Hi Thai and welcome:

Here are some 5:2 tips: https://thefastdiet.co.uk/forums/topic/the-basics-for-newbies-your-questions-answered/

Good Luck!

Hi ThaiMama,

How you describe the pattern of fatigue makes me think that you might be developing a secondary condition which many of us with Hashimotos invariably struggle with and that is adrenal insufficiency. It is the fact that you are fatigued and crash after exertion or social engagement that points to this.

Why this often develops in those of us with Hashimotos is that we are either on the wrong type of medication for our needs or an inadequate dose or both. Therefore we remain hypo despite the medication. Our adrenal gland produce more hormone to get us going and keep us going because of lack of thyroid hormone and energy deficit. Over time our adrenal glands become ‘worn out’ much like the pancreas does when has to secrete a lot of extra insulin.

I just want to emphasize that like exercise, any type of fasting is a stress to the body and therefore calls requires our adrenals to produce an supply of cortisol, which is an adrenal hormone. If the adrenals are weak or unable to produce enough, fasting can cause the same crash in the aftermath as physical exertion. Since I have weak adrenals, I’m susceptible to this so had to start very gently by trialing just one fast day a week. Once I found I was able to get through a few of those without needing days on the couch afterwards, I knew I was okay to add in another fast day each week. Another thing that helped was being very careful about not having too much else to do when I fasted. Like you, I have to pace myself! I’m unable to fast on days in which I have people to see and places to go. Unlike others who say it is easier to fast when they are busy or at work, I don’t have enough energy to cope with both and I’m better fasting when I can retreat and relax at home. I also find that I do better leaving two non-fasting days between my fast days because this gives my adrenals time to recover.

Hi ThaiMama,

Keep us posted on how you do with your first fast! Unfortunately, endos don’t generally believe in ‘adrenal fatigue’ and tend to interpret tests so widely that a person has to be at the point of an ‘Addisonian Crisis’ before they diagnose a problem. In other words, one has to nearly be on one’s death bed. I’m only writing this because your question may fall on deaf ears or you may be made wrong for asking. I mention this because I was part of an online thyroid/adrenal fatigue group and the members there received that response from most endos! Once in awhile someone encountered a receptive endo, though those were few and far between. The best way to test for adrenal output is through an ‘adrenal saliva’ test. I’ve yet to hear of an endo who accepts ‘adrenal saliva’ tests. They frown upon them as not being accurate and rely instead on blood tests. However, there are valid reasons why the blood tests are inaccurate! I’ll get off my endo criticism soap box now!