My Adrenal Life

Adrenal insufficiency is often described too narrowly. It is not just a cortisol problem. It is also a stress-response problem, a circulation problem, a metabolism problem, and in primary adrenal insufficiency, often a salt-and-fluid balance problem too. Cortisol is essential for life. It helps maintain blood pressure, supports blood sugar between meals, regulates inflammation, and helps the body...

Why can adrenal insufficiency make nausea feel so unpredictable? In this episode, Chloe and Alex explore a My Adrenal Life article on  gut motility, nausea, and cortisol , and why digestive symptoms in adrenal insufficiency are not always caused by a stomach bug or food poisoning. The discussion explains that nausea in adrenal insufficiency is often tied to  gut motility , meaning how quickly or s...

Why do so many people with adrenal insufficiency wake up at 2, 3, or 4 a.m. feeling alert, restless, or suddenly unable to fall back asleep—even when they were exhausted at bedtime? In this episode, Chloe and Alex explore a My Adrenal Life article on  cortisol and sleep architecture , and why sleep in adrenal insufficiency often does not follow the usual rules. Sleep is not one continuous state. T...

Why do people with adrenal insufficiency sometimes feel inflamed, achy, or slow to recover even when “stress” doesn’t seem like the issue? In this episode, Chloe and Alex explore a My Adrenal Life article that reframes cortisol as far more than a “stress hormone.” Cortisol is one of the body’s key regulatory hormones. It helps control inflammation, guide immune activity, and bring the body back to...

What happens when everything is done right—and the system still fails? In this episode, Jake and Rachel take a deep dive into a powerful real-life story shared in the My Adrenal Life community by Christin Disler. Her experience during a total hip replacement highlights a critical truth:  advocacy and preparation can be life-saving in adrenal insufficiency . Christin did everything right. She met w...

Why can blood sugar feel so unpredictable with adrenal insufficiency, even when you are eating regularly and taking your medication as prescribed? In this episode, Jake and Rachel explore a My Adrenal Life topic many people recognize but rarely see explained clearly: the connection between  cortisol and blood sugar instability . Cortisol is often called a “stress hormone,” but it also plays a majo...

Why do some people with adrenal insufficiency still feel flat, unmotivated, or “hollow” even when their labs look stable and they are taking their replacement steroids correctly? In this episode, Chloe and Alex explore a My Adrenal Life topic that many patients recognize but rarely hear explained clearly: the role of  DHEA and adrenal androgens  in adrenal insufficiency. Standard treatment for adr...

Why do many people with adrenal insufficiency experience dizziness, racing heartbeats, or unstable blood pressure—even when heart tests appear normal? In this episode, Jake and Rachel explore a new My Adrenal Life mini-series book by Rick Disler titled  The Cardiovascular System in Adrenal Insufficiency: Understanding Circulation, Orthostatic Instability, Stress Physiology, and Early Warning Patte...

Can the adrenal glands “wake up” again after long-term steroid use? In this episode, Noah and Eloise explore a My Adrenal Life topic that many people living with adrenal insufficiency wrestle with:  steroid tapering, HPA-axis suppression, and the uncertain path of adrenal recovery . For many patients, steroid treatment begins as something lifesaving. Medications such as  prednisone, prednisolone,...

Why do some people feel  worse  after starting thyroid medication instead of better? In this episode, Chloe and Alex explore a My Adrenal Life topic that many patients recognize but rarely see explained clearly: the two-way relationship between  cortisol  and  thyroid hormones . Most people are taught to think of thyroid and adrenal problems as separate issues. But biologically, these systems are...

What happens when someone with Addison’s disease is told they are “stable,” but still does not feel truly well? In this episode, Jake and Rachel explore a My Adrenal Life topic that many people with  Primary adrenal insufficiency (Addison’s disease)  quietly struggle with: the difference between  surviving  and  thriving . Standard treatment for Addison’s focuses on replacing the two hormones cons...

Why do so many people with adrenal insufficiency feel like they are doing everything right, yet still crash at predictable times of day? In this episode, Chloe and Alex explore a My Adrenal Life topic that many patients recognize immediately:  timing matters  in adrenal insufficiency management. Most people are told to focus on the total daily dose of cortisol replacement. But this conversation ex...

Why can a minor stressor feel physically dangerous in adrenal insufficiency? In this episode, Noah and Eloise explore a My Adrenal Life topic many patients know intimately:  stress intolerance in adrenal insufficiency . This is not about being emotionally weak or “bad at handling stress.” It is about what happens when the body’s cortisol response is impaired and the normal stress system cannot fun...

