Addison's Disease: Tired of being tired

Posted by spice @spice, Nov 26, 2017

I have had addisons disease for 5 years treated with prednisone I can not taper to the 5 mg and have been on 40 mg for three years also contracted lymes 6 years ago salmonella 10 years ago I know I am gradually slowing down but took the flu shot a month ago and I have absolutely no energy now and everything is just sore and achy. Tylenol helps some to push through and exercise helps to when I can. involved with agriculture so chores always have to be done but some days its a chore. I blame the flu shot for now but there are so many factors to consider. The prednisone has me pre diabetic. Thoughts would be appreciated.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Diabetes & Endocrine System Support Group.

@hopeful33250

@spice

You have certainly worked hard to find an answer to your health issues, that is admirable!

Perhaps some of our other members with Addison's might be able to help offer suggestions from their own experience. At Mayo Connect, we are not medical professionals, just patients, like yourself. Here is some information from Mayo's website that might be informative, http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/addisons-disease/symptoms-causes/dxc-20155757. Here also is a website from the National Adrenal Diseases Foundation, http://www.nadf.us/adrenal-diseases/addisons-disease/.

I am going to tag @yankeegirl and @jimg45 who posted awhile ago regarding Addison's Disease. Also, you may want to take a look at a previous discussion here at Mayo Connect regarding Addison's Disease, https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/addison-diease/?pg=1#comment-7749

Teresa

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may sleep 16 or more hours a day nausea confusion but also had this dosage for this long of time its the same. The steroids begin to work adversely on soft tissue I cant think as clearly as I would like don't have the stamina I should and for someone that has worked with his hands and mind; well you know. My wife and I never had a convential marriage she worked in the city as an attorney I raised kids and lived as she calls hand to mouth always taking jobs with enough flex to be there for the kids. She is still able clumbsy with her right side and having more trouble using the right words at times. Are you familiar with show animals? If so I can tell more stories about how I got here,

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@hopeful33250

@spice

You have certainly worked hard to find an answer to your health issues, that is admirable!

Perhaps some of our other members with Addison's might be able to help offer suggestions from their own experience. At Mayo Connect, we are not medical professionals, just patients, like yourself. Here is some information from Mayo's website that might be informative, http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/addisons-disease/symptoms-causes/dxc-20155757. Here also is a website from the National Adrenal Diseases Foundation, http://www.nadf.us/adrenal-diseases/addisons-disease/.

I am going to tag @yankeegirl and @jimg45 who posted awhile ago regarding Addison's Disease. Also, you may want to take a look at a previous discussion here at Mayo Connect regarding Addison's Disease, https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/addison-diease/?pg=1#comment-7749

Teresa

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Teresa We began with an doc from ou med center felt like a lab rat he always had students with him. my last dic punted and suggested mayo but on limited incomes that is hard to do.

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@hopeful33250

@spice

You have certainly worked hard to find an answer to your health issues, that is admirable!

Perhaps some of our other members with Addison's might be able to help offer suggestions from their own experience. At Mayo Connect, we are not medical professionals, just patients, like yourself. Here is some information from Mayo's website that might be informative, http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/addisons-disease/symptoms-causes/dxc-20155757. Here also is a website from the National Adrenal Diseases Foundation, http://www.nadf.us/adrenal-diseases/addisons-disease/.

I am going to tag @yankeegirl and @jimg45 who posted awhile ago regarding Addison's Disease. Also, you may want to take a look at a previous discussion here at Mayo Connect regarding Addison's Disease, https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/addison-diease/?pg=1#comment-7749

Teresa

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reply ended up below somehow

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@johnbishop

Hello @spice, I'm also not real happy about taking prednisone for the second time around with my polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) but it's pretty much the only thing that makes the pain, stiffness and inflammation go away. I started at 20 mg last year in September and am now at 3 mg having tried twice to drop to 2.5 mg. My last round with PMR took me 3 years to taper off of prednisone. The autoimmune system has a lot of unknowns for all of us with one of the many different autoimmune diseases. To make it even more complex, each of us react differently to treatments and therapy. All that said, you are on the right course of asking questions and learning as much as you can about your disease. You are your best advocate and the more you know, the better you can work with your doctors to find a treatment that hopefully works for you.

