Posted 8/6/2009 1:35 PM (GMT -6)
I'll try to be brief.
about two years ago I was hit with anxiety and depression. I say "hit" because one day I was more or less ok, then the next, it's as if a switch was flipped and I was suffering with sever anxiety and depression.
Got on antidepressants they worked great for about a year and a half. I weaned off Lexapro and was off it for 6 months when I was hit with another episode. I got me wondering if there was a biochemical cause instead of a mental cause because the level of stress in my life was pretty much consistent, that is, not very stressful over all.
the circumstances preceding this most recent episode were:
-staying up late, 2:00 am 4 or 5 nights a week, getting up at 7:30
-drinking 2 large cups of very strong coffee once in the morning and once in the afternoon.
-Playing an hour and a half of tennis 2 to 3 times a week
-Working out 3x week
-Sporadic pot smoking
-drinking 3 to 4 nights a week, not heavily though
-trying to lose weight, not eating very well
-got my testosterone checked, it was very low, lower than the low end of normal
-got a hair test: silver and tin levels were very high, magnesium, zinc, lithium and phosphorous were very low.
This lead me to investigate adrenal burnout. Even after cutting out caffeine, weed, alcohol, sugar, white flour and getting adequate sleep (mostly) I have some of the symptoms:
tired but wired feeling
feeling best in the evening
not being able to wake up until 10:00am
throat aches a little or a lot, depending on what day it is
doctor said I have a "large" goiter
my anxiety seems to flare up off and on, I notice an increase after a 3 days of staying up late
My T4 and TSH levels are "normal" but I know that doesn't tell the whole story.
The endocrine doc seems to think it's stress and says to just keep taking the antidepressants.
A wholistic doctor seems convinced I have adrenal exhaustion. which seems the most likely answer to me as well.
My question is, what should I do now? Does adrenal exhaustion seem like a correct diagnosis? Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.