Pregnancy and adrenal insufficiency - Addison's Disease Message Board

linzi · 12-29-2002, 10:05 AM

Hi, I am new to this group. I am interested to find anyone who is or has been pregnant with either addisons or adrenal insufficiency. I am currently on cortef 5 mg 2x/day for adrenal insufficiency related to Chronic Fatigue condition. I am 8 weeks pregnant and feel terrible with depression, fatique and weakness -- much worse than before. I am trying to find out if this could be related to the adrenal problem? Am also concerned about taking cortef during pg. Anyone, got any thoughts or experiences they could share. Thanks.

PVS · 12-30-2002, 12:43 PM

Hi-

Well, you found someone!! I had one pregnancy before my diagnosis and 1 after. After my diagnosis I my cycle had pretty much completely shutdown so I wasn't able to even get pregnant without some "help". Pergonal and Metrodin injections... and then pregnant with twins!! I also had to have extended HCG injection every 5 days for about 3 months to help my body maintain the pregnancy. But... I think all of that had more to due with the shutdown of my cycle as opposed to the adrenal insufficiency itself. The Drs. don't really know. I did have to double up on meds for most of the pregnancy too. I was terribly sick to my stomach and could not keep anything down. Even had a home IV unit with a catheter in my arm so they could be sure I was getting fluids. By 6 months I was essentially normal again (except for the doubled cortisone). It was a little scary but my boys are great and very healthy. Just make sure ALL of your doctors are aware of the problem and if they are uncertain of what adrenal insufficiency can do to your system- push them to consult with an endo. My ob/gyn didn't think that doubled meds were necessary and once the vomiting cycle started it took us months to get it under control. I don't think it would have been that bad if he had me up the meds earlier. Good Luck to you and congratulations!

Debford · 02-10-2003, 05:54 AM

Hello PVS (?)

I have been trying for a baby whilst diagnosed from Addisons and am looking at the options of getting a little help too. Please could you tell me how long it took you to fall pregnant and if there are any assisted pregnancy medications I should avoid which interfere with the hydrocortisone etc.?

I am so glad to hear that you suceeded as I have been getting quite depressed about my "failure" to get pregnant.

Hope to hear from you soon

Debbie

BrittanyDunn · 11-21-2006, 04:58 PM

Hey, I have been really worried about the probability of getting pregnant. I am getting married soon, and we both want children. My cycle is still regular and I am 18 years old...
anyone have any tips?

elibullock · 01-11-2007, 06:24 PM

Hello,

I have addison's and 25 weeks pregnant. I'm on 30 mg of cortef and feel really good. I started feeling nauseous at 6 weeks so the uped my dosage from 15 mgs to 30mg. Even though I was still a little sick it wasn't even close to my first pregnancy when I wasn't diagnosed yet. I was sick for 5 1/2 months. PVS I went throught the same stuff!

I was worried about the same thing, with the amount of cortef I was taking, but I was sent to the perinatologist and he assured me that cortef doesn't penitrate the plasenta. My last ultrasound was completely normal.

The only thing that's different is to be on a continuous amount of cortef before durning and after labor. That's very important. I was supposed to be induced last time to make sure everything went smoothly, but I went into labor two weeks early and I had a great labor. I hope to go natural this time too.

I also brestfeed my son, the cortef doesn't affect the baby.

Hope this helps

Beth