Addison's disease does cause weight gain in some people.
When your cortisol levels increase, the cells of our body can become resistant to insulin.
In turn, this may lead to an increase in blood sugar, weight gain and potentially Type 2 Diabetes.
When cortisol levels drop excessively this is known as adrenal exhaustion.
Conditions and diseases that can mimic Addison's disease are chronic fatigue syndrome, depression, hypothyroidism, fibromyalgia and chronic dyspepsia.
A blood test is used to detect Addison's disease.
To test for Addison's disease your doctor will draw blood and send the blood off to be analyzed which can show whether or not you have Addison's disease.
Blood tests can measure your blood levels of sodium, potassium, cortisol and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), which stimulates the adrenal cortex to produce its hormones.
A blood test can also measure antibodies associated with autoimmune Addison's disease.
Addison's can be successfully treated with medications.
Addison's disease, also known as primary adrenal insufficiency, has symptoms that are vague and non-specific.
Addison's disease can be difficult to diagnose, and it often takes years for a diagnosis to be made.
Addison's disease is triggered by and caused by damage to your adrenal glands which results in not enough of the hormone cortisol and, often, not enough aldosterone as well.
Addison's disease is not a death sentence although it can be if not treated.
Left untreated Addison's disease can progress and cause other complications that can lead to death.
However with treatment for Addison's disease you can live a long life.
When you have Addison's disease your skin will be darkened and the darkened skin with Addison's disease is most visible on scars; skin folds; pressure points such as the elbows, knees, knuckles, and toes; lips; and mucous membranes such as the lining of the cheek.
Foods you should avoid if you have Addison's disease are highly processed foods, foods with too much salt, too many bananas, too many citrus fruits, too many oranges.
Also avoid drinking too much alcohol, too much coffee, green tea, black tea and salt substitutes.
You can drink alcohol with Addison's disease although you should only drink alcohol in moderation when you have Addison's disease.
The patients that are most likely to have Addison's disease are women in their 30s and 50s.
Although men can also get Addison's disease but women are most likely to get Addison's disease.
Addison's disease is usually diagnosed between the ages of 30 to 50 years of age.
Addison's disease is also more common in women than it is in men.
You don't and shouldn't gain weight when taking the proper dosage of hydrocortisone for Addison's disease.
However if you take too much hydrocortisone for Addison's disease then you can gain weight.
The first symptoms of Addison's disease are.
Extreme fatigue.
Weight loss and decreased appetite.
Darkening of your skin (hyperpigmentation)
Low blood pressure, even fainting.
Salt craving.
Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)
Nausea, diarrhea or vomiting (gastrointestinal symptoms)
Abdominal pain.
The life expectancy of a person with Addison's disease is between 64 to 75 years of age.
Most people with Addison's disease may live a normal life expectancy with treatment.
When you have Addison's disease you may have a poor appetite and unintentional weight loss and may develop progressive fatigue and muscle weakness.
Muscle pain (myalgia), muscle spasms and joint pain may also occur.
Dehydration can also affect individuals with Addison's disease.
An addisonian crisis is a life-threatening situation that results in low blood pressure, low blood levels of sugar and high blood levels of potassium.
You will need immediate medical care.
Addison's disease is not curable and cannot be cured.
Addison's disease, also called adrenal insufficiency, is an uncommon disorder that occurs when your body doesn't produce enough of certain hormones.
In Addison's disease, your adrenal glands, located just above your kidneys, produce too little cortisol and, often, too little aldosterone.
Most people with Addison's disease have a normal lifespan and are able to live an active life with few limitations.
Although many people with Addison's disease also find they must learn to manage bouts of fatigue, and there may be associated health conditions, such as diabetes or an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism).
And although Addison's disease isn't curable, it can be treated, usually with a combination of medication and lifestyle adjustments.
Treating Addison's disease involves taking hormones to replace those that your adrenal glands don't make.
Hydrocortisone is the most common corticosteroid for replacing cortisol.
Tuberculosis (TB) is the most common cause of Addison's disease worldwide, but it's rare in the UK.
TB is a bacterial infection that mostly affects the lungs but can also spread to other parts of your body.
It can cause Addison's disease if it damages your adrenal glands.
If you have untreated Addison's disease, you may develop an addisonian crisis as a result of physical stress, such as an injury, infection or illness.
Normally, the adrenal glands produce two to three times the usual amount of cortisol in response to physical stress.
The stages of Addison's disease are.
Stage 0: Normal adrenal function.
Stage 1: You may have increased plasma renin with normal or low levels of aldosterone but no other abnormal results.
Stage 2: You're likely to have high renin levels and low aldosterone levels.
Foods and drinks you should avoid with Addison's Disease are.
Coffee.
Green tea.
Black tea.
Too much alcohol.
Too many bananas.
Too many oranges.
Salt substitutes.
Regardless of the specific terminology used, it is clear that some people with Addison's disease have a disturbance in brain function and may develop a range of neuropsychiatric symptoms as a result.