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Managing Addisions when Sick
I was diagnosed with Addisons Disease when I was 12. I am now 42 and have noticed that when I get a stomach bug (gastroenteritis) I struggle to get health and often get much sicker than anyone else in my family or friends. Roughly 2 times a year I get sick and end up in the ER. Is this common with others who have the disease? What do you do to manage or minimize the impact to your health and life. Is the issue, just, the hydrocortisone is not being absorbed when sick and so Im undertreated at a time of stress or is there something else I need to be aware of in the future?
Thanks,
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Addison's Disease is difficult to deal with. The adrenals are responsible for the production of cortisol. The adrenals need to work with the pituitary to maintain the correct balance of cortisol in the body. It can be a fine line between Cushing's disease and Addison's disease - as too much cortisol causes Cushing's and not enough is Addison's. (Cushing's can be caused by either a pituitary tumor or from too much prednisone taken to control other diseases.) I have bounced between the two from prednisone taken for my asthma. When the body is exposed it illness, bacteria, increased stress, etc., we need increased cortisol. With Addison's it is difficult to produce that needed cortisol. This is why you are getting sicker and it is harder to recuperate. When I go into Addison's I try to ride it though. If not, I wind up taking more prednisone and then try to decrease it - all under doctor's supervision.
See your endocrinologist and see if there is a way to try to plan for when/if you get ill or extra stressed. Having a plan will help you cope with the situation. Good luck and feel better.