Looking back, my journey with adrenal fatigue wasn’t a quick fix. It was a hard-earned lesson in listening to my body, understanding root causes, remembering more medication isn’t the answer (and may backfire), and learning the difference between band-aids and true healing.

I want to share what I tried, what I learned (the hard way), and what finally helped me support my adrenals, so that maybe it doesn’t take you ten years to figure it out like it did for me.

How It Started: Adrenal Fatigue Symptoms

Like so many people in our community who have hypothyroidism, I was struggling with the classic signs of adrenal fatigue:

• Exhausted but wired, unable to fall asleep or stay asleep
• Waking up unrefreshed, dragging through the day
• Light and noise sensitivity
• Brain fog, poor word recall, and a sense that my body just wasn’t keeping up
• Feeling shaky or jittery under stress
• Struggling to recover from even minor stressors

These symptoms made life feel so much harder than it should have been. I was taking thyroid medication but I never felt quite stable. The weight, brain fog, and fatigue seem unpredictable. Sometimes I felt great other times I felt like I made no progress. I was desperate for answers and that’s when I discovered that not only was my thyroid struggling, my adrenals were also worn out. I was still in the early years of my journey with hypothyroidism and adrenal fatigue, so I thought “I will try anything and everything!”

That was a huge mistake. Not only did I spend time and money on every new “solution” but I also suffered major health setbacks because my doctor and I were largely guessing and learning through trail and error.

Through this process, and researching well-intentioned thyroid user groups, I came across prescription hydrocortisone as a possible answer to help my adrenals.

My Experience With Hydrocortisone: A Quick Fix That Backfired

When I started hydrocortisone, it felt like a miracle. I took my first dose and within hours, I felt amazing. My brain fog cleared, my energy soared, and for the first time in ages, I felt like I could handle life again.

For a while, I thought I’d found the solution. I followed the dosing recommendations, splitting my doses throughout the day, and even learned about “stress dosing” when I needed extra support.

But here’s the hard truth: hydrocortisone wasn’t the answer. It was a short term band-aid that had disastrous consequences.

Over time, the cracks started to show. I became dependent on it, terrified to stop or miss a dose, afraid I’d crash. I stayed on it for over two years because I was afraid of the fatigue returning.

All the while, my hair started thinning and falling out. My once-full hair became dry, brittle, and sparse (a change I wrote about in this story, where I talk about how hair loss can be a warning sign that something isn’t working)

Looking back, I realized I was trying to force my hormones with hydrocortisone, but I wasn’t addressing the root causes of why my adrenals were struggling.

The adrenals are dynamic which means they product cortisol in cycles over a 24 hour period (called the circadian rhythm). If the adrenals are producing cortisol at the wrong time of day, or producing too much, hydrocortisone may backfire. That’s what happened to me.

What Finally Helped: Shifting to a Root-Cause Approach

The turning point was understanding that healing my thyroid and adrenals isn’t about chasing symptoms, forcing medications, or waiting for labs to tell me how I feel. It’s about having a clear plan that supports your body naturally.

That’s why I created the HypoHero™ Thyroid Protocol. It’s a step-by-step system that helped me:
✅ Track my body temperature and symptoms to uncover hidden thyroid and adrenal patterns
✅ Fuel my thyroid and adrenals with the right minerals, hydration, and halogen detox
✅ Optimize by making adjustments based on my unique story and data

This approach helped me finally get off the hamster wheel. My energy came back, my brain fog lifted, and I learned how to support my body in a way that didn’t leave me dependent on external crutches like hydrocortisone.

A Word of Encouragement

If you’re struggling with fatigue, brain fog, or hair loss like I did, please know, you’re not alone. And while medications like hydrocortisone can sometimes feel like a lifeline, they aren’t always the long-term solution we hope they’ll be.

What I wish someone had told me years ago is this: healing is possible when you address the root cause, not just the symptoms.

If you’re ready to break free from the cycle of trial and error, the HypoHero Thyroid Protocol is here to help you do exactly that.

👉 Learn more about the HypoHero Thyroid Protocol and take the first step toward real, lasting relief.

What is Adrenal Fatigue?