I see that Teresa (@hopeful33250) has already given you the link to Mayo Cinic's information on Addison's disease along with appointment information if that is in the realm of possibility. I'm tagging @kanaazpereira and @lisalucier as they may be able to offer some suggestions.

I found an interesting article in the European Journal of Endocrinology that may be helpful:

MANAGEMENT OF ENDOCRINE DISEASE: Regenerative therapies in autoimmune Addison’s disease:
http://www.eje-online.org/content/176/3/R123.short

I found the link using the Google Scholar search engine (https://scholar.google.com/). It has some advantages over a normal search engine in finding medical and drug related information.

Keep asking questions and learning as much as you can.

John

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@spice when I try to taper too quickly the pain comes back a little stronger and the aches and joint stiffness is a little worse than the previous dosage. I try to tolerate it for a few days to see if it will go away and then if not I switch back to the previous dosage. My first round it took me almost 6 months or so going between 1 mg and 1/2 mg until I was finally able to stop taking it without significant pain. I think the exercise helped in that respect...not a lot of it but whatever you can do. I have a recumbent exercise bike that I ride 4 to 5 days a week for about 30 minutes when I first get up. It helps get my legs going and sets me up for the day.

I'm getting around 7+ hours sleep a night and feel tired but I don't have any nausea. I also have back and forth taking flu shots and last year convinced me never again...hadn't been sick with the flu like stuff for a couple of years and a local supermarket was giving 25 cents a gallon off on gasoline if you got a flu shot there in their health clinic. Mr Never Pass Up a Bargain got the flu shot and within a week got the flu. Over the years I've had similar experiences with getting the flu shot so I'm just trying to keep my hands washed and keep my distance when I hear coughing...☺

Have your doctors or rheumatologist given you a tapering schedule? I would start with their tapering schedule and work with them to see if that helps.

John

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@hopeful33250

Hello @spice

Welcome to Mayo Connect - I see that this is your first post and we are glad that you have joined our online patient support group.

I am sorry to hear of your many health issues and the resulting pain and fatigue. Many of us here at Connect also have a mixture of health problems and medications and we understand how frustrating it is to try to go on with life in the normal fashion - sometimes the energy just isn't there and the pain can be a distraction to everyday life. I would encourage you to discuss these feelings with your doctor - there may be something that can be done to help you.

I am wondering if you have discussed these problems with your primary care doctor as well as an endocrinologist?

Teresa

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@spice Hi, My friend! I assume you have done some things I will suggest, but just in case you have not, you might try. Go to these sites, Enter Addisons in the search engine, and see if there is anything you have not learned before. And go to their contact area and try to talk with someone there. Some will talk with you, some will not. http://www.AddisonFoundation.org, Addison.org, MayoClinic.org, Alnylam.com, City of Hope.org, FredHutchinson.org, Each of these, and many more, will have portions of their sites dedicated to patient education. My own personal favorites are Mayo and Alnylam. When you go to their sites, many will have videos you can learn a lot from. Read any medicine bottles you have from meds you have used for Addison. Try to contact the maker through their site. Ask Mayo or Stanford or Alnylam or Sloan-Kettering who might be working in the area. Get into NIH.gov (National Institutes of Health) Library. Yes, some of this stuff will be very technical and advanced, but read the bibliography at the end of the article for more resources.That is where I would start if I were just starting now. But go first to the Addison('s?) Foundation. Ask your doctor or Google for their site. But for sure, talk with Alnylam.com, and ask them who might be working in the area. And tell us how things go in this matter. And don't be afraid to use my name as reference. They will think it is someone they should know. Thanks. Karl D.Min.

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@johnbishop

Hello @spice, I'm also not real happy about taking prednisone for the second time around with my polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) but it's pretty much the only thing that makes the pain, stiffness and inflammation go away. I started at 20 mg last year in September and am now at 3 mg having tried twice to drop to 2.5 mg. My last round with PMR took me 3 years to taper off of prednisone. The autoimmune system has a lot of unknowns for all of us with one of the many different autoimmune diseases. To make it even more complex, each of us react differently to treatments and therapy. All that said, you are on the right course of asking questions and learning as much as you can about your disease. You are your best advocate and the more you know, the better you can work with your doctors to find a treatment that hopefully works for you.

