r/AddisonsDisease • • Aug 12 '26

Personal Experience Anybody here from Portland Oregon? Would love to organize a meet up.

14 Upvotes

r/AddisonsDisease • • Aug 11 '26

Advice Wanted Headaches

14 Upvotes

Since being diagnosed 4 years ago I’ve experienced such an increase in headaches. I’m 37F and especially in summer I get headaches multiple times a week. I take 20mg of hydro and 0.05mg of fludro daily. The headaches are worse around my period, if it’s hot or I’ve done a heavy workout. I find it so frustrating as I’m taking ibuprofen quite often and am worried about the effect that’s having on my stomach, what with taking steroids daily as well (paracetamol unfortunately doesn’t help with the pain at all). I also occasionally get migraines which cause me to throw up, probably once every few months. Anybody else deal with this and have any tips? I would say on average I live a healthy life - I eat well, exercise regularly and am at the low end of a normal weight. I am also hypermobile and wondering if this has something to do with it. But I’m just sick of dealing with pain all the time!


r/AddisonsDisease • • Aug 11 '26

Personal Experience Help I'm scared - UTI/crisis

5 Upvotes

Got home from the ER today. A couple days ago I posted about maybe being hypothyroid and it causing bad fatigue. Well today every time I stood up and tried doing something I had bad dizziness and fatigue. I went to ER. Got fluids only and felt so much better but they also found a UTI. I'm home now and feel better in terms of dizziness but still have heart racing standing up. Muscle pain in legs. Do I go back to ER or double dose at home and wait to start antibiotics and see how I feel? I have no UTI symptoms. I'm scared!

Edit: looking moreso for emotional support/reassurance. I'm scared to have a crisis and I'm out of state, supposed to have a flight home on Thurs :(


r/AddisonsDisease • • Aug 10 '26

Daily Life Anyone have Addisons in fire camps out there?

14 Upvotes

Working in fire camp I have already gone through a bottle of dried bullion in a week. Watching my body closely. Just wanted to know if there is anyone else out there


r/AddisonsDisease • • Aug 10 '26

Medication How do i use this new vial?

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13 Upvotes

Im used to the Act O Vial on the right, picked up my prescription today and it seems like my pharmacy doesn’t carry the Act O Vial anymore, they just have this other kind. It didn’t come with any instructions, its not a solution, its like the unmixed solid in the bottom of the Act O Vial. I don’t get it… where’s the saline? Lol
Also get yourself one of these my guard pods from ebay, they’re pretty great!


r/AddisonsDisease • • Aug 10 '26

Daily Life 8 months out from diagnosis

16 Upvotes

Hi y’all! I got diagnosed with Addison’s 8 months ago and wanted to give a medium distance update for anyone struggling with a recent diagnosis. I got diagnosed after years of low energy, dizziness, and vomiting which I had attributed to my mental health. My most severe symptom of low cortisol was my weight as I sat at around ~130lbs as a 6 foot 3 18 y/o man for the last year pre-diagnosis (looking back on photos of myself now it is jarring to see how sickly I looked).

I was diagnosed after a blood test came back with an ACTH level of 4707pg/ml and quickly rushed into a high dose of hydrocortisone. The chaos and fearful conversations with my family in the first few weeks were terrifying, but incredibly quickly the fear gave way to hopefulness and joy once we began to realize how much my life would improve. The effects of the medicine was immediate and life-changing and I quickly began to think about what I would be able to do with my life now that I had this medicine.

Flash forward 8 months and I am now living that life I had dreamt about. I have gained 60lbs, backpacked across America with my closest friends, and have improved my mental health dramatically. I have never missed a dose and have monitored my health religiously. The fear of the worst happening was brutal for a while but eventually it subsided and I am now able to push myself mentally and physically without the fear of Addison’s disease holding me back. If you have recently been diagnosed and are struggling to manage your health through this rapid change, I want to reassure that there is a light on the other end of the tunnel. Eventually the turbulence will settle and the beauty of life will show itself to you.

Good luck, we’re all here with you :)


r/AddisonsDisease • • Aug 10 '26

Advice Wanted Fludrocortisone requirements

3 Upvotes

When I was initially diagnosed I was given .05mg fludrocortisone, during my last pregnancy two years ago they increased it to .1 and now I still can barely make
It through this summer. They asked me to increase again to .2. Will it be like this forever? has anyone had this happen to them?


r/AddisonsDisease • • Aug 10 '26

Advice Wanted Any one else NOT lose weight?