Low energy, feeling tired and run-down, frequently waking up at night, craving salty or sweet snacks, frequent illness, feeling overwhelmed, difficulty waking up in the morning are all possible signs up Adrenal Fatigue.

With Adrenal Fatigue the body burns itself out trying to produce Cortisol. If you’ve had a poorly functioning thyroid, the body considers this a kind of stress which could then drain the adrenal system leading to a host of symptoms.

According to AdrenalFatigue.org, as the name suggests, the paramount symptom is fatigue that is not relieved by sleep. You may look and act relatively normal with adrenal fatigue and may not have any obvious signs of physical illness, yet you live with a general sense of un-wellness, tiredness or “gray” feelings.

People experiencing adrenal fatigue often have to use coffee, colas and other stimulants to get going in the morning and to prop themselves up during the day.

Another important detail is that Cortisol helps move the thyroid hormone from the blood to the cells. So while you might be taking Natural Desiccated Thyroid Medicine for Hypothyroidism, it may not be making into the cells because of the low Cortisol. In short, treating Hypothyroidism also means looking at Adrenal Fatigue.

Well we all know stress is bad. But why?

The adrenals are what handle the Fight or Flight” response in the body. Meaning, we experience stress, adrenaline kicks in and gives our body an energy boost.  As cave women, it was great for fighting the occasional tiger (or running from said tiger) which we only had to do on occasion. But in the modern world we can experience stress every day from work, family stress, financial stress, poor diets, sickness, chronic illness or disease which means continually draining the adrenal system. When we are sick with a condition like Hypothyroidism, our bodies are continually draining the adrenals. Many people who have hypothyroidism also find they have adrenal fatigue.

What happens when we continually exhaust the Adrenals?

We risk burning out the adrenals, resulting in a “crash”.  You know that feeling, for example, after a big family holiday ends you just want to lie on the couch for days?  Or you’ve finished a big work deadline and either you get sick, or simply can’t do anything for a few days? That’s the adrenal crash from stress.  When you say “you burned yourself out” that’s totally true! You did. You fought that tiger, and you won, sister! But now you’re paying.

Why Don’t People Talk About Adrenal Fatigue More?

Although adrenal fatigue affects millions of people in the U.S. and around the world, conventional medicine does not yet recognize it as a distinct syndrome. According to AdrenalFatigue.org, Adrenal Fatigue has been known by many other names, such as non-Addison’s hypoadrenia, sub-clinical hypoadrenia, neurasthenia, adrenal neurasthenia, and adrenal apathy. 

Personally, I think every doctor, and every person would benefit from knowing about this condition. Adrenal fatigue can wreak havoc with your life. In more serious cases, the activity of the adrenal glands is so diminished that you may have difficulty getting out of bed for more than a few hours per day.

As the adrenals become more tired, every organ and system in the body is increasingly and profoundly affected. Changes occur in carbohydrate, protein and fat metabolism, fluid and electrolyte balance, heart and cardiovascular system, and even sex drive.

Many other alterations take place at the biochemical and cellular levels in response to and to compensate for the decrease in adrenal hormones that occurs with adrenal fatigue. The body does its best to make up for under-functioning adrenal glands, but it does so at a price.

There are several Adrenal Fatigue treatment options, including supplements and prescriptions, depending on the severity of the condition and doctor recommendations. This information is made available for educational purposes, to discuss with a good doctor.

Licorice

For slightly Low Cortisol. Licorice is an anti-stress herb known to increase energy, endurance and vitality. Licorice has also been used to help decrease symptoms of Hypoglycemia. The best form of Licorice is in tea. And can also be found in the form of capsules, liquid herbal extract and dried root which can be chewed. ¹

Ashwagandha Root

Therapeutic uses of Ashwagandha date back to at least 1000 B.C. Ashwagandha has beneficial effects on the adrenal tissue and function. Ashwagandha is considered an adaptogen which means it helps the body function more towards its normal level. Ashwagandha is capable of normalizing cortisol levels whether they are low or high. But it should not be taken at doses higher than 35 gms/day because this would inhibit adrenal function.  ²

Adrenal Cortical Extracts

According to Dr. James L. Wilson  ³ probably the most reliable way of rebuilding adrenals from adrenal fatigue is the use of adrenal cortical extracts. In 1918 Adrenal Cell Extracts became commercially available, and since then they have been a powerful form of treatment for non-Addison’s type of hypoadrenia.

