adrenal fatigue and hair growth

[myotislucifugus]

I was just wondering if anybody out there has similar issues...
I was recently diagnosed with adrenal fatigue (a syndrome that presents with the symptoms of depression, mostly because a variety of hormones are not being produced in sufficient quantities) Looking on line, some of the more "over the counter" means of treatment seem to focus on raising hormones that in women (I'm a girl) lead to hair loss, and facial hair growth. This medical issue takes a while to build up, so I've been trying to take stock of my hair growth patterns over the past 4 years. It has taken 4.5 years to go from APL to maybe just touching waist.

The question is, does anyone have experience with this? How does it affect hair growth? I assume that when I am healthy, hair will grow slightly quicker, so would treatment have quicker growth as a perk? Or should I brace myself for hair loss/slooooow growth? Either way, I'll be treating it, I just would like to know what I can look forward to, and if slow hair growth is a secondary result of this condition.

[GlennaGirl]

Don't get OTC stuff for adrenal fatigue, particularly if it contains dried hormone extract. That's a very, very bad idea.

Adrenal fatigue means giving your adrenals a rest, not pushing them forcibly by introducing more stuff into your system.

AFAIK, adrenal fatigue's origin isn't about not producing enough hormones; that's just the end result. The actual cause (again, AFAIK) is a past overproduction of adrenaline. This does then cause the adrenals to "poop out" to an extent but which other hormones it affects, and in what quantities, is simply nothing to play around with.

Also, the causes behind adrenal fatigue should dictate how you treat it.

Please go to your doctor with this, and also ask him/her about hair loss/slowed growth. I don't know about lack of adrenaline affecting hair growth. I do know that a few other hormones--inadequate thyroid, for example--definitely can cause hair loss, at least temporarily, while not yet being treated.

The treatment itself should not cause hair loss and as far as hair overgrowth, well, in that case, whatever is in that particular stuff you're looking at could definitely screw up your hormonal balance to a greater extent. Are you looking at some sort of steroid derivative? (trying to think of what causes excess hair) (ETA: Sorry...that causes hair loss, not overgrowth. D'oh.)

Please, please do not play around with this. I myself have adrenal fatigue secondary to thyroid dysfunction, and my doctor's treatments for the AF are very very non-medical: rest, nutrition, etc. Specifically the adrenals should be given rest, not artificially pushed harder, until they become appropriately active again.

Hugs and I hope you feel better soon. AF is devastating--it's like you can't pick yourself up in the morning to get out of bed.

[GlennaGirl]

Oh! You also asked what to expect. I can't speak for all people, obviously, but I didn't experience hair loss. I was DXd in January.

[tangocurl]

GlennaGirl is right--this is a syndrome, so the causes vary widely from person to person. Your reason for slowed growth could be due to any of the factors that led to the burnout in the first place. These are often lifestyle factors that would cause anyone stress, but in the susceptible person, lead to adrenal burnout. These are tough times...

It is best to go to a doctor who is well-versed in both mainstream and so-called alternative or nutritional treatments, because it usually takes the best of both worlds to get you feeling optimal again. Most important may be your mental approach--to realize that you are not the symptoms, that you are not the label of the illness. Don't get carried away spending lots of money trying to fix the "problem." Much of the cure to adrenal fatigue is free, but requires some intention: adjusting lifestyle and responses to situations, adjusting diet, adopting ways to treat your mind and body gently.

I wish you the best in getting well again! :agree:

[Anje]

I don't know much about this, but if the treatments have a tendency to cause hair loss and facial hair growth in women, it sounds like they're stimulating the adrenals to produce testosterone. (Yes, they normally do that.)

My first impression is that if these treatments are causing male characteristics in females, the dose is too high! My second thought is that if you do chose to use a treatment like this and want to protect your hair, you might want to prophylactically use products that protect the scalp from DHT. There are lots of OTC products said to do that, and I've read that topical caffeine application does block some DHT in follicles of male skin. (Female results weren't conclusive.)

[myotislucifugus]

Thanks, sorry I was unclear...
I am aware of what the adrenal glands do, and that depressed production is the end result, not the cause.
I do so solemnly swear not to use OTC remedies unless suggested by a legit physician.
Just wondering what to expect in terms of possible changes.