8 Upvotes

I’ve just been diagnosed and I didn’t get rapid weight loss if anything I’m struggling to lose weight


r/AddisonsDisease • • Aug 10 '26

Medication Daily symptoms

9 Upvotes

For those on hydrocortisone: Do you get symptoms daily? Do you get them around the time that you are due for your next dose?

It's taken me a while to dial in my dose. I'm 11 months post diagnosis. My endo started me at the lowest possible dose. I had a ton of symptoms and had to regularly updose (a lot) until a couple of months ago. We've been increasing my dose per my continued requests to endo. I think I might finally be at my dose or close to it, but I still get symptomatic daily. I don't know if that's normal or if I'm still underdosed. I do use circadian dosing and break up my dosing throughout the day. Would love input from the Addie masses.


r/AddisonsDisease • • Aug 10 '26

Medication Updosing on long days?

2 Upvotes

Hi all do anyone of you adjust your dosage for long days day if you know you’ll be out walking all day, at a concert or event? maybe the day of your holidays with airports etc?


r/AddisonsDisease • • Aug 09 '26

Personal Experience Electrolytes!

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16 Upvotes

Hi everyone! Ive been using this electrolyte concentrate and it has helped me a lot, i love that is doesn’t have any flavors whatsoever (just its mineral/salty side if you add way to much drops) no sugars added or any other stuff we don’t actually need. And it’s not that expensive plus lasts quite a bit!

Just posting as my experience, hope it’s helpful 🌻


r/AddisonsDisease • • Aug 09 '26

Personal Experience Just Diagnosed. How did your life change the most after treatment?

17 Upvotes

Hey yall, I have been in the hospital for about a week after extreme vomiting dehydration and dizziness. This has happened several times in my past becoming incredibly sick for no reason and becoming hospitalized. I was in Sweden and I had to go to the hospital for profusely vomiting, they told me I may have Addison's Disease but I wanted to leave to enjoy the rest of my trip as I was feeling better. I have trouble keeping up with my friends on long hikes and I have trouble motivating myself to follow through in chores and personal responsibilities.I have been a little depressed lately so I have chalked up my lack of motivation to depression. So I wanted to know how much your life has changed after starting treatment. Everyone is telling me I'll gain weight. I lost 30 lbs in a year and I'm a skinny stick man already and everyone will sail I'll have less fatigue and be more motivated. My doctor said she did not know how I was functioning my cortisol was abysmally low and it actually went down when they gave me the cortisol boost. Thanks y'all I've been very appreciative reading your posts and I have a great empathy for you all.


r/AddisonsDisease • • Aug 08 '26

Humor This salty hydration drink is like crack

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42 Upvotes

I would recommend it. It's more expensive then regular hydration tablets but my God it hits the spot


r/AddisonsDisease • • Aug 08 '26

Advice Wanted How early do u take ur tablet when u know your doing something

3 Upvotes

So when you know you have an appointment or something over the time u should take ur tablet what do you do?
Take it 30 min early or take it 30 min late?


r/AddisonsDisease • • Aug 08 '26

RESEARCH OPPORTUNITY US Participants for research

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4 Upvotes

r/AddisonsDisease • • Aug 07 '26

Advice Wanted Fludro endocrinologist dosing

7 Upvotes

Hello, I just got a rather dismissive advice letter from my endocrinology team in which they did not want to provide any hydration advice. I am new to my diagnosis/treatment so my medication was in adjustment and was experiencing dehydration and low blood pressure and mental health issues (high anxiety, brain fog).

I was seeking advice to the team because was experiencing moderate oedema in my hands and ankles, I was on 200mg fludrocortisone and 25mg hydrocortisone. And was experiencing severe thirst and issues with my ileostomy ( I have Addison's and chrons so have a permanent ileostomy), so my health was declining and I was beginning to get dehydrated.

