Ok...

I am suspected of having Addison's BUT I don't have several of the major symptoms, like:

No hyperpigmentation (dark skin color)
No blood pressure change when I sit up (it mainly happens from a kneeling position)
No weight loss (I'm pretty darn thin as it is :D ...~150 lbs, 6')

However, I DO have:

Fainting/orthostatic hypotension(head rushes)
Very low blood pressure (~90/60)
Nausea
Severe salt craving (sometimes I just eat plain salt!)
Pain that seems to come from my kidneys (just on either side of my spine and at the bottom of my rib cage...very achey pain)

Are the symptoms I don't have those that come later? Or, maybe it's something different? I would appreciate anyone and everyone's input!

Thanks!

Daniel

Daniel- I did not have hyper pigmentation which is why I had to die repeatedly for them to figure it out. -Katie

Ok, so everyone's a comedian here... :D

Daniel

You might be secondary adrenal insufficient, but would help us if you could post you tests (include the ranges). If you haven't had aldosterone and renin tested as well as acth serum and acth stim, make sure they are done soon.

The only tests I have results back for are the cortisol levels and sodium levels. My sodium level was "right in the middle of normal," according to my doctor with the caveat that I eat, like most here, a veritable TON of salt.

My cortisol levels were at an 8 in the early afternoon (I think the range is 5-20).

I had the cortisol stimulation test on thursday, have yet to hear back about results. However, when I had the test done, I was having severe nausea. Once the stuff kicked in, my nausea went away and I felt great! Has anyone else noticed this?

Thanks!

Daniel

My Son Is 14 Yo He Has Addisons His Symptoms Were Only
1 . Nausea
2. Stomach Pain
3. Salt Craving
Hence It Was Hard To Diagnose
However No Other Symptoms Have Shown Up
He Is Leading A Normal Life By Taking His Medicine Regularly

Hey Daniel,

I noticed this too when I had the stim test. I felt horrific and then when I got the shot I suddenly felt okay-I could actually eat and drink again for a day or two. This seem like a confirmation of the lack of cortisol but the endos seem to ignore symptoms and only look at numbers.

The down side for me was beautiful results on the test which in the endos minds ruled out adrenal problems-at least in the primary sense. I finally found an endo and convinced him to put me on florinef which kept me from kicking the bucket until I got used to taking synthroid-I seem to have some sort of hypothyroid induced adrenal insufficiency.

I also have no skin pigmentation issues but had extreme salt cravings and got to the point where I couldn't drink water anymore without becoming delerius due to the rapidly fluctuating salt levels-which always look perfectly fine on the tests.