Can adrenal insufficiency change the way you smell? In this episode, Chloe and Alex explore a lesser-discussed My Adrenal Life topic:  body odor changes in adrenal insufficiency . It is a symptom many patients notice, but few feel comfortable bringing up in a clinic setting. This conversation explains why changes in scent are not simply about hygiene. In adrenal insufficiency, shifts in cortisol,...

Why can summer heat feel dangerous for people with adrenal insufficiency? In this episode, Jake and Rachel explore a My Adrenal Life topic that many patients know firsthand: how heat can trigger rapid physical decline in people living with  adrenal insufficiency (AI) . For most people, a hot day means discomfort. For someone with AI, it can become a serious physiologic stressor. What looks like or...

Why do so many people feel unprepared for what comes after pituitary surgery? In this episode, Jake and Rachel explore a My Adrenal Life topic that often gets minimized or misunderstood: the long recovery that can follow pituitary tumor surgery, especially when  Secondary Adrenal Insufficiency (SAI)  becomes part of the picture. Many patients go into surgery believing that once the tumor is remove...

What happens when adrenal insufficiency symptoms start to look like nervous system dysfunction? In this episode, Noah and Eloise explore a question many people with adrenal insufficiency eventually ask:  Is this my cortisol, my autonomic nervous system, or both? Using a My Adrenal Life article as the foundation, they break down the difference between the  vagus nerve and autonomic nervous system  ...

What happens when hallucinations, confusion, or sudden paranoia are not psychiatric symptoms at all—but signs of a medical emergency? In this episode, Jake and Rachel explore a difficult and often overlooked topic in adrenal insufficiency:  severe mental status changes during cortisol collapse , including hallucinations, delirium, disorientation, and psychosis-like symptoms. Most people associate...

Why do some people with adrenal insufficiency suddenly develop bright red cheeks—even when they aren’t hot, embarrassed, or exercising? In this episode, Noah and Eloise explore a lesser-discussed but commonly reported symptom in the adrenal community:  facial flushing in adrenal insufficiency , especially in people living with  Secondary Adrenal Insufficiency (SAI) . Many patients describe sudden...

Why do many people with adrenal insufficiency wake up feeling like they have the flu—even after a full night of sleep? In this episode, Jake and Rachel explore a My Adrenal Life topic that many patients recognize but rarely see explained clearly: the connection between  adrenal insufficiency and chronic inflammation . Most people think of cortisol as a “stress hormone,” often associated with anxie...

What does adrenal insufficiency actually feel like in daily life? In this episode, Chloe and Alex explore a My Adrenal Life article titled  “Adrenal Insufficiency: Medically Real Things Patients Are Rarely Told.”  The discussion looks at the gap between the textbook definition of adrenal insufficiency and the real-world experiences many patients face every day. Most people are taught that adrenal...

Can adrenal insufficiency cause symptoms that look like a psychiatric crisis? In this episode, Noah and Eloise explore a difficult but important topic from the My Adrenal Life article  “Adrenal Psychosis: When Cortisol Loss Affects the Brain.”  The discussion looks at how severe cortisol deficiency can sometimes affect brain function in ways that resemble panic, paranoia, confusion, or even halluc...

What if adrenal insufficiency symptoms start long before anyone recognizes them? In this episode, Noah and Eloise explore Rick Disler’s book  Adrenal Insufficiency: The Symptoms No One Taught You to See  and the powerful idea that adrenal insufficiency is often missed because medicine is trained to look for crisis — not the quieter physiologic instability that comes before it. Rick Disler, founder...

What if the shaking you feel isn’t anxiety at all — but your body trying to survive? In this episode, Chloe and Alex explore one of the most frightening and misunderstood symptoms many people with adrenal insufficiency experience: the  internal trembling often described as an “earthquake from within.” To someone watching from the outside, nothing may look wrong. A person might simply appear pale o...

Why can a single drink, a cup of coffee, or even secondhand smoke suddenly make someone with adrenal insufficiency feel terrible? In this episode, Jake and Rachel take a deep dive into the My Adrenal Life article  “Cigarettes, Vaping, Alcohol, Caffeine & Energy Drinks: Why ‘Normal’ Substances Can Be Dangerous with Adrenal Insufficiency.” For most people, these substances are part of everyday l...