Hi-

I have just figured out in the last few months that I have adrenal fatigue.  The symptom lists I see describe me perfectly.  I think I ended up here from prolonged abuse and stress as a child, with the ending of a stressful relationship last year and long, long work hours bringing everything to a head.

I have been reading and reading and I am pretty overwhelmed.  All the hormones and supplements and theories are confusing enough - but then you throw the conflicting opinions of medical professionals on top of it and I just have no idea where to start. I'm hoping someone here can point me to a resource that is simple enough to get me started figuring out how to help myself.

I found a link in this forum to this chart, and I laughed - no wonder I am confused.  That looks like a map of my thoughts.

My most troubling and pronounced symptom is fatigue, fatigue, fatigue, coupled with insomnia.  I'm out of it all day, and up all night.

I was diagnosed with ADD when I was 11, and have been on and off stimulant meds since. (Sometimes I wonder if it was misdiagnosed PTSD - anyone else ever wondered that?) I have now been taking ADD meds for about 14 years straight.  Last time I started up again, I did so because I forgot to go work work 3 times in one week.  (My schedule changed from the routine.)

I've realized that the stimulants (currently Adderall) are probably bad for me and just exacerbate the AF.  But I can't imagine stopping them right now- something has to get me through the workday so I can pay my bills.  Also, when I am not on them I get horribly, suicidally depressed. Adderall is a fantastic antidepressant for me. It also helps with the cloudy/foggy brain.

My PMS, which has always been bad as far as depression goes, has gotten significantly worse.  I don't experience anything too bad physically, but I definitely do emotionally.

The other two major symptoms are chronic pain, a bad case of bruxism, occasional panic attacks (although not often), and I handle stress very poorly.

I'm listing all these symptoms because I'm hoping someone will recognize a pattern that can suggest a good place to start.  There are just so many different options, and none seem to be universally supported as effective.  I think I would have a hard time maintaining hope if I tried one thing after another if they all led to dead ends.

Good lord, when I reread all those symptoms it sounds like a lot.  Despite all of it, I am managing to hold my center and just want to heal myself.  I'm single and socially withdrawn, so I don't have much of a support system other than my therapist (thank God for her).  I also can't afford health insurance, so I have to figure this out on my own, for the most part, unless I have really good reason to believe a doc visit will bring tangible, real results.

I know I need to get out more, get a little more exercise, make some friends, but I really am just too tired.

Thanks for any non-overwhelming advice anyone can offer to get me started.

Kim

PS - Is there an official word as to whether or not saliva tests give accurate, helpful results?