Addison's Disease: 10 Interesting Facts

Enjoy this Addison’s disease animation! Learn about Addison’s disease treatments, symptoms, crises, and more!

1) Can be triggered by Tuberculosis
Addison’s disease can be triggered by tuberculosis. Although 80% of cases occur when the body tries to defend itself against its own tissues and organs, about 20% of cases occur due to infection and eventual breakdown of the adrenal glands which can be caused by tuberculosis.

2) Teeth appear whiter
Addison’s disease can make your teeth appear whiter. What’s really happening, however, is the gradual darkening of the skin, which can make your teeth appear to be whitening even though nothing is actually happening to them. This darkening of the skin is one of the most common symptoms of Addison’s disease, so apparent whitening of the teeth occurs in the majority of cases.

3) ‘Brain fog’ is a common symptom
‘Brain fog’ is a common symptom of Addison’s disease. ‘Brain fog’ is an unexplained phenomenon where a patient feels like he or she is mentally in a ‘fog.’ Those who have experienced it have described ‘brain fog’ as confusing or disorienting. Interestingly, there is no evidence that it exists, but some patients hypothesize that it’s caused by low levels of KORT-I-SAL cortisol, the hormone that Addison’s disease patients are deficient of.

4) Treatments exist
Treatments exist. Hydrocortisone tablets can be taken twice daily to make up for a lack of cortisone produced by the adrenal glands. When taken, the disease becomes manageable, and most patients are able to lead a normal life. Other treatment options include antibiotics if the cause of the disease was tuberculosis and a medication called fludrocortisone acetate if the aldosterone hormone is also deficient. Despite the availability of treatments, Addison’s disease cannot be cured, and must be treated for life.

5) Craving salt is a common symptom
Craving salt is a common symptom of Addison’s disease. Other symptoms include fatigue, abnormal coloring of the skin, weight loss, low blood pressure, nausea, and painful joints and muscles.

6) Named after Thomas Addison
Addison’s disease is named after Thomas Addison, a doctor from England who first discovered the condition. He wrote about it prior to it’s first being identified in 1855.

7) Without medication, it is life-threatening
Without proper medication, Addison’s disease is a life-threatening condition. If hormone-replacement medication is not taken, the hormone levels in body become dangerously unbalanced, and it eventually leads to death.

8) Adrenal crisis can occur
An adrenal crisis can occur. We learned earlier that when someone has Addison’s disease, it means that their adrenal glands produce an insufficient amount of cortisol. When cortisol levels get too low, an adrenal crisis can occur. Symptoms of an adrenal crisis include vomiting, muscle weakness, dizziness, fatigue, and low blood pressure. If an adrenal crisis occurs, the victim should be injected with hydrocortisone and seek medical care immediately.

9) Vomit is a red flag
Vomit is a red flag. If someone with Addison’s disease throws up due to an adrenal crisis, they need to be injected immediately, and hospital treatment may be required. If a patient experiences unrelated but prolonged vomiting due to any number of other conditions, they similarly will need to be injected and treated at a hospital.

10) Four diagnosis options
There are four diagnosis options. Usually, the process of diagnosis for Addison’s disease involves blood tests. The point of the blood tests are to see if the symptoms you’re experiencing could be caused by adrenal insufficiency. Other diagnosis options include a CT scan, to examine your adrenal glands; an ACTH stimulation test, to look for differences before and after stimulating your adrenal glands; and insulin tests, to see if your condition is the result of pituitary disease rather than Addison’s disease.

[brandymoore]

I have horrible and untreated Addison’s Disease, and my endocrinologist at Mayo has given me >18 months to live.

The steroids I took controlled my cortisol levels, but it wreaked havoc on my body. Things like shattering my jawbone in my sleep, rotting my teeth to the point that they all had to be pulled and replaced with implants, and the weight gain. Omg, the weight gain was the worst. I went from 5’8 and 97lbs to 157 lbs in a matter of months. My husband of 19 years blamed my weight gain for his cheating and running off with his mistress.

Now that I can’t take steroids, I go into adrenal crisis 2-3 a month. Sadly, I see it as a satisfying tradeoff for getting my body back. (My husband did a number on me with that .)
I’ve lived a wonderful 36 years; though, and I will leave knowing my 3 precious children will make this world a better place.
That’s a good thing.

[jovanimorales]

My Secondary Adrenal Insufficiency was caused by Covid19. 😔

Hydrocortisone is usually taken 3xs per day (or more if using Circadian dosing). We have to stress-dose during times of higher stress (surgery, injury, emotional distress, dehydration/illness, and "good" stress such as high-impact exercise, staying up too late, sky diving/going on rollercoasters, etc). The bad thing is since we don't have a meter to check our level, we have to guess show much more steroids to take and wait 40 minutes for the pill to kick in to see if it was enough. If we feel too sick such as if going into an Adrenal Crisis, we have to inject a high-dose steroids to prevent us from going into Carcinogenic shock and dying. Most of the time at that point we are too sick/incoherant to do it ourselves so we have to rely on someone else to find our meds and inject us with it.The steroids keep our glucose up, our blood pressure up and keep our organs working especially under high stress circumstances.

[CATherine]

You forgot to mention the 2 types
Primary (Adrenal) + Secondary (Pituitary, Pituitary + Adrenal)

Not all can resume a normal lifestyle. Most are debilitated and cannot stop feeling exhausted and weak. The insulin (cortisol) needs a low to no sugar, healthy veggies and only antioxidant fruits: blueberries blackberries raspberries. We crave potato chips!

[FRUSUKES]

Well done. I'm trying to push that neuropathic pain due to spinal cord injury and brain injury trigger lots of crisis.

[stargazersg]

I suffered Addison disease for fours years already. As Long you remember your hydrocortisone pills, you still live normal. Nothing alarming, nothing to be depressed about, cheers.

[michellewilliams]

I been diagnosed with this about ten years now, but recently my skin has darkened, my Kidd’s asked why I’m getting dark

[Thesimon]

I've had it for 26 years apart from the very rare trip to Hospital when I have beeb vomiting I have lead a normal life

[summertime]

Thank you. This has really helped me. I will get tested.

[donthornton]

I have Addison's disease I was diagnosed little over a year ago I would get to the point where I can barely walk across my house had to sit down I would go to the hospital they would tell me my levels were fine and send me home I got to the point where I was so sick I was at home for three days in bed the whole time then I went to the hospital the doctors told me that my sodium was a little low and eat more salt this was on a Friday 2 days later on Sunday morning I threw up for about 5 minutes dry heaving and about three hours after that I passed out and got rushed to the hospital in an ambulance it took the hospital eight days to figure out what was wrong with me my levels were so low when I got to the hospital my doctors told me I was lucky to be alive I'm glad I know what I have for about three years before getting diagnosed I was always tired couldn't do much physical stuff without putting my hands on my knees not be able to breathe all my friends just thought I was out of shape blacked out 4 different times in a matter of 3 years this disease is no joke I had to completely rearrange my entire life

[eliday]

Most people like myself take hydro three times a day along side fludro