There are several brands available both in table and liquid form. According to Wilson the the liquid is generally more powerful than the tablet, but also costs more. He uses the tablets for milder cases, and the liquid in moderate to severe cases. Dr. Wilson explains:

• Dosage for the adrenal cortical extract tablets is 6-12 per day, depending on severity
• Dosage for the liquid is usually one vial under the tongue 2 or 3 times a week as directed by your physician

Many doctors are unaware of the existence of this type of therapy and do not know how to use it. This can mean some doctors are reluctant to explore it even though there is a long history of its use.

Adrenal glandular products 

According to Stop the Thyroid Madness, Adrenal glandular products should be avoided.

Hydrocortisone (HC)

Corticosteroid therapy with Hydrocortisone is the best natural form of cortisol, available by prescription ⁴. When administered in physiological doses of approximately 20 mg per day it can give the adrenals a rest. This is considered a short -term protocol for treating adrenals with a goal of gradually decreasing the dose after six months.

For me personally, and from the stories of others, Hydrocortisone helped me to strengthen my adrenals and provide the cortisol needed to help with absorption of Natural Desiccated Thyroid medicine. In hindsight, I believe I stayed on Hydrocortisone too long and should have weaned off after six months. But it did indeed help me.

Finding the right balance of foods for adrenal fatigue was a helpful part of my recovery. Because of adrenal fatigue, I had severe hypoglycemia which meant I needed to eat every two hours. And I was drawn to foods which gave me a boost, including sugar and caffeine. Understanding how foods affect my body helps me to keep my adrenals feeling strong.

According to AdrenalFatigue.org, when your adrenals respond to stress your cell metabolism speeds up, burning many nutrients. With adrenal fatigue, the cells have used up much of the body’s stored nutrients, creating a nutritional void. Good quality food is the best source for replenishing these nutrients. 

When to Eat

Eating frequently is helpful for the balance between adrenals and  blood sugar. Basically, if you feel hungry, it’s too late. Your blood sugars are starting to drop and the adrenals are being stressed. Here is a quick guide for when to eat to support adrenals:

• In the morning, eating soon after waking is important for people with adrenal fatigue. For me, and others with adrenal fatigue, eating before 10:00 AM can make a big difference in our energy.
• For lunch, eating before noon, ideally between 11-11:30 AM is best
• Between 2-3 PM eat a nutritious snack to sustain your body during the afternoon. Typically, cortisol dips between 3-4 PM. If you wait until 3:30 PM for a snack, most likely you will crave sugar or caffeine!
• For dinner, eating between 5 and 6 PM is best
• Late evening before bed, a small service of good fat and protein can help with sleep

What to Eat and Drink

For those of us experiencing adrenal fatigue, a good meal and snack combines fat, protein and complex carbohydrates (vegetables). This combination helps provide a steady stream of energy throughout the day. Sugary snacks or highly processed foods convert too quickly, and do not provide lasting energy. They can also cause sugar crashes, or hypoglycemia.

Salt

In most cases of adrenal fatigue, good salt is beneficial. Interestingly, cravings for salt can be an indicated of adrenal weakness. Unless you are one of the rare people with adrenal fatigue and high blood pressure, add some salt to your food ¹. Sea salt or Celtic salts are preferred because they have more beneficial nutrients (and they taste good).

Proteins

Good quality protein such as grass fed beef, fish, free range chicken, omega-3 eggs, dairy from grass fed cows (and/or raw mild) and various plant sources (legumes, nuts and seeds) are beneficial in supporting adrenals. Try to avoid processed proteins such as packaged lunch meats and processed cheeses. Proteins generally have more nutritional value and are easier to digest when eaten lightly cooked or raw.

Vegetables

Vegetables are an important part of supporting adrenals. With each meal aim for 2 vegetable servings of a wide variety of vegetables, especially those that are naturally highly colored (bright green, red, orange, yellow or purple). Vegetables provide essential vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and a high amount of fiber. It is a good idea to vary how you prepare vegetables, because different nutrients are made available through different cooking methods. Personally, my body has much more energy eating raw, rather than cooked, vegetables.

