Adrenal Fatigue part 2

I have been thinking back on first being diagnosed with adrenal fatigue. I'm seeing some overlap from then and now. I remember having to take a magnesium supplement and a (horrible tasting!) B complex. The Dr. told me that the body needs magnesium to stay asleep, and if I'm not getting enough magnesium, then my body will just wake up when it runs out. Seeing the overlap? Magnesium....B vitamins....

What's the next step? is what I keep thinking. I did the at-home adrenal test of my eye contraction/dilation. I did this in college too. Instead of remaining contracted for 1-2 minutes, my eyes would dilate again after barely 5 seconds. no bueno. I now understand why my eyes hurt so much when driving at night....oh, and also anytime outside.

So I think the next step is a saliva test that measures my cortisol levels over the course of a day. I've already got an appointment scheduled with my dr...but i have to wait and that's stressful! I also have an appt with my dentist tomorrow for help with my chronic clenching due to alignment issues.

And I'll be honest....I'm exhausted. Maybe it's the heat or the blogging or the researching or just the reality of life and mothering etc...I am dead tired every afternoon. I'm getting more sleep than I have in a really, really long time (thanks magnesium and B vitamins!), yet wake up exhausted still. Why do I STILL have this problem so many years out? Even with a much better diet? It answers so many other issues I've dealt with - especially the myriad after my 2nd birth (inability to heal from a mild tear, low testosterone, PPD for 2 years, falling asleep while driving and eventually totaling our car - and God had so much mercy on me because I was milliseconds away from a head-on with a pick-up, funky milk supply - not low, but off....among other things). I don't know why, but I didn't want to believe I had something. I still don't want to have something. But it's also something that's fixable. Which is silly to try and fight against. Especially if it's my answer.

Copper and Zinc

There seems to be a strong connection with copper/zinc imbalances, low zinc, and low magnesium and HG. You can read about it here, here, and here (the latter has a commenter testimony about copper deficiency causing her HG). HyperGPregnancy suggests having an RBC Magnesium draw done which tests all three levels. I don't know about you...but I have copper pipes. There's not much more to add to this, other than it's another possible factor for some women with HG. Of which, I am more certain than ever, that there is not just one cause, but many possible causes.

Adrenal Fatigue and HG

I'm not sure why, but adrenals have been on my mind. Maybe it's because I tried the very low carb diet and was exhausted beyond anything I've ever experienced, only to learn that the vlc is not good for those with adrenal fatigue. I've always questioned my being diagnosed with adrenal fatigue back in college, but maybe it was accurate. I was under chronic stress, to the point where I became anemic and would black out for a second upon standing up. I had to go to bed at 9 pm in order to function. I would cry at the drop of a hat. I was depressed. Among other things. The more extreme symptoms were gone before my first pregnancy, but lately I've been wondering if maybe there are some lingering adrenal problems. In fact, while en route to an herbal class recently I was taking a mental note to research the relationship between adrenal fatigue and HG, and what herb did we then learn about? Borage - one that calms the endocrine system. It was Providence!

I'm pretty floored at what I'm reading right now in the Journal of Orthomolecular Medicine.  In 1933 a Dr. Kemp argued that HG is a result of subclinical, temporary adrenal cortex insufficiency. He reasoned that:

"Prior to pregnancy some women have suffcient adrenocortical function just able to meet their physiological demands. However, when these same women become pregnant they experience a temporary adrenocortical insuffciency until their adrenal cortex hypertrophies suffciently (usually at the end of the third month) to produce adequate amounts of hormone to meet the demands of their remaining pregnancies. " (pg. 70)

Dr. Kemp successfully treated cases of HG with a physiological (as opposed to pharmacological) dose of adrenal coritcol extract (bovine sourced) taken subcutaneously.  There have been modern studies based off of Kemp's theories that were less successful (Dr. Kemp's clients made an immediate and complete recovery from HG). However,

 "None of these modern reports used physiological doses of cortisol as a treatment approach. Kemp’s work showed that physiological doses of adrenal cortical extract possess therapeutic value in keeping NVP (nausea and vomiting in pregnancy) from progressing to HG. For patients that progress to HG, highdose steroid therapy appears to be indicated based on the best and most current available evidence. It appears more likely that physiological doses of cortisol when given during the first trimester of pregnancy might serve to prevent the onset of HG, and thus eliminate the need to resort to hospital admission and high-dose steroid therapy. Given the possibility that early pregnancy does represent a state of “relative adrenal insuffciency,” the use of physiological doses of cortisol to prevent HG should be more formally studied. " (pg. 72)

