Adrenal Gland

Everyday living
1

Right everybody bear with me, this is only a theory and I am a lowly book keeper and certainly not medically trained/educated in any way whatsoever! If this has been discussed here before then I apologise. And please done shoot me if I’m totally barking up the wrong tree – like I say I am only a low life book-keeper lol.

Let me explain, my sister over quite a number of years has to be monitored closely as she has a growth on her adrenal gland and as I understand it, once it gets to a certain size it needs to be removed due to the risk of cancer [I think]. This growth is now quite large and she is due to see the specialist in August and suspects the time may have come for it to be removed. Accordingly, we imagine, her Adrenal Gland is in distress [exhausted].

Within the last month my sister has developed Temporal Arteritis which is inflammation of the blood vessels to the head and if left unchecked can, amongst other things make one permanently blind. It is treated with daily doses of steroids, sometimes over years and is an auto-immune condition.

You must be wondering what my point is by now but please bear with me……

Due to my sisters two conditions we wondered if the adrenal growth and the Temporal Arteritis are connected so I went onto Mr Google to do some research.

I found a site that mentions Adrenal Fatigue which states that many people suffer from this, although it goes unnoticed [my sisters adrenal problem took ages to DX and was discovered during an MRI scan]. The symptoms of [unnoticed] Adrenal Fatigue [problems] range from lack of sex drive to fatigue amongst numerous others. Adrenal Fatigue is not recognised as a medical condition.

Anyway I am now getting to the point, through my readings I also discovered that severe cases of “adrenal fatigue” can trigger an auto immune reaction in the body such as my sister having Temporal Arteritis……… MS was also listed.

So does anybody know if “Adrenal Fatigue” is ever tested with people suffering from MS? I think that the adrenal gland secretes some sort of steroid which, I would imagine, if the adrenal is “fatigued” it doesn’t do properly……. Steroids are used to speed up relapse recovery, are they “just” prescribed without the adrenal gland function being tested? Is that why, if the adrenal gland isn’t producing enough steroid, over periods of time relapses occur which are driven away by a high dose of steroid being given orally or intravenously?

Also if the Adrenal Glands deal with stress is that why often people with MS can trace back a stressful event in their lives as being the “trigger”? Is that also why stressful situations can make Symptoms worse? I have read on here many times that stress makes someone’s symptoms worse. My sister’s “trigger” could possibly have been the death of our mother which she has never really got over.

I wish to add the advice from dieticians to maintain Adrenal Health is very much similar to the advice given in the MS Diet books by which some MS’ers swear by.

I look forward to everyone’s comments and thank you for reading. I really do think I could be on to something but as previously said I’m probably completely barking up the wrong tree. Lol

2

Hi,

I saw the heading and as this area affects both myself and my husband here goes.

The adrenal glands are part of the endocrine system which literally controlls everything we do. The pituitary gland is a pea size gland situated in the middle of the brain and is also part of the endocrine system like the adrenals. It produces cortisol which is necessary for life. My husband 20 years ago was diagnosed with ms but was then found to have a pituitary adenoma which is a tumor on the pituitary gland which required surgery and radiotherapy. Following this he required complete hormone replacement including corftisol (given hydrocortison 3 times a day) in order to stay alive as he no longer produced it due to destruction of the pituitary gland. A person whose pituitary gland is removed is left with secondary addisons disease. Replacement of hormones is necessary and they loose the fight flight response and have to have added steroids in times of stress and infection. This was not done when I was seriously ill and my husband developed a crisis. He has been left with severe adrenal fatigue which is a well known and documented problem. The ms diagnosis was then dismissed.

I was diagnosed with ms in 2004 and last year was diagnosed with a pituitary adenoma (macroadenoma) my husbands endocrinologist has said that the chances of this happening to a husband and wife were ten million to one. I mean how bizarre is that. I have asked if I still have ms and they have said yes its just one of those things. I had at one stage an adrenal crisis and my adrenal glands were not working adequately but seem ok now. Fatigue for both of us most days is terrible.

Intetresting for the doctors but not for us!!

3

I was diagnosed with MS in 1998. Showed Insufficient Cortisol levels in 2001. However, they never acknowledged it at the time. We found that out by reading old Dr.s notes. 2 weeks ago I went into Adrenal crisis and spent a week in the hospital. So the two diseases can run together. I just signed up to the forum to see how many other are out there. What they did about it then and now. Thanks

4

Hello,

i clicked on this link because I have recently been told I have low cortisol levels. Please can I tell my very long drawn out story and tell me what you think?

i have been dealing with mind fog and exhaustion for at least 10 years. I have struggled with concentration in turn has made it difficult to learn, maintain relationships, drive etc.

in 2012 it was like my body had simply had enough. Along with the above symptoms I had tinnitus, headaches, muscle weakness, muscle spasms, dizziness, blurred vision and many more issues. I was referred to neurology and eventually had an MRI scan to check my ears, for a tumour and MS. The scan came back clear and the consultant flippantly advised me to go back to the gp and sort anti depressants!!! :frowning:

i struggled on with my symptoms. In 2014 I had my second baby and throughout my pregnancy the symptoms were not as bad. 10 months after my baby was born, the symptoms hit me like a train once again and continued. I went back to the Dr and was referred to endocrinology. I was then sent for a scan to check the pituitary gland and had blood tests to check my cortisol levels.

i didn’t hear anything back so presumed all was ok. In 2015 I fell pregnant again and once again, I still had the symptoms but not as bad. My baby was born February 2016. When he recently turned 10 months old history repeated itself. My symptoms have flooded back once again. I reached my limit so returned back to the gp who told me that the scan from 2015 and come back. He advised me that my cortisol levels are low. Not only that, he said that the results re the pituitary were fine but something else was spotted. This is what the report says -

scattered T2 hyperintense foci in the white matter of both cerebral hemispheres predominantly in the frontal regions. Although these are non specific, they are excessive for the patients age. ??? No idea what this means.

Now it seems that having low cortisol, this will have to be re checked. In the case that I have Addison’s disease, this should not affect the brain…

I am convinced that I have MS and my dr thinks I need to be referred to neurology again but is leaving it up to the endo consultant. But then I thought “but to have Addison’s disease and MS, am I looking too much into this”?! But it seems not!

i have a long way to go waiting for the scans etc but im struggling so badly and am desperate for answers.

Feel free to give advice!! I’d be utterly grateful! I’m feeling low, like I’ve reached rock bottom and that nobody understands what I’m going through, I’m desperate.

Thanks in advance!!

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Have u been tested for Cushing’s disease/syndrome its a very specific test that an endocrinologist does. I saw a programme about it, that was about unexplained illness?I think my daughter has it and want her tested for it, she is very similar to how you describe your symptoms, she’s had all the tests that all comeback clear but shes not well at all and is so fed up of no one believing her.When i saw the programme it was a lightbulb moment for me and for her.the girl on the programme had got to the point she was suicidal and after treatment, she was back to her normal self after years of suffering.

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Hi! What a shame for your daughter. She’s not alone I assure you!! It’s so draining waiting for a diagnosis, especially when the illness isn’t visible to others . This is what I’m struggling with the most! I feel like I’m screaming and know one can hear me.

I think Cushing disease is when the body makes too much cortisol, where as I’ve been told my levels are low and need to be re tested to investigate further. I do have a strong feeling that I have MS though. I’m waiting for another referral because of some MRI results.

how old is your daughter? It must be hard for you to watch her go through this, because I know it’s a rollercoaster for my husband.

I hope she gets some answers soon!