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Adrenal Fatigue, Fibromyalgia or Chronic Fatigue?

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Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
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Posted 4/19/2009 6:55 PM (GMT -6)
Hi,

My alternative health care doctor diagnosed me with adrenal fatigue/exhaustion and recommended supplement that I should take and Dr. Wilson's book, both which were sold from his office. I read the book and fit the description exactly. I tried the expensive supplements for a little over a yr with no result. I know that herbs can take a long time to effect you if you are taking them for a condition that you have had for years, but I gave up on the supplements due to the cost and no result.

In the meantime I have read a book about fibromyalgia (my mother loaned it to me and I don't remember the name right now), which my mother has, and noticed that I have 8 out of the 10 symptoms listed. I have also researched chronic fatigue syndrome. I think I may have both of these but have been having a hard time getting a diagnosis. My doctors don't even listen to all my symptoms before saying that the pain and fatigue I feel are related to one of my other problems.

I am constantly in pain and my sleep schedule lately (I am currently on short term disability that will end in 2 weeks) has been the following: To bed from 8 pm to 10 or 11 am, then a nap from 2 or 3 pm until 5 or 6 pm. This is the only way that I feel somewhat "rested" during my waking hours (EX. gives me the energy to make myself something simple to eat). This is the first time I have ever had the chance to take naps while off of work and I listen to my body and take them as soon as I feel tired. I am very anxious about the time when I have to return to work and be in a state of total confusion, exhaustion and pain all the time.

Does anyone have experience with being diagnosed with more than one of these conditions, or being diagnosed incorrectly with one and then finding out is was another?

Thanks for your help!

confused redface tongue
Posted 4/19/2009 11:30 PM (GMT -6)

Hi Cheer,

I wish I had some definite & sure answers for you.  Dealing with & being diagnosed with CFS&/or Fibromyalgia can take some time & patience.  Have you checked into Lyme disease?  It has similar symptoms & people have been dx'd with Fibro & they have Lyme or visa versa.

Ok, first off-I think to begin with you need to find yourself a different Doctor.  If your Doctor isn't listening to you & hearing you out about "all" your symptoms then move on.  This is your life & I have a hard time with any kind of medical person who dx's you & then says you need what I have to sell.  Kinda causes me to step back &  wonder if the dx was real or did it just fit into the dx he wanted to give in the first place? 

There are about 65 symptoms in Fibro & yours do seem to fit but Fibro is dx'd by eliminating everything else it could be.  There are so many illnesses that have the same symptoms, so be patient, get the blood tests done & see what your new Doctor finds.  One thing with Fibro is the 18 tenderpoints.  Have you checked yourself for that?  Google Fibromyalgia tenderpoints & you will find all kinds of sites that show where these are.  They are spots on our bodies that are very tender when touched & they hurt like crazy if you push too hard.  The criteria used to be, you need to have at least 11 of the 18 but I don't know if that still stands.  I sometimes think there are more & I also think, if you have 9 or 10 should that mean you don't have Fibro?  I don't think that should be the case.

While you are waiting for your dx, do alot of reading, learn all you can & be your own best advocate because finding a good Doctor, one who knows about CFS & Fibro can take time.  I have a wonderful GP & I am so glad I found her.  When you call for an appointment don't be scared & ask if this Doctor deals with Fibro &/or CFS patients.  Don't waste your money going to someone who isn't going to listen to you.  A Rheumytologist knows alot about Fibro, CFS, Lyme & Auto Immune diseases.  If you can get a referral from you current Doctor that would be great.

Some of your fatigue could be some of your meds.  I only take one med that can make me drowsy & that is a cyclobenzaprine.  I take it at night to help me sleep because I have insomnia really bad, I use Melatonin with it & I can sleep very well, unless my Fibro is flaring.

We all are different & we all need different meds.  It is all trial & error until you find what works for you.  Some can only get relief with stronger meds.  Fortunately, for now, I can get by with Ibuprofen 600 & Tylenol for breakthough pain.  I hope it stays that way but I will just have to wait & see.

Well, I hope this helps some & answers some of your questions.  Feel free to post again, I hope you can find some relief soon.

Hugs, Denise

Posted 4/20/2009 5:05 PM (GMT -6)
Thanks Denise!

