Patty

it sounds like you are where I was a year ago. Not pretty. I was able to do one thing a day - grocery shopping, or whatever. It was seriously limiting, and a total shock for me. I cried a lot. I lost a lot of friends.

The recovery on HC / Pred is gradual (for me anyway) and crept up on me. I tried HC for 2 days, and couldn't cope with the quick running out of cortisol. I was also seriously hypoglycemic - going from being OK to totally bedridden and too tired to even speak in the space of about 20 minutes when my blood sugar crashed (before I worked out what was going on ). This terrified me so much, and I was paranoid about it happening while I was out. For me, Pred gave me a more steady supply of cortisol, and made me feel more secure. I think my adrenals were beyond HC. I think Chris on the hypopit forum on STTM says HC works for 80% of people, but others need something stronger. You will have to see how you go.

A large part of my recovery has been Armour thyroid. Are you taking this also?

Where are you in amalgam removal? This was the worst time for me - I had to stop halfway through because I became so weak - this was the housebound phase, and before I got onto adrenal support. I am now one year post-amalgam removal, and I can honestly say that things did not start getting better before 10 months. Then I started to lose the fluey feeling and to start having the odd OK day, but I am not going to get better without years of serious chelation. My adrenals are in such bad shape that I have to chelate very slowly.

Patty - I get through the day. I do what I have to with the kids and to keep the house going. There is NO spare energy left. I nap most days, and cannot walk for longer than 10 minutes. Normal socialising activities or sport are beyond me. This illness could not have come at a worse time for me, with three young lively children. They are used to mummy being tired, grumpy, not able to do what they want me to do. It is not how I want to be, but it is my reality. It is difficult. I find T3 thyroid hormone helps with the depression. I am also beginning to accept my reality now, rather than thinking I will get back to the way I was once the mercury is gone. I think this is unlikely.

Nicola