Addisons

[Guest guest]

Isn't s cancer?

bev <bdowns45681@...> wrote:HI Helena,

I don't know much about addisons but I don't think I have full blown addisons..

Thanks for being concerned though. I really don't know what full blown addisons

is. Do you have any ideas? I can ask my addisons group..

thanks

Bev

HelenaBB41@... wrote:

Bev,

What scares me is that he knows nothing about the adrenals and I would hate

to see full blown s.

Helena

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 9/2/05 6:39:12 AM Eastern Daylight Time,

robyn212201@... writes:

Isn't s cancer?

Only if an adrenal tumor is causing it. Most of the time it's an autoimmune

condition.

[Guest guest]

I don't have s, not sure if anyone else here does. I think

http://www.addisons.org.uk/ might be helpful.

CJ

[Guest guest]

Most the people here with adrenal issues just have adrenal fatigue (not that it

means 'just as such' cos it is horrible, I have it lower than sufficient adrenal

reserve) not true 'addisons' which is a disease affecting adrenal function

either through malfunctioning of the pituatory which sends the stimulating

hormone and not enough is sent to stimulate the adrenal gland, or it is the

adrenal gland itself which doesn't respond to stimulation. One of these is

called Primary s when the gland itself doesn't work properly to put out

hormones and the other is secondary due to the lack of stimulation with a

similar result. If you do have it you will need to replace the deficient

hormones for life but will probably feel much better once you know yeah or nay

if you do have it or not and get treatment.

That is a good link Jane gave you, good luck hon

lotsa luv

Dawnxxxxx

[Guest guest]

The GP tells me he suspects I may have s, does anyone know about this, I'm aware it's about adrenal glands being knackered (that's the scientific term I believe), not much else.

Hello ,

I don't have any experience with 's myself, but I have learned a bit from reading about it on dog forums - and I believe that the form of the illness and its treatment is pretty much the same in humans.

First of all - true 's in humans is extremely rare. From what I have read, only 1 in 100.000 people has it (unlike amongst the dog population, where it is unfortunately no longer rare). It is an autoimmune disease and, as you already know, it's the total failure of the adrenal glands to produce cortisol. Unlike with low adrenal function (which is very common, particularly with hypothyroid suffers), the adrenal glands are not able to recover, because (as with Hashimoto's thyroid disease) autoantibodies are attacking specifically the adrenal glands and destroy them. As with all autoimmune diseases there is no cure and nothing will stop this destructive process - but there is treatment and with the correct treatment it is possible to live a perfectly normal life.

One other consideration - 's and Hypothyroidism go hand in hand and if AD were confirmed it would be wise to check for HypoT as well in intervals. For reasons I don't fully understand, it appears to be more common for an addisonian person to become hypothyroid than for a hypothyroid person to become addisonian.

Initial tests for 's include an Electrolyte blood test, where low Sodium (Na) and high Potassium (K) might give an indication to suspect 's, but the definitive test is an ACTH test, where first blood is taken and measured, then a cortisol is injected and a further blood draw 1 or 2 hours later will determine if there is still 'any life' in the adrenal glands. If the result is a "flat line" or hardly any movement, then 's is confirmed - However, as I understand it, you'd only get a flat line response if at least 75-80% of the adrenal glands have already been destroyed.... before that you will see 'some' response.

's comes in 3 forms ....

Primary 's - the most common; atypical 's and secondary 's. An ACTH test will detect any form of 's, but further tests may be necessary to determine which one the patient is suffering from.

Because 's is so very rare, not many doctors and even endocrinologists have seen many cases - and I gather that the opinions over the correct treatment differ somewhat. Many doctors treat with Hydrocortisone or Prednisolone - but those are a glucocorticoid and a mineralcorticoid like Florinef seems to be doing the better job than Hydrocortisone or Prednisolone. I know this for certain from the treatment of countless addisonian dogs, but I have also corresponded with one addisonian woman, who told me that whilst she had been treated by her GP with Florinef she was stable, but then an endo switched her to HC only, and ever since she kept crashing.... for some reason this endo would not put her back on Florinef despite her pleas. For all I know, she is still on HC and still crashing in intervals.

I hope the above helps a little, and all my best wishes to you. Please keep us all posted on how you are getting on.

[Guest guest]

Please don't mess with s! My beautiful sister in law died from s

Crisis, when she had her hysterectomy. The surgery went fine, but the patient

died, leaving 5 little children from 6 months to 10 years old, and a very

grieving brother! It was horrible. Little motherless children. My brother can

hardly speak.

> The GP tells me he suspects I may have s, does anyone know about this,

I'm aware it's about adrenal glands being knackered (that's the scientific term

I believe), not much else.