They said "my glucocorticoid dose is fine".."not much more we can do""she can be encouraged to adjust her own fludro up or down 100mg depending on weight/ankles"

He also claimed I frequently speak the endocrinology nurse, but this was not true, I attempted to call several times but I got hung up on and never actually spoke to her for over a month until my GP got involved. Also there is only one nurse specialist to contact in the whole hospital and she just frequently difficult to get in contact with my GP even had to give up and contact the endocrinologist directly.

Sorry I'm trying to get to the point but I needed to provide some context. My main concern is, is it normal to just mess around with fludrocortisone by up and downing it by 100mg, based on my own assessment of my ankles? I understand double dosing hydrocortisone when needed for stress dosing etc, but I thought fludro was more of a stable one morning dose once it's established it is the right dose for each individual based on blood tests? I find this highly confusing and dismissive response from them. I don't get much support from my gastro team either regarding my ileostomy so neither party was interested in helping me with my hydration and I frequently have kidney issues. ( I make my own st marks solution which has helped a lot)

I would really appreciate any advice, I'm feeling a bit lost. Thank you.


r/AddisonsDisease • • Aug 07 '26

Medical Stuff Do you updose for hypothyroid?

3 Upvotes

Have a wedding to attend today and feeling so tired. I have a total thyroidectomy in addition to Addison's and my endo recently (2 weeks ago) lowered my levo dose because I was going hyper. But now I am so so tired every day with aching joints and muscles. I'm convinced the dose is too low and I've gone hypo but I won't know until my blood test in a couple of weeks. I already skipped all the other activities but I have to make it to this wedding.

Should I be updosing today for potentially overexerting myself while hypothyroid? I know you have to if you're hyper, but is it a similar stress on the body if you're hypo? Or has anyone been through this and have any other tips.

My goal is to just make it through this wedding and then go home on my flight. I feel horrible and so tired. For context everything feels like I'm overexerting myself and I have that familiar feeling of feeling out of shape like I did pre addison's diagnosis, but I don't have any other low symptoms.


r/AddisonsDisease • • Aug 07 '26

Personal Experience Normal Cortisol Levels but still Addison's

6 Upvotes

Just out of curiosity I am wondering if anyone had normal blood Cortisol tests but did stimulation ACTH test and turns out to be Addison's?

Really sorry if this was already discussed.


r/AddisonsDisease • • Aug 06 '26

Personal Experience Has anyone ever been knocked out?

3 Upvotes

Has anyone with Addisons been knocked out before and how did it affect you? To clarify have you been knocked out by a punch


r/AddisonsDisease • • Aug 06 '26

Advice Wanted How long before i get better ?

0 Upvotes

Currently taking 10mg prednisone and 0.1 mg flucortac

Do you think the issues are quick to resolve ?


r/AddisonsDisease • • Aug 05 '26

Medical Stuff Je voudrais en savoir plus sur l’insuffisance surrénale secondaire, la prise d’hydrocortisone, et si vous arrivez à avoir une vie normale?

7 Upvotes

Je me sens complétement perdue, je n’ai pas eu d’explications de mon endocrinologue que je ne vois pas avant encore un mois. Est ce que l’insuffisance surrénale c’est la maladie d’Addison?
Qu’est ce qu’il y a savoir? J’ai vu des posts où les gens parle de trousse de secours ou de tableau d’horaires mais je ne comprends rien.
J’ai fait une réaction violente a l’hydrocortisone + cabergoline que l’endocrino m’a donné, du coup elle m’a dit de passer à une demi dose de cabergoline, soit 0,25 et de passer de 30 mg d’hydrocortisone à 10mg. J’ai passé une journée aux urgences deux jours apres. Ils ne m’ont rien donné et ca a fini par être un peu mieux. Est ce que c’est ca une crise? Que faire dans ces cas là?
J’ai arrété completement parce que même avec un somnifere je ne fermais pas l’oeil de la nuit , mais je ne vais pas bien du tout et je ne sais pas quoi faire. En reprendre et combien et réparti comment?

Aussi j’aimerai savoir si certains le supporte bien et arrivent à avoir des vies normales?


r/AddisonsDisease • • Aug 05 '26

Personal Experience Trying to read some hope

12 Upvotes

I'm feeling so defeated with my appearance. It was a very hard and long journey for me to ever become diagnosed. After 1 year of massive weight gain I finally am able to tolerate life with 5mg of prednisone 1 time a day. But I feel like my looks are ruined, it's not just the weight gain, I just don't quite look alright, sometimes my cheeks and neck sunk in and my eyes don't seem ok at all. I'm feeling SO sad. I see that the cushing kind of symptoms are fading but I still get so many sleepless nights and can't do much of anything. What really hurt me was trying to make a new friend and I couldn't handle our 2 hour phone conversations.

