u/YLTrick

Just wanted to share my experience to help.
Long post.

Background Pre Adrenal issues:
I was a very active person, played sports my whole life, had a healthy diet. Ran track and played basketball in college, very healthy.

2021: Post COVID my body never seemed to recover and something always felt off. It was mild enough to not go to doctor but I just didn’t feel myself.

2022: SYMPTOMS START TO APPEAR
- Started to develop very bad anxiety. I would be fine sitting at home but anytime I was in social situations or needed to public speak I would damn near have a panic attack. Only time I didn’t have that tight chest anxious feeling was at home and with people I really felt comfortable with, so naturally I started to isolate myself.
- I could sleep 8 hours but it was not restful. Trouble falling asleep. There would be times when I would only sleep 4 hrs a night for 3 days straight but somehow I wouldn’t feel sleepy, just irritable and in a fog.
- Upon waking I would feel okay but around 10 am - 4 pm my eyes would become droopy and glazed over and there would be a fog over my brain. Symptoms would lift at night.
- Became very depressive / suicidal
- Blood sugar problems
- Electrolyte balance problems / Dehydrated symptoms even after lots of water. Chapped lips, red skin etc.
- Caffeine and Alcohol would flare symptoms
- Working out and even walking would flare symptoms
- Gained lots of water weight, face became bloated/ followed by rapid weight loss
- Intense brain fog, memory issues.
- No feeling whatsoever, severe Anhedonia. Anxiety/ fear were only emotions I could really feel. Had no hunger, thirst, happiness , love etc..
This was the symptom that is hardest to deal with I think.

Late 2022: Came to a head when I had what I believe was an adrenal crisis.
Realized I had a cortisol issue due to research of cortisol cycles and when my problems were at worst. Took ashwaghanda to lower cortisol(I thought I had high cortisol). I took it for about a week before it lowered my cortisol to dangerous low levels.
Symptoms deteriorated till about midday when I felt a rush of adrenaline, and became very disoriented. Heart was pounding and face became flush. Felt like I was going to pass out, and there’s no other way to describe it besides it felt like I was going to die quite honestly. Slurred speech when I called my mother to let her know something was wrong. She told me to go to hospital. Scariest moment of my life. Sometimes salt would improve my symptoms so I desperately drank a very salty mix. I drove myself to emergency room somehow. Symptoms became less severe when I got to hospital and the “attack” aspect had vanished though I still felt terrible. Doctor said all my bloodwork was fine except I had slightly low iron. They did no hormone tests and said I was perfectly healthy.
This was a very low point as it was a very traumatic experience and I didn’t know what was wrong with me. And then when I tried to explain it, and what I thought was happening it was not taken seriously. I felt helpless. I went to doctor one more time but still to no avail. I realized that a doctor was not going to do anything that would put them in risk of being sued for malpractice so they would continue to be extremely conservative. And since my symptoms were vague and I didn’t obviously appear ill there was not a rush if you will.
I was going to have to treat myself and that’s what I did.

My protocol:
(Not a doctor, do if you want, blah blah)
First I healed my gut, which is what I think started the ball rolling towards all the issues.
- Cut out Gluten/ Caffeine/ Alcohol(still had on occasion)
- L- Glutamine
- Collagen Peptitdes

After my gut started to heal I felt like I could absorb the nutrients I was intaking.
Supplements Morning:
- Multivitamin
- Magnesium Glycinate X2
- Fish Oil
- B Vitamins
- Taurine
- Licorice Root
- Adrenal Grandular ( used intermittently, sometimes it seemed to help, sometimes it seemed to have no effect if not a negative one)
- Tumeric w black pepper
- NAC
- L Tyrosine ( Sometimes, not always)
- GABA (recently started taking, seems to work extremely well for me)
- Large Glass of water with Salt
- Protein Shake with Collagen (averaged about 2x per week) mainly did it for the Glycine

Supplements Night:
- 2x Magnesium
- 1 x GABA
- 2x L Theanine
- 1 X melatonin

I haven’t had much luck with adaptogens, maybe your body is different.

2022-2026: not to drag it out too much it has been a long recovery with periods of optimism and recovery only to regress later. My job is very stressful so that hasn’t helped and I love sports so I have a hard time not working out. As I write this it is 2026 and I’ve been dealing with it for about 5 years now. I’ve reached a point where I can work out and feel about 85% there.

ADVICE
- Sleep is the most powerful supplement. Try and figure out how to get QUALITY sleep. I got 8 hrs but it wasn’t restful. Use an eye mask, + whatever supplements/ techniques get you into a deep sleep. Your hormones are messed up. Hormones are made in body while sleeping. I realized a lot of my symptoms were simply related to poor sleep. The hormones you need for restful sleep are disrupted with adrenal / HPA axis issues. You need to calm your nervous system for good sleep.
- Stressors delay recovery: Anything that stresses body (caffeine/ Alcohol/ hard work outs) will delay recovery.
- Be consistent! It takes discipline to adhere to the things that help you.
- Dr Lam is a good resource to understanding the science behind what is going on which I will not dip into.

Philosophical / Spiritual Side:
It’s easy for me to preach positivity now that I feel better but for those in the thick of it I know how you feel. Depression/ isolation/ anxiety/ hopelessness of recovery. These are very dark mental states to be in. I’ll be honest I languished in the darkness. I didn’t even try and hide it, I went to the deep end. And it was honestly comforting to express how I felt. I like authenticity and positivity didn’t feel right, because I didn’t see a good outcome. The darkness is where I felt comfortable. I became cold, cynical and isolated. To those that go here I don’t blame you. However, I’ll say that what got me out of the depths was the idea of Hope. That things can get better. Maintaining this outlook is imperative. And it’s not wishful thinking/ they really can.

Criticisms expected:
- that’s a lot of supplements and lots of money
(Both statements are correct, however they are needed)