I do have at least 14 of the tender points. They were found by my massage therapist before I knew they could be related to fibro. I take 1 mg of Xanax and 600 mgs of Trazadone right now to sleep and I still wake up throughout the night. I don't feel drugged during the day, I have experienced that with some pain medications so I can tell the difference. I have tried so many different prescriptions for pain and muscle relaxation but none ever seem to work. I'll keep on keeping on. yeah
Posted 4/21/2009 11:59 PM (GMT -6)
Hi Cheer, With 14 of the 18 tenderpoints it sure sounds like Fibro. You should check out the Fibro Forum, it is very active & there are a lot of people to help you with your questions. I hope you will seek out a Rheumy for a dx soon. Let me know how you are doing. Hugs, Denise
Posted 4/23/2009 2:02 PM (GMT -6)
I have an appt on Mon with my general doctor. How do I find a specific doctor that deals with fibro? Thanks for all your help!
Posted 4/23/2009 4:40 PM (GMT -6)
Cheer, If your General Practitioner knows about Fibro & has patients with it he/she can dx you. I was dx'd by my GP & I am not her only Fibro patient. She did refer me to a Rheumatologist because they are the specialists "in the know" on such things as Fibro, ME/CFS, Auto Immune diseases, etc. See if your GP will refer you even just for a second opinion. A lot of your ailments could be attributed to Fibro such as IBS, Anxiety, Insomnia, Migraines, tremor & twitches, vertigo, joint & neck pain, muscle pain. People with Fibro can have all or some of these symptoms & disorders. Just nice little gifts from Fibro. LOL!! Hope it all goes well for you, hugs, Denise
Posted 4/24/2009 6:41 PM (GMT -6)
Thanks, I didn't know most of my symptoms could be attributed to fibro. I can't wait until my dr.'s appt.
Posted 4/29/2009 12:27 AM (GMT -6)
Hey Cheer, how did your appointment go? I hope you have started on the road to a dx. Hugs, Denise
Posted 5/13/2009 8:26 PM (GMT -6)
Up front, I want to say that I have sympathy (empathy) for your condition. Struggling with it myself for over 12 years. I guess the diagnosis may be helpful to you but it's what you do with it that counts. I'd love to know what your diet looks like, what supplements you take, if you exercise, strech, etc. Your list of medications is overwhelming and I think you can rationalize that you "don't feel drugged", when in fact, you are (sorry, I take meds, too). That's a ton of meds and no doubt contributing to your fatigue. If you checked out possible side effects, possible interactions, I think you'd agree. If in fact, you do get a fibro diagnosis, that isn't really helpful as there is no real cure for it in my experience. Personally, I would look at your diet, think about doing a juice cleanse or incorporating a ton of juice, fresh fruit smoothies, just plain good food, and lots of water. Here's a list of helpful supplements in order of importance in my opinion:

Magnesium 750mg. Preferably malate
PROBIOTICS (not the cheap stuff and yogurt won't get it)
Fish Oil, significant dose
Super B complex
A good multi-vitamin
Bromelien, Tumeric, Ginger (as pills or tea)
Contiued adrenal supplements
Epsom salt baths
an antioxidant (green tea, or a host of others)
calcium at night

I have found no magic pill that cures fybromyalgia, I believe it's a combination of genes, environment (that includes diet and lifestyle) and hormones. Addressing these issues through diet and bodywork or exercise and supplementation seems to make sense. Also check out the symptoms of peri-menapause, so simmilar to fybro, makes alot of sense that as our hormone levels decrease our symptoms increase.

Also consider food allergies, celiac disease, arthritis, spinal alignment.

Also: Exercise, no matter what, even if your dog tired, take a walk, it gets the endorphines going
Massage, weekly if possible
stretching, no matter what

Fybro stinks, it's really hard to cope with, but the more we can care for our bodies, the better it may get! The only way I cope is by doing all these things religiously. At times I am still tired, ache, and get down but I'm still trying and always looking for a good holistic approach to this dreaded diagnosis. I am currently scheduled for myofacial release massage which sounds like it might be a great thing, accupuncture, too. I want you to know that even after 12 years, I still manage to hike, walk, garden, exercise and have a good time. I am also cutting down on the meds as I build my body up. Seems to be working so far, although a bit slower than I'd like but still working. I hope the best for you!
Posted 5/24/2009 8:22 PM (GMT -6)
cheer
Hi, just a suggestion write down all your symptoms before going to the doctor. Be sure to include the areas where you are having pain be specific don't just write back pain when you mean the lower back. Are you experiencing any numbness? Do the pain go and come? For example: I have pain in my left shin and the next minute the pain goes to my shoulder.

I have fibro but I came to forum to check out chronic fatigue and get suggestions on how to maintain a normal life.