Dr. Kemp's original study is here. Bless his soul - he argues for his sick mamas, during a time when HG women were told it was purely psychological. He notes in his research that because of the lack of adequate adrenal function, "the liver bears the brunt of the pathological changes from this grave disturbance in body chemistry while degenerative changes also take place in the kidneys." I have read that liver and kidney diseases can result from HG. He goes on to postulate that "the liver only exercises its manifold and excessive functions in the presence of an adequate supply of a catalyst or autocoid (possibly several) which is a secretion of the adrenal cortex." - HOLY LIVER!!!! So, I could do everything to help my liver, but if my adrenals aren't functioning fully, neither will my liver. This is sobering.

There have been multiple instances where I've been encouraged to take a cortisol test. Maybe I ought to, finally, look into this.

I'm having a moment right now. A "THIS IS IT" moment. I truly, truly think this is the root of my problem. I am part of the 1% of women that suffer from HG. I am further part of the 10% of that 1% that suffer for the entire pregnancy. I'm not saying this is the "across the board" root for all HG mamas, because I think there are many underlying causes, but for me....my intuition is screaming and crying within me... this is it!

H. Pylori and Other Bacteria

Bacteria is awesome. I'm fascinated by the growing field of microbiology. While food has been discussed, what processes that food - the gut - hasn't. And inside that gut are millions and billions of bacteria. But sometimes things get out of whack. We quit breastfeeding our babies, take antibiotics, eat unhealthy foodstuffs, remove traditionally-fermented foods and drinks from our diets, clean obsessively, eat too much sugar, wash with antibacterial soaps, don't eat food from the dirt....all these things which can lead to imbalances in our guts - bacterial overgrowths like h. pylori and yeast like candida. There are many studies out there showing that a high percentage of women with HG also test positive for H. pylori (large list of studies), indicating a connection between gut health and HG.

I stumbled upon this product from Pink Stork Solutions - Cocolaurin. According to the site it is lauric acid derived from coconut oil. Lauric Acid is an essential compound found in breastmilk that "helps maintain a normal, healthy balance of intestinal flora and yeast." It's also effective against viruses, fungi, and parasites, according to this site. This article has more interesting info on monolaurin and how it works in general.

I've had gut issues my whole life. So this product has been added in with a probiotic every day.

Clay

It's fun stumbling upon things unexpectedly that fall right in line with what I'm researching. I'm reading a fascinating book called Honey, Mud, Maggots, and Other Medicinal Marvels: The Science Behind Folk Remedies and Old Wives' Tales by Robert and Michèle Root-Bernstein. I came across this quote, which of course piqued my interest: 

 "Clays are still being used as medicines today. The Toba-Batak of Sunatra claim that eating clay stops the vomiting associated with morning sickness in pregnant women. Many Nigerian tribes prescribe local clays for morning sickness..." (pg 66)

Naturally, I had to follow this rabbit trail. I have taken clay before to resolve some stomach issues in college (not sure if it helped or not, but I did have zero body odor when regularly ingesting it, both in the pits and bowels), so I was not repulsed at the thought of taking clay for nausea and inclined to find out more. 

I found another book called Ancient Bodies, Modern Lives: How Evolution Has Shaped Women's Health by Wenda Trevathan which mentions the valid use of ingesting clay in some 60 societies for pregnancy sickness. 

    "A phenomenon some what related to food aversion is the craving for clays (geophagy) reported by pregnant women in a number of societies. In medical literature, this craving is often reported as pathological, but its existence is so widespread that scholars of evolutionary medicine search for adaptive explanations. Worldwide, clays are used to relieve diarrhea (the original kaopectate, after all, was mostly kaolin, a clay), detoxify compounds, and provide minerals that are insufficient in the diet. In Africa, this practice is also employed by women seeking to relieve nausea of pregnancy and it can serve to bind toxins that would harm the fetus at this stage.

