Real or Imagined? My Journey With Adrenal Fatigue

Follow one woman’s journey as she tries to recover from adrenal fatigue.

Word map of popular conditions, among one of which is adrenal fatigue. Retrieved from Pixabay

Adrenal fatigue, adrenal insufficiency, limited adrenal function, these are all terms to know. The term adrenal fatigue gets tossed around a lot, but what is it really? Is it a real thing or is it imagined?

Unfortunately, there is no one definitive answer to this question. But, I’d like to share my journey hoping to help someone in my situation. This condition is a bit of a mystery and there are still many things we don’t know about it. However, that doesn’t mean it isn’t real.

Take this article how you will, but personally, I believe adrenal fatigue is quite real. It has impacted my own life to the point I’m battling an uphill climb to recover, filled with fatigue, heightened cortisol levels, and so many other things.

It’s been a slow process, but I’ve learned a lot about myself and how cortisol works along the way.

I’m a workaholic. Always have been. I owned a business for 20 years before COVID shuttered it. The stress from that increasing my cortisol levels alone was enough to send me into a tailspin.

I wrapped my entire identity up in my career. I had someone ask me once “If I took away your career, what would your identity be then? Who would you be?”

That question struck me as nearly life changing. I had been ignoring the symptoms for some time. I thought it was just burnout. So I was relieved after a while the business went under. I had been thinking of selling it because of the burnout and this gave me a way out sooner than I was ready for.

It exhausted me all the time. My mood was off. I couldn’t sleep over 3–4 hours at a time, no energy, chronic fatigue, and it zapped my motivation. I had no sex drive and felt like I had no purpose.

It’s hard to explain what it feels like when you’re in the throes of adrenal fatigue. You can’t just “snap out of it”.

So what led me to believe and eventually get a diagnosis? My quality of life was dramatically decreased, my blood sugar tanked constantly if I didn’t eat within an hour of waking up.

I missed out on memories, moments, events with my family and friends, and especially my husband. You could say we’re all healing together.

There is no cure for this condition, but there are natural and holistic methods available to help you feel better.

The benefits of recognizing the signs early on can reduce anxiety, decrease exhaustion, minimize depression levels and increase your mental capacity. These symptoms should be treated sooner rather than later to heal faster, and you should seek a medical professional for support and diagnosis.

Types of Adrenal Fatigue Symptoms

Picture of the endocrine system, including the adrenal gland. Retrieved from Pixabay.

If you’re experiencing some symptoms listed above, it’s important to realize that you may have adrenal fatigue. This is not something to be taken lightly. It’s a real medical condition which can have a big impact on your life.

Symptoms of adrenal fatigue can include:

feeling exhausted all the time
mood swings
trouble sleeping
low energy
chronic fatigue
lack of motivation
reduced sex drive
feeling like you have no purpose
low blood pressure
weight gain
low blood sugar levels
weight loss
weakened immune system
depression

These are just some of the more common adrenal fatigue symptoms. If you’re experiencing any of these and have heightened amounts of stress, it’s important to talk to your doctor.

They will probably run some tests to rule out other conditions and then work with you to develop a plan to treat your adrenal fatigue.

The science behind adrenal fatigue is still being studied, but there is evidence that suggests it is an actual condition. In one study, they showed that people with adrenal fatigue had lower levels of certain hormones than those who did not have this issue.

While the science is still being debated, there are many people who believe they suffer from adrenal fatigue. The medical community is torn about whether it’s real.

The studies being done are just a start for those of us suffering from this silent predator. Studies usually involve studying the adrenal glands, your lifestyle, habits, and diet. You might get tested for blood sugar levels as when your cortisol levels are elevated, it can tank pretty easily.

What’s Behind Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome

A young boy suffering from chronic fatigue due to heightened cortisol levels and adrenal fatigue. Retrieved from Pixabay.

While it’s not known exactly what causes it, the theory is that your adrenal glands are overtaxed. It’s not as simple as diagnosing something and then treating it with traditional medicine. While that’s normally the way you’d do things, this needs a bit of different care to put to it.