I see that Teresa (@hopeful33250) has already given you the link to Mayo Cinic's information on Addison's disease along with appointment information if that is in the realm of possibility. I'm tagging @kanaazpereira and @lisalucier as they may be able to offer some suggestions.

I found an interesting article in the European Journal of Endocrinology that may be helpful:

MANAGEMENT OF ENDOCRINE DISEASE: Regenerative therapies in autoimmune Addison’s disease:
http://www.eje-online.org/content/176/3/R123.short

I found the link using the Google Scholar search engine (https://scholar.google.com/). It has some advantages over a normal search engine in finding medical and drug related information.

Keep asking questions and learning as much as you can.

John

Jump to this post

always have been on their tapering schedule, biggest hurdle I cross is the care of my animals and my household chores I can only be down so long before they need attention and I don't receive much assistance there and yes we start 1mg at a time. I am pretty convinced my body will never produce cortisol again its just trying to manage the meds.

REPLY
@johnbishop

Hello @spice, I'm also not real happy about taking prednisone for the second time around with my polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) but it's pretty much the only thing that makes the pain, stiffness and inflammation go away. I started at 20 mg last year in September and am now at 3 mg having tried twice to drop to 2.5 mg. My last round with PMR took me 3 years to taper off of prednisone. The autoimmune system has a lot of unknowns for all of us with one of the many different autoimmune diseases. To make it even more complex, each of us react differently to treatments and therapy. All that said, you are on the right course of asking questions and learning as much as you can about your disease. You are your best advocate and the more you know, the better you can work with your doctors to find a treatment that hopefully works for you.

I see that Teresa (@hopeful33250) has already given you the link to Mayo Cinic's information on Addison's disease along with appointment information if that is in the realm of possibility. I'm tagging @kanaazpereira and @lisalucier as they may be able to offer some suggestions.

I found an interesting article in the European Journal of Endocrinology that may be helpful:

MANAGEMENT OF ENDOCRINE DISEASE: Regenerative therapies in autoimmune Addison’s disease:
http://www.eje-online.org/content/176/3/R123.short

I found the link using the Google Scholar search engine (https://scholar.google.com/). It has some advantages over a normal search engine in finding medical and drug related information.

Keep asking questions and learning as much as you can.

John

Jump to this post

Hello @spice

I appreciate your letting us know more about some of your physical responsibilities, "care of my animals and my household chores." When we have chronic illnesses, physical activities do drain our energy reserves much faster. You mentioned in an earlier post that you have show dogs, while I don't know anyone who has show dogs (I have only had household pets)I can certainly understand the extra care, time and attention that they would need.

I'm going to present some questions that might be helpful to you in thinking through this situation that you find yourself in. Please do not feel that you have to post an answer back to Connect, just use these ideas to help you work through your responsibilities.

You say that you don't receive much assistance. What type of help have you asked for? Who might be available to assist you? Is there anyway that you can reduce the number of animals that you care for?

Also, what type of exercise program do you have in place right now to help you deal with stress and anxiety? I understand that when fatigue is paramount, exercise is the last thing we think might help - but sometimes it can restore energy by helping us relax.

Like I said, please feel free to think about these thoughts and use them for a "plan of action" if you will.

Teresa

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I’ve had Addison’s since 1979. I am taking hydrocortisone, 10 mg morning, plus 5 at lunch and 5 at supper. I also take fludrocortisone 0.5 mg every other day. This seems to work for me. I have a fairly good energy level for being 76 and used to work 50 hour weeks when I was still working. I only need to see my endochronologist once a year. I definitely need extra cortisone when I am sick. Hope this is helpful.

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@judy5140

I’ve had Addison’s since 1979. I am taking hydrocortisone, 10 mg morning, plus 5 at lunch and 5 at supper. I also take fludrocortisone 0.5 mg every other day. This seems to work for me. I have a fairly good energy level for being 76 and used to work 50 hour weeks when I was still working. I only need to see my endochronologist once a year. I definitely need extra cortisone when I am sick. Hope this is helpful.

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Addison's wins

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Hi, @spice -- wondering how things went with your tapering the prednisone? Are you still feeling tired often?

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