Question for anyone??

[Beth06]

This is my first time really talking to anyone who understands. I was diagnosed with graves diease late fall of 1996, and about 3 years ago I was diagnosed with Addison's diease. I had droped about 30 pounds in a month and my tan never went away. I was also extremely tired all the time to the point that I would want to sleep all the time and it was very hard to make the 25 min drive from work to my home. About a year and a half ago. I was feeling pretty rotten and (still taking all my meds)had just gotten over an infection (didn't know anything like this could happen) and called my endo and he told me to get to his office right away. When I arrived they tried to take my blood pressure and couldn't find it. I was in the hospital for a week with IV's and nurses drawing blood all the time as well as taking my blood pressure. The only thing my endo has told me about this diease is that if I get sick (trowing )up I need to get to a hospital. He also told me to wear a medical alert braclet. But that's about it. Can anyone help me understand this diease. It's very confusing and not a lot of books out about it. Thanks to anyone who can give me advise or direction or just plain help.

[PunyDeb]

Hi, Beth. And (((hugs))). You aren't alone.

I wear a Medicalert bracelet, and have for years for other reasons. As soon as my adrenal insufficiency was diagnosed, I added that information. http://www.medicalert.org/ Yes, paramedics and ER docs *do* look. I speak from experience.

I hope you're feeling better now that you have the meds your body needs.

[Beth06]

I am currently taking 10 mg of cortef 2 1/2 x a day and .1 of Florenef 1x daily and .2 mg of Levoxyl 1x daily for 5 days.

My biggest issue is my doctor has not been very helpful in giving info for this diease. My dad being the concerned father that he is was the one that told me to ask my endo if I had Adissons.My doctor gives me prepscriptions and tells me to take them that's all and I really hate that. About a couple of weeks after I started to take the cortef I started to gain weight and now my doctor Is saying (since I've put on about 35 lbs.)that if I don't lose weight I'm working my way to becoming a diabetic. He has been watching my insulin levels closely (so he says). Is there any other drugs that you can take that does not have the weight gain side effect?

[TAEMom]

Hi Beth,
You are most definitely not alone! Unfortunately, the weight gain on the hydrocortisone seems to be common, although not universal. It is my 8 yr. old son that has adrenal insufficiency, but he is still very thin. Exercise and protein seem to help many people with the weight issue. I'm sure there are people more knowledgeable than I am that can speak to that though.

I really wanted to comment on the MedicAlert - my son has a necklace pendant and I can tell you from our experience that the paramedics most certainly looked at it, as did all personnel that came into contact with my son in the ER. (We now have a letter from the endo. too, but at the time we didn't.) The ER physician *immediately* called the endo. on call at the Children's Hospital to be sure he was treating Andrew correctly. If you haven't gotten the Medicalert yet, do it! It really could save your life. Jill

[Beth06]

I do see and endo at St Josephs hospital in MI.
My Glucose levels are 99. This was taken at our work wellnes day. (non fasting).

How do you know when you've gotten an infection how much more cortef you should take?

Since I take all of these meds (including Prevacide for acid reflux) should I be taking them all together? I take them all each morning, with the exception of the 2nd and 3rd doses of Cortef later in the day.

I also wanted to thank everyone that has responded every little bit of advise or info I can get is better than what I've been going on.