There are three types of adrenal fatigue:

mild
moderate
severe

While there is no cure for adrenal fatigue, the goal of treatment is to help you manage your symptoms so you can feel better and live a more normal life.

Treatment options will vary depending on the severity of your adrenal fatigue, but can include lifestyle changes, dietary changes, supplements, and stress-relieving techniques.

Adrenal fatigue is pretty common, especially among women. It’s when your adrenal glands can’t keep up with the demand for cortisol production because you’re constantly stressed.

That means your body is in a state of fight-or-flight all the time, which takes a toll on your adrenal glands. The good news is that there are some things you can do to help recover from adrenal fatigue.

First, it’s important to get enough sleep. Sleep deprivation can exacerbate adrenal fatigue, so aim for at least eight hours a night. Second, try to eat a healthy diet and try to manage your cravings, as it can lead to cravings for sugar and unhealthy foods.

So, it’s important to fuel your body with nutrient-rich foods. Lastly, try to reduce stress in your life. This can be through exercise, meditation, or simply spending time with loved ones.

While adrenal fatigue is an actual condition, it’s important to remember that you can recover from it. With the right treatment plan and lifestyle changes, you can feel better and live a normal life.

I realized I was having this when someone mentioned they had it. I asked them about it because they had similar symptoms.

In fact, she retired months later and focused on herself completely. She’s come a long way, and through her I see the possibility of recovering fully. Chronic stress causes adrenal fatigue, and it manifests in many ways.

For me, it was constant exhaustion and brain fog, trouble sleeping, elevated blood pressure, and getting sick all the time. I felt like I was running on empty, and even minor tasks felt insurmountable.

The Process of Adrenal Fatigue Recovery

Taking a walk through nature when you have symptoms of adrenal fatigue can be a great way to start your self-care routine. Retrieved from Pixabay.

I’m still recovering and it’s been a few years. I had pushed myself to the brink and my body finally told me that was enough. It’s been a long journey, but one I know will help me feel better in the long run.

I changed up my routines, went vegetarian, stopped drinking coffee or tea, and started getting better sources of natural clean energy from things such as foods, vitamins, and supplements, among a few other things. Drinking plenty of water I find helps, too.

After my diagnosis by a natural practitioner, I was prescribed some supplements. Among those were magnesium, b vitamins, among others. When looking at supplements, what works for you may be different for the next person, so pay close attention after your diagnosis and cortisol levels by managing your stress.

These may seem like obvious steps to recover, but most of us will start doing this and then not stick to it leading to even more problems with your cortisol levels and health.

Humans gravitate to the easiest path available to them. Changing your lifestyle, diet and habits isn’t a simple change everyone is willing to make.

I knew I had to just to continue living. The mobile on the go lifestyle I had just wasn’t working for me, but for 20 years I pushed myself until my body just gave out. My cortisol levels were out of control, chronic pain was an everyday battle.

So, learn from me and my experience. Pushing yourself to be productive all the time just isn’t healthy.

Productivity, while great, it’s a construct of society pushing us to live for work, and not to work to live. Stress from this lifestyle causes cortisol levels to skyrocket, and all the things I’ve mentioned will come to fruition.

I was taught if you’re not productive, you’re not useful. Which now, I know is utter bull****. If you’re not productive, you feel guilty, but if you’re constantly productive, you burn out.

Both states aren’t great for your health, leading to problems down the road.

There is a happy medium that can be achieved, and it’s up to you to find what works best for you. If you’re dealing with adrenal fatigue, or think you might be, start changing your life to recover. It’s a long process, but one that’s worth it to feel better and live a healthier life.

If you’re like me, adrenal fatigue has probably affected your life in more ways than you even realize. It’s tough to admit that we need to take a step back and focus on our health, but it’s so important.

If you’re curious about how to take better care of yourself, I have just the thing for you. I’ve created an amazing online course all about self-care and self-improvement. The best part? I’m giving you, dear reader, a discount! Head over here and sign up for my course today for only $1. You won’t regret it!