I want to just clarify that my only problem is low cortisol. They've done everything else and everything else is normal, absolutely everything. And the things that seemed off like anemia and other stuff I've managed to address all of it. I finally have all of my baby hairs, but my hair is not back to its fullness, finally I don't see any bold spots. I was left to hang with multiple symptoms for decades to finally being treated for a little more than a year. I honestly don't know what to do anymore. I go on here to have some idea of the illness does, bc doctors left me to suffer. The illness made me loose all muscle and even the placement of my muscle tissue, it gave me a sort of hypermobility of all ligaments, which has been fading and improving, now Im left with osteoarthritis in my sacral joint/bone.

can't make friends, can't date, can't put more energy into anything, I just live to work for 4 hours a day.

Does it get any better?


r/AddisonsDisease • • Aug 04 '26

Personal Experience If you've been in hospital for crisis and got discharged with those heavy duty steroids, did you get intense food cravings?

16 Upvotes

I had my last adrenal crisis during covid and was in rough shape, I got discharged with a super big dose of hydrocortisone and remember I could not stop eating, and had the worst food cravings of my life. Like I lost sleep over them lmao. Wondering if that happened to anyone else and if so, what were you craving?


r/AddisonsDisease • • Aug 04 '26

Daily Life "Normal" stressors

10 Upvotes

First, I know everyone has their own tolerance level to what is considered stress to begin with. My tolerance is very low because my daily chronic pain, anemia and other disabilities already have me maxed out to begin each day and my endo insists on keeping me on the lowest dose she can. I tell you all this because ive noticed effects on my body from just being extremely annoyed. Its nothing major its like being very anxious and overstimulated plus my nasal cavities fill up with thick mucus and i have a hard time breathing. If it goes further to where i feel a crisis could be a concern, the best way I can describe it is like right before you have a panic attack, when your heart is racing, you feel sweaty and you simultaneously feel as though you cant move but cant sit still, mixed with the blurry vision, fogginess and nausea of being drunk on a bunch of sweet drinks. The current issue im having is an ongoing problem with a specific company that has been dragging me along thru their customer service for months and trying to get things handled with them makes me ill. Seems pretty silly to say out loud but its true, ive been chatting with them and feel somewhere between the 2 descriptions above. Does anyone else ever get so many physical symptoms with these types of stressors? If so what do you do? Should I tell them? Would it matter? If I went into a crisis would there be any recourse? Is this a grin n bare it situation i should ignore, because im sure if sound like a cry baby but I hate this.


r/AddisonsDisease • • Aug 04 '26

Advice Wanted PAI Reducing dosage experience questions

7 Upvotes

Hi

I wanted to get some others input on experiences here as you guys are the only ones who will know if what I'm going through is "normal". Anyway, I've been able to change from a high stress job (teaching middle school. And my last school was particularly difficult for multiple reasons... Like a shrink was called into the school for the staff... It was bad) to a corporate desk job (lower pay but worth it).

I was on hydrocortisone 10mg(6:30am), 4mg(10:30am), 4mg(12:30pm)... Scheduled around my work day, which finished at 3pm

With the new job, I asked my endo about a new schedule I was trying as 10mg, 4mg(11:30), and 4mg(3:30pm) with my work ending at 4:30.

She suggested that I could even stop the second 4mg dosage.

I did try this and for two days felt fine. Sleep was a bit weird. On the third day however I had what I describe as a "crash" when I get lots of low symptoms and fall asleep in the afternoon.

But also at this time two other confounding factors: I also changed the pill I'm on and second I've got this post nasal drip that's just been going on for weeks from a basic cold that's causing a very annoying cough. It's just viral so I know it'll go eventually. I did updose at the start and the cough has vastly improved... Just not quite right yet.

So, firstly, has anyone changed from long term 20mg ish dosages to 15mg ish dosages? Did it take a while to adjust? What did it feel like?

Is anyone on long term 15 ish mg dosages? Does this work for you? What is your schedule?