hey if anyone can make a suggestion my friend was 25 with a fiance and a a daughter just over a year. He passed away suddenly a couple of weeks ago and the medical examiner came back with a cause of addisons disease up until now I had no idea anything like this existed but since learning what little bit I can get from online I can't figure out how it went undiagnosed when the symptoms were fairly apparent? In June he fainted at work and was taken to the hospital they told him there was nothing wrong and sent him on his way, his fiance called and was commenting on how his temperment had suddenly changed and while she was away on a business trip he became very depressed and unable to care for their daughter mind you this is very out of character for this individual after seeing another doctor was given the diagnosis of depression and given Prozac and sent on his way once again until that fatal day.... They were moving to another state for better work and after driving for a while decided to stop and stay in a hotel the next morning they awoke and he was extremely ill vomiting, and complaining of headache. They went to the store to get some medicine on the way back to the hotel he was in a car accident later explaining to his fiance that he had blacked out at the wheel fortunately nobody was hurt at that moment they arrived at the decision to stay one more night at the hotel until he was feeling a little better but when she went in to the hotel to check in and came back out she found him lying on the stairs unconscious he was still breathing however hours later at the hospital he passed away at the time for an unknown reason only after an autopsy did his family finally learn the true cause. I guess I just don't understand how it is that soo many medical prefessionals can overlook so many symptoms directly relating to this disease? Any help anyone? Should his fiance be concerned about their child getting it through genetics?

Thank You,
Renee Snoad

I am so sorry for your friends, too, Renee. Perhaps the mother of the child will want to do some research about Addison's to help her recognize early symptoms, IF the baby ever starts to become ill with it. I think, and correct me if I'm wrong Chris, the child may have inherited a possible higher incidence of some kind of autoimmune disease, but not necessarily Addison's. As I understand it, if there are members of the family (especially more than one) with some type of autoimmune diease (Type I Diabetes, Multiple Schlerosis, Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, to name a few), the possibility of other members getting SOME autoimmune disease rises a bit. But, they probably won't have the SAME autoimmune disease as their parent, sibling, etc. Therefore, the child's mother may want to become acquainted with various types of autoimmune diseases and keep them in the BACK of her mind, but not dwell on them. My mother has MS and thyroid problems; my brother has thyroid problems, and my youngest has Type I Diabetes. My eldest is now ill with an undiagnosed illness that looks like adrenal issues. But my middle child doesn't show any signs of hardship. So you see, she wouldn't want to worry, just to get educated.

You know, if this helps you understand how it could have been missed, I once read that up to 70% of Addison's wasn't diagnosed until the autopsy table. It could have been that I was reading about the PAST, hopefully. But this has been one of the items that has haunted ME, with my son's undiagnosed symptoms. Perhaps your friend was already dehydrated, and the vomiting didn't take long to complete the job, especially if where they were traveling it was hot? He could also have hit his head when he fell, producing other complications. Once they found the Addison's they may not have looked further for an explanation of his death. Or perhaps it was the only explanation. Or if he had some other terrible virus that came on him WITH the Addison's it might explain the quick collapse. So sorry; it's harder when we don't expect it, AND when we feel there should have been a way to save him, AND when two people are just getting started in their lives together! How sad. I have been trying to find out why Addison's isn't diagnosed easily, too. It appears the doctors don't expect it, as Chris says. And then I've heard that the symptoms look much like those of OTHER diseases, too. They are too vague to attribute only to Addison's (fatigue, fainting, dizziness, weakness). I had a doctor the other day simply LOOK at my son and say he didn't have Addisons! I think many doctors suppose you will look as if you are in a crisis state ALL THE TIME if you have Addison's. Too often they blame the person's mind or psychological state. I could see where this would happen to your friend, being that he had what some people would think was a "stressful" situation to live through, getting married, moving, etc. Addison's Disease doesn't seem to "like" stress. But worse yet, doctors tend to blame the "stress" in our lives as the cause for the way we feel. Too often they prescribe anti-depressents, and ask us to wait. During this waiting period, bad things can happen. God bless you all, and help you through your frustration and sadness. ~ Tracy