Adrenal exhaustion (also known as adrenal fatigue) is when all the changes you experienced in the resistance phase become permanent. Symptoms like upset digestion, lowered libido, and weak immune system creates more lasting problems that lead to further breakdown. The exhaustion phase becomes a vicious cycle because the changes made in the body generate stress in and of themselves.
When Is It Time To See A Doctor?
The problem when you reach adrenal exhaustion is that lifestyle changes are not enough. Your body’s systems are so out of balance; the body itself is causing stress. In the alarm stage and the resistance stage, you can recover by destressing your life. However, once you reach adrenal exhaustion, you will need to work with a healthcare professional.
If you feel like you are having a tough time managing stress and it is beginning to cause you physical problems it is never too early to see a doctor. I love working with people in the alarm or resistance phase before they reach adrenal exhaustion because it is fairly easy to recover from.
Signs You Need To See A Doctor For Adrenal Fatigue
- chronic fatigue (the type of fatigue when you wake up tired and remain tired all day)
- body aches
- unexplained weight loss
- resistant weight loss
- low blood pressure
- lightheadness
- weak immune system
- inability to handle stress
- emotional instability
Symptoms Caused By Adrenal Insufficiency
When your digestion isn’t working correctly, you may experience more sensitive responses to foods. Immune reactions to food cause inflammation in the gut, which is added stress to the body. Digestive dysfunction causes gas and bloating and discomfort, which raises your stress level.
How I Approach Adrenal Fatigue
In the exhaustion phase, I focus on switching the brain from sympathetic dominance to parasympathetic. Through neurological exercises, we get your brain to control your body better. I focus heavily on digestion and metabolism because you need to be able to absorb the necessary nutrients for repair while also detoxing your system. Balancing your hormones is critical because your thyroid, adrenal, and sex hormones regulate vital biochemical processes. I also focus on making sure the immune system is functioning optimally.
source: beyondgoodhealthclincs.com
How To Diagnose Adrenal Fatigue
If I am going to diagnose someone with adrenal fatigue, I start with a neurological exam. First, I look at your eyes because the eyes are a window into the brain. Looking at the way your eyes function can tell me which part of the brain stem is active and if your fight or flight area is overworked.
The other method I use to diagnose adrenal fatigue is with an adrenal stress index test by DiagnosTechs.
“The Adrenal Stress Index (ASI) uses five conveniently collected saliva samples to assess cortisol, insulin, DHEA/DHEA-S, secretory IgA, 17-OH progesterone, and wheat gluten sIgA. Saliva is collected over a period of 24 hours, providing more complete information about your body’s stress response than a single test. This is ideal for people dealing with chronic stress and stress-related symptoms such as insomnia, anxiety and fatigue. ASI is a comprehensive panel that will give your provider better measurements and greater context for your hormone levels than standard serum and urine testing. With more information, your provider will be able to treat your symptoms more efficiently.” – DiagnosTechs
Tests Included
| Cortisol | Evaluates stress response |
| Insulin | Investigates blood sugar control and insulin resistance |
| DHEA/DHEA-S | Determines how other hormones may be affected by stress |
| Total secretory IgA (sIgA) | Evaluates the toll of stress on immunity |
| 17-OH Progesterone | Determines underlying causes of abnormal cortisol levels |
| Wheat gluten sIgA | Identifies immune response to gluten |
What Led To Your Adrenal Exhaustion?
When you’re dealing with adrenal exhaustion, it begs the question of what came first the chicken or the egg? Did whatever diagnosis you were given lead you down the road to adrenal fatigue, or did your adrenal exhaustion cause the breakdown of other systems?
Many of my patients first go to the medical community for help, and they are given a diagnosis based on whatever area of the body is complaining the most. They don’t look at people as suffering from adrenal exhaustion but instead as a dozen different problems. Specific diagnosis drives people to visit various specialists who each give a different diagnosis. For example, if you see gastroenterologist, they might say you’re suffering from chronic constipation, and they will put you on a strong laxative. If you see an endocrinologist, they may tell you to have a hormone imbalance and give you drugs to help combat that. Whatever specialist or doctor you see, they will start treating all the symptoms that you’re experiencing.
There Is NOT One Answer
Everyone is looking at and treating the tip of the iceberg in terms of what you’re experiencing. Instead of taking a step back and looking at your entire system as a whole, realizing there is a bigger problem than just the symptoms on the surface. Adrenal exhaustion is the whole iceberg, which is why you need a holistic treatment.
To learn more about the seven foundational factors to health that I will look at to treat adrenal fatigue, check out my Vitality Restoration Program.
Here’s To A Better Life,
Dr. Steve Puckette
