Has any body been diagnosed for Addison's disease?

General Discussion
#1

I am interested to know if any one here has been medically diagnosed for Addison’s disease not by a naturo path or other way.

#2

I have been diagnosed w hypoadrenia by a few doctors including Crisler. Addisons disease is just full fledged hypoadrenia, which is life threatening.

These are the different ICD9 codes that are basically all the same…

ICD-9-CM Diagnosis Code 255
Disorders of adrenal glands
pathologic condition or abnormal functioning of either or both of the paired glands situated in the retroperitoneal tissues at the superior pole of the kidneys or adrenal glands.

ICD-9-CM Diagnosis Code 255.4
Corticoadrenal insufficiency
The inability of the adrenal gland to produce adequate amounts of cortisol.

ICD-9-CM Diagnosis Code 255.41 convert 255.41 to ICD-10-CM
Glucocorticoid deficiency
disease characterized by hypotension, weight loss, anorexia, weakness, and sometimes a bronze-like melanotic hyperpigmentation of the skin; due to tuberculosis or autoimmune induced disease (hypofunction) of the adrenal glands that results in deficiency of aldosterone and cortisol.
A hormonal disorder that occurs when the adrenal glands fail to release adequate amounts of glucocorticoids (cortisol), mineralocorticoids (aldosterone, 11-deoxycorticosterone), and androgens (dehydroepiandrosterone) to meet physiologic needs, despite release of ACTH from the pituitary.
A rare endocrine or hormonal disorder that occurs when the adrenal glands do not produce enough of the hormone cortisol and in some cases, the hormone aldosterone. It may be due to a disorder of the adrenal glands themselves (primary adrenal insufficiency) or to inadequate secretion of ACTH by the pituitary gland (secondary adrenal insufficiency).
The inability of the adrenal gland to produce adequate amounts of cortisol.

ICD-9-CM Diagnosis Code 255.5 convert 255.5 to ICD-10-CM
Other adrenal hypofunction

ICD-9-CM Diagnosis Code 255.6 convert 255.6 to ICD-10-CM
Medulloadrenal hyperfunction

ICD-9-CM 255.8 is a specific medical code.2012 ICD-9-CM Diagnosis Code 255.8 convert 255.8 to ICD-10-CM
Other specified disorders of adrenal glands

ICD-9-CM 255.9 is a specific medical code.2012 ICD-9-CM Diagnosis Code 255.9 convert 255.9 to ICD-10-CM
Unspecified disorder of adrenal glands
pathologic condition or abnormal functioning of either or both of the paired glands situated in the retroperitoneal tissues at the superior pole of the kidneys or adrenal glands.

#3

thanks.
what code doctor gave to you.
what treatment your doctor suggested to you? what is your response to it? Did you feel better?
But some of us have higher than normal Cortisol?

#4

it was either 255.4 or 255.41

My blood cortisol tests always came back high or normal.
My symptoms were of low cortisol though…
So we tested 24 hour urinary and cortisol came back way low.

Dr prescribed cortef, and it took me 3-4 months of tweaking the dosage and timing before it began to help. I no longer take cortef, and I would say my adrenals are a ton better than they were before. But still not 100%, something is holding that back.

Often times if your cortisol comes back high its either a bad method (blood) or its because your body is fighting against something, whether it be stress, infection, etc. Too much and/or too long of this fighting can cause and lead to your adrenals beginning to fail…i.e. hypoadrenia, addisons, adrenal fatigue, adrenal insufficiency, w.e. you prefer to call it.

#5

thanks moonman1. what you wrote here is exactly what I have been thinking of. Now if you do some research you will find some adrenal insufficiency are auto immune based. Maybe our Adrenal glands are target of antibodies.The tradtional way is taking cortef. There is no other way to fix this.

#6

Why do you think antibodies are attacking the adrenals?

I’ve had these tested so far…

AntiAdrenal Antobiodoes = Negative
21-Hydroxylase Antibodies = Negative
AntiThyroid Antibodies = Negative

#7

when you took these tests were you using any vitamins, supplements, prednisone or cortisone etc? if not how long had you been off?
I got tested first time for CRP and it was crazy high. I started Vitamin D and CRP became normal. stopped vitamin D and just in a week it was again crazy.
ESR was low on vitamin D. stopped vitamin D and it went high. So sometimes tests might be false negative. I wanted to do all auto immune tests but I don’t have Dr.

#8

I was on cortef, but that would not cause a false-negative.

My CRP is low.

My Vit D was actually high 1 year post crash and has been mid-low the past 2 tests (5-7 years post crash).

#9

why do you say that cortef will not cause a false-negative? It is immuno suppressant and by all means will suppress your immune system. Did your Dr know that you were on cortef at that time?
your CRP is low maybe because your are taking other supplements.

#10

Any one more updates?

#11

Cortef is not immo-suppresant unless you take a high dose. Somewhere above 400mg I believe.

#12

so did you Dr know that you were using cortef?

#13

yes.

#14

after seeing blood tests here , we have high blood cortisol (mine is high through the chart)and on the same time have low sliva free cortisol. I have been complaining about my anus and penis bleeding. my skin is so thin that after pooping I have to use toilet paper with great caution other wise I bruise my skin and it starts bleeding. Penis’s skin is also very thin after intercourse some days it bleeds from underside, have any of you got this too?

look at symptoms of high cortisol (cushing’s syndrome).

for example nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000410.htm

Upper body obesity (above the waist) and thin arms and legs
Round, red, full face (moon face)
Thin skin with easy bruising
Rib and spine fractures (caused by thinning of the bones)
Weak muscles
Decreased or no desire for sex
Impotence
Mental changes, such as depression, anxiety, or changes in behavior
Fatigue
Headache
Increased thirst and urination

and now for Addison’s syndrome ( low cortisol)

medicinenet.com/addison_disease/article.htm

The symptoms of adrenal insufficiency usually begin gradually. Characteristics of the disease are:
chronic, worsening fatigue
muscle weakness
loss of appetite
weight loss
About 50 percent of the time, one will notice:

nausea
vomiting
diarrhea
Other symptoms include:

low blood pressure that falls further when standing, causing dizziness or fainting

#15

Most of us have high SHBG, high CBG etc which results in low free testosterone, low free cortisol. And since many of us are low with thyroid hormone I am sure we have high TBG as well.
Any idea why?