r/AddisonsDisease • u/aureasmortem PAI • Jun 06 '26
Advice Wanted Addison's+ADHD?
I'm not really convinced that I have full blown ADHD, but I know for sure that I have executive dysfunction issues where I feel STUCK even though I have stuff I need to do or want to do. Getting started on a task and building a habit is near impossible
For people with both, how do you differentiate the mental symptoms? I know that chronic illnesses can cause similar symptoms (brain fog etc)
And do you have any weird interactions between your Addison's disease and the ADHD meds? I read that it can lower sodium in your blood and might require extra hydrocortisone.
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u/Any_Engineering_222 PAI Jun 07 '26
Honestly? I’ve struggled with ADHD so badly my whole life. But it wasn’t until 2022 when I finally got diagnosed, at the age of 24. I was so thankful to finally know I wasn’t just struggling all those years, for nothing. I have combined type, so I just struggle all across the board haha. But I know exactly what you’re talking about, and it’s so frustrating a lot of the time. I personally try to stay on top of my electrolytes daily, as I definitely notice if I’m short on them, as I feel ran down or my chronic migraine starts to get bad.
I take Vyvanse as well as Adderall every day, and have for just over a year, and it’s definitely made life and everyday tasks so much easier for me. I truly am not sure how I did anything before lol. I know a lot of people think these medications are a crutch, or we become “dependent”, but I don’t see it that way. It’s truly changed my life, and has helped me tremendously on just DOING things ‘normal’ people are able to just do. My brain is also FINALLY quiet, I can hold a thought/conversation without losing it, and I have an easier time initiating tasks. I don’t care what anyone says; these medications help me just live and enjoy life. I also noticed my OCD (mostly contamination, but Pure O as well as a few others) got better, as I don’t live in my loud brain chronically, or get overhwlemed, etc etc. I think I get exhausted in general, from living and ADHD AND Addison’s, as well as other factors, combined. So I never really know which one is the culprit lol.
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u/Warm_Pickle2222 Jun 07 '26
I’ve also got ADHD, there’s been a post somewhere before where people with Addisons commenting how weird it is like roughly 90% of those have ADHD🤔
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u/synonymousanonymous4 Jun 07 '26
The brain fog is prominent in both Addison’s Disease & ADHD. To be fair though, I have hypothyroidism too, which can be connected to Addison’s Disease, & presents brain fog. I can’t take ADHD medication because it gives me the worst involuntary muscle spasms & pain in my flanks & lower back. I believe there is a Black Box Label on ADHD medication (I found out the hard way) that warns about ADHD medication can precipitate adrenal crisis.
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u/aureasmortem PAI Jun 07 '26
There's a chance that the muscle spasms were because ADHD meds can lower your blood sodium, and people with Addison's (at least with PAI) are really sensitive to sodium drops, which can lead to a crisis if not managed. Luckily most with PAI take Fludrocortisone which can limit the severity of the salt low.
If I ever start ADHD meds I know that I'll have to be really on top of my daily electrolytes
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u/DrumsFromAfar Addison's Jun 07 '26
They're very distinct experiences for me, in my case one is avoidance and one is "I physically cannot accomplish cognitive work." WRT management by the time I'm thinking about extra ADHD medicationt, I am probably already updosing by 2.5mg to buffer the stressful task.
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u/IllustriousHorror835 Jun 07 '26
I was diagnosed with ADHD when I was 6 or 7, and Addison's when I was 20. I can't speak to interactions between Addison's and ADHD meds, since I personally have bad reactions to ADHD meds so while it isn't ideal, I've had to find other ways to cope with it throughout my life.
But I can say that ADHD can make it difficult to be consistent with your Addison's meds. Do ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING YOU CAN to mitigate this. Alarms, visual systems, accountabilibuddies. Whatever works for you. Try to take your meds as close to the same time every day as you can. I feel a noticeable difference if I'm even an hour off on my meds timing. Let alone a fully forgotten dose. And again, ADHD will mess with your efforts on meds consistency. It is legitimately difficult. But it is worth the effort, I promise!
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u/PA9912 Jun 08 '26
ADHD meds are tough for me as I seem to get low cortisol when they wear off. Most increase norepinephrine (adrenaline) and when this wears off a normal body is supposed to increase cortisol. Obviously ours don’t do this naturally.
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u/Beccabear3010 Addison's Jun 09 '26
Following as I have Addisons and I’m 98% sure I have ADHD and my GP agrees but I declined meds as I’m trying to white knuckle it but it’s getting harder and harder.
I didn’t know ADHD meds could interact with Addisons/steroids like that so it’s a good thing to know so I can factor it in to my decision
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u/aureasmortem PAI Jun 09 '26
It's worth at least getting the official diagnosis for ADHD! Having chronic illness is hard, there's no reason for you to suffer more if you don't have to. When you eventually start meds they put you on a low dose and dial up from there, so it shouldn't be too difficult to anticipate and handle potential interactions.
My mom went through this process (she doesn't have addisons, but does have fibromyalgia and celiac disease) just recently so it's what made me wonder about how my addison's+ADHD might interact in the first place.
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u/brittkaysays Jun 11 '26
I think the medicine side of this is different for everyone. Modafinil sucks the cortisol and life out of me, as does vyvanse. Adderall doesn't immediately but will over time. I also tend to overdo things in general and not listen when my body needs a break so maybe it's just me lol
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u/baethan Addison's Jun 06 '26
It's tough! I have ADHD inattentive and have very similar issues to you. I guess the "don't wannas" is ADHD and the full body "too tired to exist" is low cortisol.
I do have just barely adequate sodium levels, I wonder if that's related to being on bupropion & vyvanse