Addison's Disease Support Group

Ninjou,

I have the same problem with appetite when I get run down. I eat, eat, eat, but I'm still tired. When that happens, I try to get back to basics. Make sure I'm eating healthly balaced meals, getting enough sleep (although I can't get to sleep tonite because of headache/muscle aches), and exercise in moderation. I'm currently experimenting with fitness classes 3 days a week, but with feeling run down and tired on weekends, I may need to throttle back. It's all about finding balance, although it's really frustrating sometimes because I feel I don't have enough energy to do everythign I want/need to. So again, got to step back, evaluate and set priorities.

Be really careful with your cortef dose. You'll need to work with your endo to determine the right dose and time to take it. Average dose for most folks is 20 mg per day. Too high of a dose over time can yeild some nasty side effects. Maybe your fatigue isn't just due to AD. Has your thyroid function been checked lately? An underactive thyroid can make you feel tired.

Ninjou,
Have you talked to your doctor about your fatigue? HOw long have you been on that dose of cortef? The steroid need for each of us is very individualized. We all have to find the dose that works for us. You may be taking way too little. Have you ever tried taking more? You do have to watch for signs of side effects, as taking too much is not good either. Its a juggling act without much to base it on other than how you feel. Some people will do better with a different steroid as well. Personally, I do much better on prednisone than cortef. Maybe you need a different steroid. Have you been ill? or stressed lately? Either can increase your need for steroid and make you feel extra fatigued without it. You should get with your doctor and discuss how you feel. Checking your thyroid is a good idea too. THey all work together and none of them work right if one is out of whack. Hope you can find some relief.

Vanyel

HI. Me again. I am just gonna throw this out there although I do NOT necessarily recommend this...I restarted the Nuvigil this weekend ( despite my theory that these meds were not good for me, but both my drs said i could restart them) and it helped my fatigue. I did not nap either Saturday or Sunday.
again, I am not saying this is the right course, and I would rather get energy from a better diet and well, natural, healthy ways, however since my appetite is gone that is hard to do right now.
Now THIS I will suggest: Have you checked your Vit D levels? we check that a lot at my job and my former endo checked mine and said they were low so i started taking OTC Vit D ( 2000 ius/day) you can also get prescription Vit D you take twice a week.
I contribute the Vit D to helping me with fatigue, because I used to come home from work ( I work until 1PM) and by 4PM was asleep on the sofa only to wake up at 6PM to go to bed!
It seemd after awhile I was staying up later at night, you know to like 8! WOOHOO! And now I can actually stay awake until 11 even. And I was pretty good about taking the Vit D every night ( ran out and need more now and need to get some!)
The daytime fatigue still hits and that sucks, but that is just all part of this I guess.
Hope you feel better soon!!!!

I have been taking cortisol for years. I used to take 15 in the morning and 10 in the afternoon. I switched last year to 20 in the morning and 5 in the afternoon. I tried taking the afternoon does at about 2:00 p.m. but found I faded in the evening. I take it now around 3 or 4:00. I feel much better with these dosages. I also tried 10 and 10 for a while as my doctor thought 25 was too high for my body size. It was just not enough for me.

I have two kids (2yrs and 3yrs). Keeping my energy levels as high as possible is VERY important to me. There are quite a few things I do aside from taking more of my medication. The three most important things in my life are:

1. Sleep
2. Eating Healthy/Balanced Food
3. Exercise

If walking up the stairs winds you have you tried something simple like going for a good walk in the morning? I have a lot of early morning play groups with my kids and I find walking to them (instead of driving) seems to perk me up. To me it seems like its a combination of the exercise and the fresh air. If walking in the morning is out of the question try parking more to the back of the parking lot and walking to where you need to go. Doing simple things can be very effective and it adds up. We also bought a Nintendo Wii last year after I heard from a few people how great some of the exercise games and sports were. I was actually surprised to find how good of a work out it was. Not to mention it kept me focused and entertained while doing it.

I also found making some changes to my diet such as drinking Green Tea in the morning instead of Black Tea or Coffee made a big difference. Having a healthy breakfast is always a good start to the day. On top of that I started taking some herbal remedies (Ginseng, Royal Jelly, Ginger), Vitamin C/D, Calcium and a Multi Vitamin. I consulted a doctor before I took the vitamins and remedies. I am taking the recommended dosages for women in my age bracket. Plus to add I'm not a big fan of dairy so I take the calcium as a preventive measure. Before you take any vitamins/herbs its important to talk to your doctor about it. All of this seems to give me the energy I need to tackle the day. Though I must say, the most effective tool in all this is the exercise. I still have to force myself to do it and stick to my routine, but afterwards I feel 100% better. Good luck! =)