         When geophagy continues beyond the early stages of pregnancy, it probably adds important nutrients to the diet, especially calcium, essential for fetal skeletal development and maintenance of blood pressure in pregnancy. Anthropologists Andrea Wiley and Sol Katz propose that clay as a source of calcium helps to explain the distribution of geophagy in African populations. Their survey of 60 societies confirms that where dairying is practiced and calcium is available in the diets of pregnant women, geophagy is less common than where dairy foods are not available. This work confirms that what may be seen as pathological or abnormal by clinicians may make sense from an evolutionary perspective because in many cases geophagy serves to reduce the negative aspects of morning sickness, detoxify agents early in pregnancy, and provide calcium and other minerals." (Pgs 80-81)

I further found a couple of other mama bloggers mentioning their use of clay for pregnancy sickness. Each site mentions the high mineral content in clay, as well as its alkalinizing affects. Hello! It all just keeps coming full circle! 

Benefits of Healing Clays

10 Reasons Clay Should Be in Every Mama's Cupboard

This is not a popular remedy, but I did read a couple of testimonials here and there. The most specific saying that she took 1 tsp in water before bed and it made a significant difference. This was her third HG pregnancy.

This overview on HG contains a warning by the FDA about not ingesting particular clays (of African origin) due to being high in lead and arsenic. So it would seem that enough women have taken clay as a remedy to alleviate HG that it's on their radar. I also saw warnings about being careful when to ingest the clay - such as not within an hour of eating and not within two hours of taking medication, otherwise the clay itself will absorb the nutrients and/or medicines, depriving the body of it. If this is something you might choose to do, only use a food-grade bentonite clay, talk with your practitioner, and do your own research.

Acupuncture

I heard about acupuncture for Hyperemesis after my first pregnancy. I don't recall if I was seeking out solutions in a birth and pregnancy forum or if I had just mentioned that I had HG and was still having heart burn a year out. Either way, a mama told me "Oh your spleen qi is off and that can cause heartburn and HG." Doubter that I was, I went and Googled "spleen qi" and "traditional Chinese medicine" and I found some compelling information. I decided to give it a try. During the first session the practitioner was putting in the needles and suddenly I felt a sharp sensation in my foot that immediately subsided and then a chill went through my whole body, from head to foot. I said "What was that?!" "Your spleen," she responded. Well, call me a believer. After that session I had no more heart burn. 

Shortly before my second pregnancy I read a clinical study (there are a number available) on acupuncture and pregnancy-related nausea. During my second trimester of my second pregnancy I had two acupuncture sessions. After each one I would come home, vomit immediately, and for a week following I had decreased nausea, no vomiting, and increased energy. I now know that having acupuncture done preemptively, and especially in the first trimester, is even more effective. I plan to start going weekly (? We'll see what the practitioner thinks) prior to conception. 

You will find an excellent podcast on the subject at HyperGPregnancy.

While researching B Vitamins I came across this post that mentions kombucha and how, according to traditional Chinese medicine, it balances the middle qi, which is connected with the spleen. It's comforting to learn that I've been preparing my body in more specific ways than I was aware of. I happen to just really like kombucha, so I began brewing my own 9 months ago. I hope I can tolerate it during pregnancy so I can continue to reap its benefits. 

Magnesium

I first learned about Magnesium and HG just weeks before my second pregnancy. I took weekly epsom salt baths and drank mineral water that had a natural magnesium content. Another suggestion I often read is to make or buy magnesium oil and use topically, I think I did this a few times. But I was already pregnant, so I can't say I noticed much help. Though I do crave the baths when pregnant.

Currently I am taking a Magnesium Concentrace Mineral supplement. It tastes pretty awful. I do think I am sleeping better because of this. Though, I need to go to bed earlier, reduce my screen time, and reduce other stimulating activities at night to encourage easing into a drowsy state. One piece of advice re:HG I read was to not nap during the day so the body is tired enough by bedtime to stay asleep. I will remember this for next time. Hopefully the magnesium will help with this, too, as it also reduces restless leg, which I've had in both pregnancies, disrupting my ability to fall asleep.

Magnesium can be found in bone broths, seaweed, nuts, green leafies, and unrefined sea salt - yay! Don't you just love all the overlap happening? I do. Sigh. Food is medicine, ya'll. Food is medicine.

::EDIT:: I am using spray on magnesium from Pink Stork Solutions