next morning.

As Lara suggested a sleep study might be a good idea - can't hurt.
Blues - the chiropractor diagnosed me based on my symptoms and the extremely long questionairre I had to fill out. I guess my responses to that part of the quest. were quite strong. But on the other hand, some, like do you crave salt? to which I responded "all the time" may be misleading. I am on a very low sodium diet (1000 mgs a day) plus take a diuretic due to possible meniere's disease and therefore I crave it simply because I don't get much. No blood work was done. I also have celiac, so I wonder if my diet could have something to do with the insomnia. My vitamin B12 level is normal but I know based on my diet I probably don't get enough of any of the B's so I take supplements.

I really need to find a good doctor because my current one hasn't been very helpful with any of my issues, he sees me as just another hypochondriac. Thank you so much for your helpful resonses!

Last edited by AppleTree; 01-31-2016 at 09:42 AM. Reason: spelling
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Old 01-31-2016, 11:50 PM #16
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Hi Appletree

Besides craving salt do you also crave citrus foods eg limes or lemons, or pickled foods? Do you get random short bursts of hiccups? Have you noticed a decreased amount of hair growth in armpits, on arms and legs? Do you have any new dark patches of skin or vitiligo? - these symptoms are associated with Adrenal Fatigue and/or Insufficiency.

If you're taking a diuretic and on a low sodium diet then it's possible you are losing too much salt (and probably potassium) in urine.

If the Meniere's diagnosis wasn't definite the symptoms of Meniere's can be similar to those included with adrenal problems. I had both vertigo and tinnitus prior to my Addison's diagnosis (still get the tinnitus! ). The Hypothalamus/Pituitary/Adrenal system (or HPA axis as it's known) works in synchronization - if there is a problem in one part it can unbalance the others.

Celiac Disease is sometimes a secondary condition to Adrenal Insufficiency - it sounds as though you may have an auto-immune problem going on.

Your suggestion to find a new doctor sounds like a good move. If you don't have them already I would suggest getting copies of all recent or relevant test results before you leave the old doc. It helps to have results on hand when trying to research problems and also when talking to a new doctor. Alternatively if you have a cortisol test and it shows up something you might ask your doctor to refer you to an endocrinolgist.
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Old 02-09-2016, 12:44 AM #17
caroline2 caroline2 is offline
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Do some research on Pantothenic Acid (B5) and Panthethine the most absorbable form of PA. I've been taking one or the other for some time, off and on, and I'm back on with the Panthethine two times per day...I feel a little more awake when I do wake up in the AM. I sleep but know it's LOW CORTISOL for me on my wakeup.
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