My son has addisons disease and other autoimmune diseases which he takes prednisone, fludrocortisone, synthyroid, oscal, rocaltrol for. He has been having problems with frequent urination especially at night that interrupts his sleep. Has anyone had this problem?
Thanks, Vicki

Vicki,
Please tell us how much prednisone & florinef your son takes. It could be helpful to stop drinking water in the early evening so the bladder empties before bedtime.

Always good to check with the doctor about any changes.

Wanda

You might have him checked for diabetes, as that is one of the symptoms. If he has autoimmune disease, diabetes could be part of the puzzle. I have hypopituitarism and have both diabetes and secondary Addison's, as well as thyroid and growth hormone problems.

Hi Wanda,

My son takes 5mg of prednisone in the AM, and 2.5mg at night. His dosage of fludrocortisone has just increased in the last few months to 0.1mg. His endo doesn't know why he has the problem. We have seen an urologist and the test are normal.
Thanks, Vicki

Gettin Better,

My son is tested for diabetes every two to three months, so that's not the cause. Any other thoughts?
Thanks, Vicki

Vicki,

What is the reason his endo has him taking prednisone instead of Cortef or Hydrocortisone?
How old is your son? How tall & how much does he weigh? Has he been gaining weight lately?

Wanda

He may have diabetes insipidus, which is different from sugar diabetes. Diabetes insipidus involves the incorrect functioning of the pituitary gland which is not producing the hormone vasopressin properly. It is simple to test for this problem by measuring the specific gravity of his urine.

HI Wanda,

My son is 23 yrs old , is 6' 2" and has gained weight in the last 6 months, since he has been home from college. He now weighs between 180 to 200 lbs. He has always been tall and thin, and is always hungry. His endo believes prednisone is the best medication for addisons, and also has told me his dosage is correct for someone who doesn't produce any cortisol.
Thanks for your reply,
Vicki

Hi Orion,

I will ask his endo about this. Thanks very much for your help.
Vicki

My son is 23 yrs old , is 6' 2" and has gained weight in the last 6 months, since he has been home from college. He now weighs between 180 to 200 lbs. He has always been tall and thin, and is always hungry. His endo believes prednisone is the best medication for addisons, and also has told me his dosage is correct for someone who doesn't produce any cortisol.
Thanks for your reply,
Vicki

Anyone with Addison's like your son should be taking DHEA as well because once the adrenals are shut down by taking replacement cortisol this important hormone is also cut off. DHEA is related to immune function, lung function, exercise capacity and sexuality. DHEA is always high in young people so his levels should have been quite high.

Make sure you get a brand of DHEA that is verified by gas chromatography to contain DHEA because some don't have as much as they say.

Good information the doctors don't give, but get your son's DHEA level checked before starting a replacement so they can keep an eye on the level. Important to keep it within the range. This will also tell you if the brand he is taking is one that actually works. Some don't.

Anyone with Addison's like your son should be taking DHEA as well because once the adrenals are shut down by taking replacement cortisol this important hormone is also cut off. DHEA is related to immune function, lung function, exercise capacity and sexuality. DHEA is always high in young people so his levels should have been quite high.

Make sure you get a brand of DHEA that is verified by gas chromatography to contain DHEA because some don't have as much as they say.

Is DHEA a prescribed supplement or over the counter? Do most endo's recommend it to their patients? What do you mean by gas chromatography?
Thanks again,
Vicki

Good information the doctors don't give, but get your son's DHEA level checked before starting a replacement so they can keep an eye on the level. Important to keep it within the range. This will also tell you if the brand he is taking is one that actually works. Some don't.

Do you take DHEA? My son's endo has never suggested this. I wonder why?

Thanks again for your help,
Vicki

get your son's DHEA level checked before starting a replacement so they can keep an eye on the level. Important to keep it within the range. This will also tell you if the brand he is taking is one that actually works. Some don't.

Actually if you take replacement doses of prednisone or hydrocortisone then your body doesn't produce ATCH and can't make cortisol or DHEA. There is no need to get your levels checked on replacement doses, because your DHEA is guaranteed to be zero.

It is very important to monitor DHEA levels to keep the within range, especially for women because both high and low levels of DHEA are associated with increase risk of mortality. But for men, only low DHEA is associated with premature mortality.

Is DHEA a prescribed supplement or over the counter? Do most endo's recommend it to their patients? What do you mean by gas chromatography?
Thanks again,
Vicki

They sell DHEA at just about any drug store and you don't need a prescription. Endo's are divided on the use of DHEA because there are no long term safety studies on DHEA (because it can't be patented and so you can't make a crazy mark ups on it). There have been many studies that show that low DHEA in both men and woman is associated with early mortality by up to a factor of 3. However, this is no proof that taking suppliments will restore a normal life span (no proof = no studies have been funded). Consequently your son will have to make up his own mind by doing some research and consulting with his doctor.

Sorry, that should have been liquid chromatography. It's a method used in chemistry to measure concentrations of chemicals in a sample. In this case we want to be sure that the pills actually contain the specified amount of DHEA. It has been reported that some brands skimp on their pills. Look for "HPLC verified" or some similar designation. HPLC = high performance liquid chromatography.

I second the recommendation to check for diabetes insipidus. DI is not related to Dibetes mellitius but is related to pituitary disorders. I develped DI after the removal of pituitary tumor 2 years ago. It's a real pain but manageable with medication.

I second the recommendation to check for diabetes insipidus. DI is not related to Dibetes mellitius but is related to pituitary disorders. I develped DI after the removal of pituitary tumor 2 years ago. It's a real pain but manageable with medication.

I don't have DI yet, but expect to have this problem after radiation treatments soon. I would appreciate a discription of what you are dealing with. Specifically, how often you have to take DDVAP, what form you take of that medication, how controlled your urination frequency is, if you find the drug slowly wears off or has a sudden drop off....every day things like that. Thanks.

They sell DHEA at just about any drug store and you don't need a prescription. Endo's are divided on the use of DHEA because there are no long term safety studies on DHEA (because it can't be patented and so you can't make a crazy mark ups on it). There have been many studies that show that low DHEA in both men and woman is associated with early mortality by up to a factor of 3. However, this is no proof that taking suppliments will restore a normal life span (no proof = no studies have been funded). Consequently your son will have to make up his own mind by doing some research and consulting with his doctor.

Sorry, that should have been liquid chromatography. It's a method used in chemistry to measure concentrations of chemicals in a sample. In this case we want to be sure that the pills actually contain the specified amount of DHEA. It has been reported that some brands skimp on their pills. Look for "HPLC verified" or some similar designation. HPLC = high performance liquid chromatography.
Thanks, Orion, for the info. We will do our research and talk to his endo.
Take care, Vicki