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Addison's Disease


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Hello,

Has anyone been tested for Addison's disease also? I have a family member with Addison's who thinks I have it. Many of the symptoms are the same to POTS. All on my dad's family I have 2 distant cousins and an aunt who has addison's, an aunt who has MS, my sister and 2 first cousins have IBS, and my uncle who has tremors. I read that MS and IBS is common in families with POTS but I don't know about Addison's disease. I asked a few years ago to get tested but they never did it. Last February I had extreme abdominal pain for the whole month. That's a big symptom to Addison's. At first I blamed it on my period because it felt like period cramps. So I was tested for ovarian cancer but it came back negative. I was tested positive for HPV and had some cells removed. But could it have been something to do with my POTS or addison's? I still get the severe cramping every once in a while but not as much as I used to.

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I've been tested for it numerous times since my POTS diagnosis. I don't have it, but Addison's can actually be an underlying cause of POTS, so it's one of the first things my doctors screened for when I developed POTS. I would definitely request a test, and make sure your doctor knows you have a family history of it, since I believe there is a familial form of Addison's (genetic).

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  • 4 weeks later...

Hi

I thought I had Addisons before I knew I had POTS.

I had my cortisol levels tested with the ACTH stim test. I was also producing milk at the time when I shouldn't so my pituitary hormones were tested to look at secondary adrenal insufficiency. All my tests were normal which caused some confusion as to why I was lactating....another strange symptom of my POTS. This has resolved now.

My adrenal glands were also tested for an adrenal tumour (pheochromacytoma) by means of a 24hr urine test looking for something called catchelomines? A byproduct of adrenaline I think. Again negative. My adrenaline levels were normal .

I spent a lot of time on an addisons support forum before I came here. I kind of hoped and prayed I had Addisons just so that my illness could be recognised, treated and managed .I had all the symptoms , hyperpigmentation of the gums and nails included. I could have sworn I had Addisons but I didn't.

Addisons can be an underlying cause of POTS .

However POTS can also present as Addisons wihout it being that .

I would suggest ruling out both Addisons and Pheochromacytoma before accepting a dx of primary POTS.

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Hello everyone! I am getting tested for addison's and hypothyroidism. I've gained a lot of weight and I've been freezing in the middle of summer. The family members with addison's also have thyroid issues also. The doctor wants to cover all of his bases now. He's thinking its more thyroid now because I've gained 40 pounds in 3 months. 15 pounds in 2 weeks even with going to the gym 4 times a week and eating healthy with no processed foods.

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I was tested for Addison's disease early in the onset of my POTS, before I had the POTS diagnosis...they told me they were just testing for everything that could possibly cause fainting...initially my cortisol came back low, so they did a follow-up ACT stimulation test, but that came back normal (high actually)....no adrenal insufficiency, no Addison's disease. I also have several of the symptoms though, and I presume there is some adrenal disregulation going on alongside all the other POTS stuff.

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