Adrenal insufficiency, LEA, LYNN, Your symptoms

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http://www.hmc.psu.edu/healthinfo/a/adrenalinsufficiency.htm What are the symptoms? Patients diagnosed with adrenal insufficiency typically experience fatigue and loss of energy, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, weight loss, muscle weakness, dizziness when standing, dehydration, anxiety and depression. The patient may also notice increased bronze pigmentation of the skin and mucous membranes and decreased tolerance to cold. Women lose pubic and underarm hair and stop having normal menstrual periods. Unfortunately, significant symptoms are usually not noticed until about 90% of the adrenal cortex has been destroyed. How is it diagnosed? Many people do not recognize the slow progression of symptoms of adrenal insufficiency and it is ultimately identified when a doctor notices the areas of increased

pigmentation of the skin. A doctor will run laboratory blood tests to reveal abnormally low blood concentrations of sodium and glucose, a greater than normal level of serum potassium, and a decreased urinary output of certain steroids. The doctor will diagnosis adrenal insufficiency if the amount of cortisol in the plasma and steroid in the urine does not increase after the patient takes a synthetic steroid. What is the treatment? Treatment of adrenal insufficiency includes replacing missing or low levels of cortisol with synthetic steroids such as glucocorticoid, adrenal genital corticoids, and mineralocorticoid drugs. Patients with adrenal insufficiency will need to take a steroid by mouth for the rest of their lives. Resulting dehydration and salt loss should be treated with an adequate fluid intake and a diet high in complex carbohydrate and protein. Dangerously low blood pressure may require special medications to safely elevate it until the

steroids take effect. Follow-up care includes frequent monitoring of blood sugar and urinary acetone levels and continued administration of the steroids.

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