Good Luck
Posted 6/17/2009 12:00 PM (GMT -6)
Hello Cheer,

I am of course new to this site and have been checking a lot of forums because of symptoms I have had and how many turned out to be linked to Celiac disease. Because of the symptoms that are linked to Celiac disease I have been checking out the forums that are linked.

You mentioned IBS as a symptom, has anyone checked to see if you have Celiac Disease? My understanding is that Celiac disease can mimic numerous other diseases and syndromes and can lead to those diseases and syndromes if it goes untreated. Celiac affects your body's ability to asorb necessary nutrients which can cause numerous symptoms.

Maybe you will end up lucky like me and a simple diet change will make you feel like a new person. I have had numerous symptoms for a few years, some my whole life, obvious ones (IBS, etc) for about 25. Since I went gluten free, I no longer have abdominal pain (unless I accidently find gluten) I haven't had tingling in my hands or feet in a couple weeks and I am not constantly tired. I was literally fighting to stay awake driving to and from work everyday, snoring profusely and having bed sweats. I have been doing great for about 6 weeks now. I was "officially" diagnosed with Celiac and DH about a month ago.

Hope this helps! Good Luck!
Posted 6/23/2009 8:02 AM (GMT -6)

Dear Cheer,

I visit many different sites on this forum due to my long list of symptom and in reading natural health books I fit the bill for Adrenal Gland Fatigue due to prolonged stress.  I often take Solaray Adrenal support I think it is called.  At times it does seem to make me feel better.  I also have depression, may or may not be bipolar, high anxiety, PTSD, etc.  I take .5 Xanax 3 times a day and recently started taking 10 mg Celexa.  How does the Celexa work for you?  I am not sure if it is as effective as I would Like it to be.  Maybe I am expecting too much.  I work full time and have two children and feel my plate is way too full.  I wish I could stay home but family finances would be a disaster.

Hope today is a good one for you.

Gem

Posted 7/14/2009 3:26 PM (GMT -6)
I was diag with Fibro and chronic fatigue in 2004 by my GP...he is great ....good meds.....but all the difference came when I went to a rhuotolg...(SP). He prescribed Neurotin for the fibro pain....MIRACLE for me. It is an anti seizure med.....blocks the message to the brian that you are having pain. I am on a rather low dose....300mg 3x's per day. For sleep I take my anti depressant and anti anxity meds.

For the chronic fatigue I take provigil...it is used for patients with narolepsy. It helps most of the time but recently my fatigue is TERRIBLE. That is why I looked for this site. I am getting more depressed due to the fatigue. Any suggestions. I walk, exercise....then go back to bed....later in the day I walk and light exercise then take another nap.....I am so tired I can hardly stand it....
Posted 7/15/2009 6:18 AM (GMT -6)
For me anti-anxiety and anti depressants tend to make me very fatigued.  I am presently cutting back on the dosage for both and trying to feel better by more natural means.  I always had alot of energy until I started meds.  I guess striking the right balance is the key but that is not always easy to do.

Gem

Posted 7/17/2009 7:07 AM (GMT -6)
willowtree,

Not to sound like a broken record but, have you considered being checked for celiac disease? Research gluten intolerance at google and check some of the searches that list the symptoms. Celiac.org and celiac.com have some information, as well as healing well. My understanding is that Celiac disease is linked to bipolar disorder, anxiety and depression (dysthymia in particular). Celiac disease can effect your thyroid function as well.
Posted 7/28/2009 12:29 PM (GMT -6)
Cheer me up,
Most MDs looking at your symptoms wouldn't even think to test you for Lyme and/or active infections with Epstein-Barr, etc. However, your symptoms are so varied and intense, just like Lyme symptoms, that this seems like a good thing to try to rule out. If you can afford it, I would have your doctor test you for Lyme through Igenex, even if you've already been tested by other labs and come up negative.

Have you ever tried a trial of something that kills off viruses, bacteria and yeast just to see if you get some mileage out of it? I would. The Lyme forum includes discussions of lots of safe, non-Rx options. Personally, I would start with something like Lauricidin, a concentrated form of lauric acid from coconut milk developed by a researcher at Michigan State University. During the first few weeks you might notice a worsening of symptoms. This is generally taken to be a very good sign that you actually do have some kind of infection(s) that's being killed off. Start slowly for the first few weeks to minimize the odds of this.

It's worth a try to go that route! There are lots of people on here who have suffered for decades before finally getting relief after taking some kind of broad spectrum antimicrobial for a while.

Best wishes and please post a followups so we can know how you're doing and give you more support!
Aaron
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