My body has gone nutso!

Hi folks! I'm new here. Not sure how I found this website, but glad I did. I posted a message on a "mommy board" yesterday to get some input on my situation. One of the ladies there had brought up her daughter's situation that sounded much like mine -- adrenal fatigue. I'd never heard the term before, so I started searching. I'm completely convinced something is wrong with my body. I just don't feel normal at all anymore despite looking perfectly normal on the outside. I will just post some of what I wrote yesterday instead of doing a whole new write-up. Bear with me on reading it. I'm just copy and pasting my initial question and comments of mine throughout the thread. It probably will seem jumbled. I just want to know where to start with feeling like myself again. I also posted this on several different boards in hopes of getting several different responses as to different things that are going on with me. I'll apologize in advance if it's stuck somewhere it shouldn't be. I'm new to these boards, so not quite sure what's "acceptable" and what's not. I'll take any input from anyone on any issue. I just need help!

(Here was my initial question on that mommy board:)

Does anyone else have issues with body temperature rising and breaking out in hives? I've been having this issue for a few years now. It started one year ago with me working in the garden all day to come in and find myself covered in a patchy rash from head to toe. It eventually went away that night. Since then, it's gotten worse with summers and physical exertion. Every summer, I turn into an itching maniac and start getting bumps around my waist line and other "hot spots". I broke out really bad about a year ago, but I had never made the connection. I actually had to have 3 shots of steroids that time to finally get rid of it. I missed 4 days of work that week. They sent me to an allergist and he did no allergy testing on me whatsoever. He said it was more a contact dermatitis rather than an allergic reaction. Now, I'm having my doubts. As for last night, I went on the treadmill and ran 4 miles. About half way through, I starting itching my back and felt some pimple like bumps. When I finished, I looked in the mirror and patches had started on my shoulder. I took a shower and went to bed. Around midnight, I woke up about itching my skin off -- and I was broke out head to toe, eyes and lips swollen. It's since settled down a bit, but I hear hives get worse at night. WHAT is wrong with my body??

On a side note, I have all sorts of issues going on with my body right now. I'd like to think that I'm pretty healthy -- I eat almost zero processed foods and I'm pretty active throughout the day, but I am massively sleep deprived (3-4 hours a night). I also had a thyroid issue when I was pregnant almost 3 years ago. I was on Synthroid, but stopped taking it when my daughter was born. I read that hives can be a symptom of an underlying immune deficiency disorder. Or is it my lack of sleep is making my body go haywire? I also read about gluten. I do eat a ton of bread and pasta. I have read a bit on the issue of gluten and I just can't bring myself to believe that's my issue, or I don't want to believe it. I can't imagine a life without bread. I'm really considering it may be part of my problem though. Another issue as well -- massive pain during sex. Burning, stinging, it's absolutely unbearable. I've been diagnosed with "vulvodynia" (which to me, is the diagnosis they give you when they can't diagnose you with anything else.) That's probably another thread on its own. I'm convinced its a PH balance problem -- but even that, I need more information on. I don't know what to do about this. I'm going to the doctor next week.


I know this isn't a health board, but I'm just looking for anyone else that's having similar issues with their body. It seems I'm healthly on the outside, but my body is going nutso on the inside?? I have no control over what it's going to do! It's very frustrating.

(other responses of mine throughout the thread....)

It is very odd how our body changes. Another weird thing that's been happening to me lately that I hadn't made a connection with until just a week or so ago was chocolate chips. I would often eat a handful of chocolate chips when I had a sweet tooth. About a month or so ago, I started noticing this weird tingling sensation in my cheeks. It felt swollen ... but it was not. You know the numb feeling you get after you get your wisdom teeth out? It was like that. I finally figured out it was only coming after I had ate a handful of chocolate chips. Now, if I make chocolate chip cookies -- I don't get the same feeling. It's weird. I've never been full blown allergic to anything, so that in itself puzzled me.

The other lady on here had mentioned adrenal issues in her daughter. I just looked up symptoms of adrenal fatigue and out of all the symptoms listed, there are a few symptoms that stuck out -- symptoms that I've actually been to the doctor for or recently had symptoms that I've considered going to the doctor for. Never had someone brought up adrenal fatigue to me though. I've never gone to the doctor and specifically said, "I'm having ALL these issues at once". That probably makes a difference. Anyways, I've suffered from chronic cough, back pain, sleep issues, dizziness, migraines (this is a HUGE one for me. It's been worrying me a lot lately), depression, and joint swelling. I've seen a doctor for back pain, chronic cough, and joint swelling.

As for the the rash, I'm almost 99% sure it's not contact dermatitis. I get it in some varying degree when my body temperature changes (due to heat, spicy foods, stress, etc.). We are pretty natural around here with soaps and such. I use Dr. Bronner's castile soap to wash, Charlie's Soap for detergent, no chemicals for cleaning, and baking soda/vinegar for hair. My skin has always been sensitive, but never to the degree that I've broke out in head-to-toe rashes. My skin is often extremely itchy as well (daily), but I've always attributed it to dry skin. I think there is something more to all of this.

This almost makes too much sense: http://www.naturalnews.com/024985_cortisol_blood_fatigue.html


(and another response of mine)

I know my sleep issue is huge right now. I know it's not healthy and yet I can't change it. I absolutely can not shut my brain down at night. I'm in borderline panic attack mode for most of the week. It doesn't help that I get up at 2:30am for work and I'm often still awake at 11pm at night. To an outsider, my life probably doesn't seem too stressful, but I get worked up about everything and I don't know why. To me, I feel stressed all the time, but that's probably my fault? I've truly lost all control over my body at the moment. I'm 28, married, with two children. This is not normal and I really need to change it.

(and another)

Yes. My left calf muscle swells up double the size of my right quite often. I had been to several doctors over it in the last 5 years or so and my last diagnosis was valves in my leg that doesn't work; therefore, blood pools at the bottom of my leg and it swells. I've always had doubts about that one too though because I had 4 ultrasounds done on it and no one else caught it. My legs often ache at night. If I'm not moving, they swell. This is why I exercise a lot because of the joint pain.

.........

Another issue I should bring up that's been bothering me a lot lately (for about a year or more) -- gas and bloating. It's embarrassing, unbearable, and I'm crampy all day every day. What's wrong with me?!?! Tweet