so i've had some more tests done and i'm not peri-menopausal (phew) and nor am i hypo-thyroid. i did the thyroflex test (supposedly 100% accurate but – sheesh – who's to say) and the normal range is 80-110. my result was 113 which the nd said was ever-so-slightly-underactive but is secondary to adrenal fatigue (it's good that she said that because i'd been arguing with her about it most vehemently in my head for the 2 weeks leading up to my appointment)

Check your basal body temperature. This is very accurate, especially combined with symptoms.

i'm getting some more adrenal labs done: 24-hr urinary cortisol, dheas, aldosterone, acth etc. i can't see that they're going to tell me anything that i don't already know – except maybe they will indicate the severity of my adrenal issues. but i already know that too since, well, i'm living it.

I don't trust these tests.  They only show you a small window, not daily levels.

the thing is though, i'm still not really getting anywhere. i'm taking acidophilus, bitters, acv, acerola berry, magnesium oil (transdermal), maca, selenium drink (+zinc), pantothenic acid 250mg, tmg (when i'm feeling tough enough), and milk thistle seed. i'm also doing de + pink salt in my water since i have ultra-pure water. i don't feel any different. i'm still a puffy mess. i'm like a genuine balloon girl ;)

Puffy as in water retention?

so i'm thinking... i know i have high phase 1 + slow phase 2 liver detoxification pathways (and therefore high oxidative stress and low glutathione). it seems to me that unless i'm sorting out my phase 2 effectively, it's just like the wheel is still spinning but the hamster's dead. i'm adding supplements for my adrenals that my body cannot absorb, utilise or eliminate effectively – which surely creates more physiological (and oxidative) stress. yeah?

I think there may be more to it, but I want to see what the puffiness is you are talking about first.

i think i have always had high phase 1 + slow phase 2. it could be an inherited weakness. i have always gotten crazy wired on one cup of cawfee, guarana is seriously high-voltage; and i've always gotten a hangover while i'm actually still drinking. 

ergo, if in vino veritas; then in vodka+redbull calamitas

i've also always had a strong reaction to pharmaceutical medications. years and years ago, i took prozac (i can't remember why, i wasn't depressed? maybe my doctor wanted a nice holiday courtesy of eli lilly?). apparently it takes, on average, about 5 weeks to become fully effective, but it took me 3 tablets/3 days to go completely nuts. and it took about another 2 weeks to lose the crazy afterwards.

Prozac is a nasty drug.  I have seen people go suicidal as soon as they started it.  One succeeded by blowing his head off with a rifle right after he started the drug.

i have even bigger problems with meds now – especially those bad voodoo NSAIDs.

NSAIDs are very hard on the liver and kidneys.

so with my adrenal issues and liver detoxification problems, it's probably the chicken and the egg thing.
[the chicken and the egg were lying in bed smoking cigarettes after making love. the egg turns to the chicken and says 'so now we know']

from what i've read, it does seem to be a fairly common occurrence that people who have adrenal fatigue also have slow phase 2 (or vice versa). so my thinking is that both of these need to be treated at the same time or it's just that ol' hamster wheel. 

these are some things i've been looking into:

curcumin
in terms of herbs, it seems that curcumin is unique in inhibiting phase 1, whilst stimulating phase II – so that seems promising. can you recommend a dosage for 500mg v. caps 18:1? any other nice herbs that do the same thing?

Curcumin is great stuff.  That is a strong concentrate.  I recommend 1 capsule 3 times daily on an empty stomach.  Milk thistle and the picrorrhiza are also good choices.  Yucca root will also help with absorption and detoxification, and will help the adrenals.

amino acids
but then, nutritionally, it would seem that adding in amino acids that support phase 2 would be advantageous (glycine, cysteine, glutamine, methionine, taurine, glutamic acid and aspartic acid),

The thing with amino acids is that they compete for absorption.  And larger ones can block the absorption of smaller ones.  Therefore they need to be taken on an empty stomach at least 30 minutes before meals, and I would not take a bunch of different ones at the same time if using them for therapeutics.  I would focus on the glycine and taurine in your case.

as well as lipotropic amino acids like choline and betaine.

Betaine is TMG (trimethylglycine).  Choline is actually a stronger methyl donor than TMG, but can cause diarrhea in higher doses.  This is why I prefer TMG, but some choline is still a good idea. Lecithin is a great source.

can you recommend a good amino acid formula? i've found a few…

lipotropic formulas
i'm also thinking about some kind of formula. the milk thistle seed just doesn't cut it alone. i also recently used a bottle of bupleurum root tincture as well – meh.
so here's a few i found – i would love your opinion as to which one might be more suitable.

this one is designed specifically to support phase 2:
Jarrow Formulas, Liver PF Liver Protection Factors [tablets]
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine Mononitrate)     15 mg     
Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine HCI)     10 mg     
Folic Acid     400 mcg     
Biotin     100 mcg     
Chromium (from Saccharomyces cerevisiae)     100 mcg     
Artichoke Leaf Extract (Cynara scolymus) (5% cynarin, 15% cholorgenic acids)     600 mg     
Panthethine (coenzyme vitamin B5)     300 mg     
Milk Thistle Seed Extract (Sylibum marianum) (30:1 concentrate yielding total flavonoids)     250 mg 
NAC (N-acetyl-L-cysteine)     250 mg 
Alpha Lipoic Acid     100 mg 
PicroMax (Picrorrhiza kurroa)(4% kutkin)     100 mg 
Uridine-5'-Monphosphate     10 mg     

The Jarrow formula looks the best.

do you know much about cordyceps? i did some research, it looks interesting… and it's a great sounding word ;)

Mmmmm.......caterpillar fungus.  Good for the liver and energy, but also lowers blood sugar and is considered an immune suppressant.  So I would say avoid it.

diet/nutrition
i saw a practitioner at sandra cabot's clinic in sydney ages ago so i'm all over the liver cleansing diet – and i eat like that anyway. i eat all of these things too – any other suggestions? (i love watercress and dandelion flowers but i can't find them where i live)
grapefruit (slows down phase 1) + watermelon (supposedly raises glutathione) + broccoli + garlic + onions + sesame seeds + limonene

A lot of these are high sulfur containing foods, which are great for detoxification.  You can add cabbage and other foods in that family.  Seaweeds and increased fiber intake are also recommended.

none of it really makes much difference though since i have severe malabsorption issues (although the grapefruit juice certainly did when i took it with glycine, a mega superoxide dismutase [sod], pinebark + bogus transdermal glutathione – i couldn't get out of bed for 3 days. the wrong balance but – mostly - the wrong nd: curse you red baron)

thanks so much for your help hv. and i hope you had yourself a lovely birthday.

Thanks, it was good.