Fruit

Dr. Wilson notes that people with adrenal fatigue and blood sugar problems should go lightly on fruits, especially in the morning. Personally, with struggling adrenals, if I ate fruit in the morning I felt pretty nauseous and ill by lunchtime. With stronger adrenals I can eat a little fruit in the morning if accompanied by protein and a little fat.

According to Dr. Wilson, fruits contain a significant amount of fructose and potassium, which is a detrimental combination for those with exhausted adrenals. However, Wilson says it is preferable that any fruit that you do eat is organically grown. Hey, we do the best we can. Below is a short list of fruits people with adrenal fatigue tend to do well with, and ones to avoid or notice if they make you feel bad:

Preferred fruits:

• Papaya
• Mango
• Plums
• Pears
• Kiwi
• Apples
• Grapes (a few)
• Cherries
• Strawberries
• Blueberries
• Blackberries

Fruits that might make you feel bad:

• Bananas
• Raisins
• Dates
• Figs
• Oranges
• Grapefruit

Easy Guidelines

Here are some easy guidelines which are simply and make loads of sense!

• Eat a wide variety of whole, natural, unprocessed foods
• Combine a healthy fat, protein and carbohydrate source with every meal
• Eat lots of vegetables, especially the brightly colored ones. Raw is even better
• Salt your food to a pleasant taste using good salt like Real Salt or Himalayan Salt
• Eat mainly whole grains (avoiding gluten)
• Combine grains with legumes (beans), or legumes with seeds or nuts to form a complete protein
• Avoid fruit in the morning
• Mix 1-2 tablespoons of fresh essential oils (cold pressed olive, grape seed, safflower, flax, etc.) into grains, vegetables and meats daily. Or try avocado with meals.

In addition, the folks at Stop the Thyroid Madness have compiled this list of more specific symptoms related to adrenal fatigue which can also be found in the Stop the Thyroid Madness book. Not all symptoms apply to everyone but if you have a good percent of symptoms it is worth exploring more.

• Continuing hypothyroid symptoms with a high free T3
• Shaky hands or general shakiness
• Diarrhea
• Bad palpatations
• Higher heart rate
• Pounding heart
• Feeling of panic
• Craving for salt or salty foods
• Weakness or feeling a lack of stamina
• Lethargy (everything feels like a chore)
• Difficulty even doing every day tasks
• Tasks seem to take longer and feel much harder
• Decreased sex drive
• Inability to handle stress
• Inability to handle interactions with others
• Inability to focus
• Rage or sudden angry outbursts
• Emotionally hyper sensitive
• Mild depression and/or feeling less happiness, not much seems to interest you
• Increase PMS. Bloated, tired, crabby, cramping, and craving chocolate
• Overreacting (this is hard to measure in ourselves)
• Highly defensive (this is hard to measure in ourselves)
• Feeling paranoid about people or things
• Exacerbated reactions to daily stress
• Impatience
• Easily irritated
• Mild to severe hypoglycemic episodes
• Symptoms increase if meals are skipped.
• A strong need for snacks, colas and coffee just to keep from collapsing.
• Nausea in the face of stress
• Taking days to recover from even minor stress
• Taking days to recover from a dental visit
• Flu-like symptoms
• Headaches
• All over body ache
• Super-sensitive skin
• Extreme fatigue
• Scalp ache
• Hyper or jittery feeling
• Clumsy (drop things, bump into things)
• Confusion
• Suddenly feel extremely hungry
• Low back pain
• Feeling dull
• Cloud-filled head
• Jumpiness (easily startled)
• Muscle weakness
• “Air hunger” or feeling breathless
• Dizziness
• Light headedness (especially standing up quickly)
• Motion sickness
• Coffee putting patient to sleep
• Vomiting even running up the slightest incline
• Almost passing out every time patient gets up
• Dark circles under eyes
• Waking up in the middle of the night for several hours
• Difficulty falling asleep
• Difficulty waking up in the morning
• Frequent urination
• IBS symptoms
• Worsening allergies
• Don’t really wake up  and feel alert until 10 AM
• Between 3-4 PM you feel sluggish or very tired, sometimes requiring a nap
• After 6 PM and dinner, you start to feel alive again

If you have any of the above, read more about Adrenal Fatigue testing and treatment options.