Could this be Addison's? - Addison's Disease Message Board

wobbly · 04-26-2003, 05:59 AM

Hello everyone,
I'm new to this board--my normal board is the thyroid one--but I'm going thru a weird time right now and I need some opinions.
I have Hashimoto's and Graves' diseases (both thyroid diseases) and right now I am in an episode of thyrotoxicosis induced by iodine consumption. To say that in plain English, I have autoimmune thyroid disorders, plus the iodine caused my thyroid to store up a bunch of hormone and then release it into my system, which as you might guess has made my body go nuts.
A lot of my symptoms are consistent with hyperthyroid (tremor, tachycardia, trouble sleeping, anxiousness, weight loss), but some don't fit (no appetite/nausea, lightheadedness/unsteadiness, thirst). I noticed that the odd ones matched up with Addison's and asked my doc, and she said, "Your adrenals are OK--when you first got sick I gave you a shot of cortisone to protect them." Also, although I am lightheaded, when I had my blood pressure checked it was 120/70 (which is actually a little higher than is normal for me).
So my questions are: (1) could I be having adrenal problems in addition to my thyroid thing, (2) could a shot of cortisone really protect my adrenals like that, (3) is there another disease other than Addison's that might cause these symptoms?
Thanks for all the advice and help anybody can give me--it's really scaring me thinking I might now have yet another incurable disease.
--wobbly

[This message has been edited by wobbly (edited 04-26-2003).]

YouNeverKnow · 05-03-2003, 08:31 PM

"Your adrenals are OK--when you first got sick I gave you a shot of cortisone to protect them." That must be one of the dumbest statements I've ever heard. This doctor THINKS she knows your adreals are alright BECAUSE she gave you a shot!! What a complete idiot!!

Unfortunately, low adrenal reserve is very difficult to diagnose without provocative tests. You can try getting a 24 hour urine collection test where they look at your total cortisol output. But that test is often inconclusive because adrenal output is so variable even in normal people. When you have normal thyroid and low adrenals you get symptoms of both hypo and hyper thyroid like (anxiety, weight gain, palpitations, dry skin, dry mouth, low blood sugar (which can make you feel light headed) and fatigue. You didn't mention fatigue, weight gain or dry skin and combined with normal blood pressure, it makes me doubt you have adrenal problems. But where hormones are involved many weird symptom combinations are possible.

Oh yeah, if it turns out you have addisons, it's usually not that big a deal (famous last words). Just another few pills to pop every day.

wobbly · 05-04-2003, 08:43 AM

Thanks for responding, YouNeverKnow. I finally got my doc to order a serum cortisol test and that turned out normal. Also, my appetite seems to be coming back in fits and spurts as my thyroid symptoms lessen, so I'm hoping that means my adrenals are OK. I've been pretty frustrated with my medical care through this thing, but that's another story. Right now I'm just aiming at getting better.
If anybody knows a good endo in South Central PA, I'm open to suggestions!

Eagle · 05-12-2003, 06:23 PM

Like the other poster said, I'd want to double check by later seeing another endocrinologist, without saying anything to either of them.

Recently, I found out by accident that a g.p. who didn't really treat my toenail fungus put down on my record that he'd prescribed something. The girl told me what but I didn't write it down. He did not. He wanted me to go to a dermatologist and nail fungus is a systemic thing. It's a year later, and my toenail has just grown back. Instead of going ahead and giving me the prescription now, to correct his mistake if he just forgot, because I still have the twinges, he wants to charge for another appointment, maybe doesn't have many patients left who trust him.

Usually when you pay for an appointment where you have some test, like a yearly thyroid to make sure you're taking the right amount, you call back in about a week if they don't call you or tell you when to call.

This one ofc is so demanding, because they know my insurance is supposed to reimburse me, the girl said, "You could come back in....etc." I've never seen the like, in quite a long lifetime, quite a few doctors. I should know by now what to expect. I have a large family and would have recommended him to them, if there'd been some concern for me and my discomforts instead of income, as if I owed it to them for nothing. We can get lied to about what's been done!

I think neglected funguses can be a cause of Addison's, according to the little reading I've done.
I don't know if nail fungus and lung fuguses are ever the same. Anyone know?

[This message has been edited by Eagle (edited 05-12-2003).]

[This message has been edited by Eagle (edited 05-12-2003).]