Adrenal Freaking Fatigue

SHIT. I am tired.

I haven't kept you all updated, because I am exhausted, because in fact--I have adrenal fatigue.

What is adrenal fatigue?

I don't know. I don't know the sciency stuff...but I know it is a gland on top of my thyroid that helps me deal with stress and mine is tired. Not BURNED out, but it is very tired. They test to decide if you have this, by having you spit in a little tube four times a day for 1 day...I sent out the test to a lab company (all done through the local compounding pharmacy) and they reply and tell you yes, you have a reason to feel so exhausted your adrenals are fatigued or no, you are fine. Perk up and go get em.

Well the spit tests your cortisol level and my spit in the morning is the best it's gonna get, but still quite below optimal and then throughout the day my cortisol level dramatically drops and is almost nothing.

So I have had these results, along with my extremely low progesterone levels (they said I am peri-menopausal with a level of .2 and the acceptable range is 4-20). I have been on progesterone therapy for 1 month and have started some minimal adrenal therapy healing work through vitamins, supplements, and backing off on my training.

Did I mention I weight 160 lbs? Which is almost where I started when I started this very blog 7 years ago? Did I mention that that makes me want to cry my eyes out and punch every stupid stupid thing in the face? My comfy weight is 145. Did I mention that I AGAIN have acne like stupid crazy and that ALSO makes me angry?

Long story short. My protocol for my dieting and training is one of the best there is out there. I know that. I have looked into other protocols and I have tried this that and the other thing, and even after speaking with a regular doctor, an endocrinologist, a hormone specialist, another hormone specialist, a naturopath, and a regenerative medicine doctor--they all agree with my protocol but there must be a reason my body isn't responding and hasn't for 18 months. There must be a reason....no one can find anything substantial until now, maybe this is what the problem is.

My adrenals are taxed and that is what helps me deal with stress, my body wont let go of this stupid mother %#@^#8% weight that it has decided to hold on to, until my body goes back into "Code 4" everything is safe mode.

So, alas, I start my new vitamin protocol this week. Melinda at Eagle Health and Wellness might be my favorite person in the entire world if I can get my body on board and to respond to my lighter exercise regimen and my substantial increase in vitamins.

Have you had adrenal fatigue? Do you feel like you might have hormone issues? What have you learned? I'd love your input!

2 years later

Wow. I can't believe it has been two years since my last post. I have been feeling the itch to blog again and although I started two newer blogs since this one, I have had the urge to get back to the basics and go back to my roots. Which all started in 2009 here on poundpinching.

So much has changed! I will give you the brief run down of the important events I guess.

I left the gym I had been working at and started renting space from a local physical therapy office while they weren't working. I knew I needed out of the environment I was in, and the options were to go back home and stay home with my kids (which would have been ok!), or find the right clients for me--to join me at the therapy office.

I remember it like it was yesterday. I had been at the office space for a couple of months and it was going well. I could only work Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays and all my times available--filled up quickly. I started putting people on a waiting list even. I couldn't believe that I was busier than ever before. I kept cashing checks, and saving the money in an envelope...the night I brought the envelope out to my hubs and told him I thought we might need to do something different. lol

So we found space and we opened a personal training studio and I just had Forever Fit's birthday, of two years, the first of August. And don't worry, I also opened a checking account and invested in quick books so I no longer stash envelopes of cash anywhere, ha!

I am now the only trainer in my little gym ham. I would love to find someone to work with me. My ideal person is someone who is passionate about health and fitness, but relentless in their persuit of self love. I'd love for the person to be a hard worker who deals well with others, and makes them feel like they are the most important person in the room. I'd like to find someone that cares about their clients, and cares about what I want as a business owner. And until I find that person, I am on my own and I have gotten pretty comfy that way.

As far as my personal journey goes. I am still working out hard, eating healthy, and eating those treats too. I always struggle with body image issues, and feeling like I am enough. I worry often, that people don't respect me or rather, that they would respect me more--if I were leaner. But I am coming to grips with that and working on the hog wash that that is. I did some counciling for my marriage (which was a huge blessing and has helped us become stronger and stronger!) and attempted to discuss my body image issues, but it just hasn't felt right to discuss it with someone. I hope I might find the right person, so that is a chapter I could begin.

I have started going to a new church. In that journey and search I have found that my obsession with working out and eating well, or not eating well is exhausting. I want to find things I am passionate about that mean something. I have felt the Lord knock me in the head and say "you are more than body weight, food scales, and a meal plan." I know that! I truly do! But I need to be relentless in my search for what else I am passionate about. I love to help others feel good about themselves, love to help them enjoy eating well, love to help them find joy in their strength....but I want to help more! I want to help maybe a different demographic even. I don't know what that is, exactly. But it's something and my heart and eyes are open for opportunities to serve and find passion in something that the Lord can use my hands in, that maybe have less to do with jeans size and more to do with....well I don't know, something else.

Our kiddos are growing like crazy. Third and first grade. Home work up the ying yang, and I am not great at keeping the secret that I hate it and think it's stupid. They're both playing soccer, Gracie is a rock star singer and takes voice lessons and I'd like to see Bubs get involved in singing or guitar or something, because he is quite talented too. Eventually.

I am constantly juggling the feelings of over-whelming joy and abundance of blessing and the feeling of exhaustion and that I can't stretch even a bit further. Money, time, energy, healthiness etc.

This life is such a journey isn't it?!

There you are. This is my beautiful crazy mess, and I hope to be able to make it fit so I can be back here, to chat again soon. In the mean time... stay healthy friends. Worry about your mind and your heart first though....because without your mind and your heart health, I assure you, no weight loss goal will EVER be enough to fill you up. #yougotthis