{"id":1893,"date":"2018-06-08T07:29:55","date_gmt":"2018-06-08T07:29:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/?p=1893"},"modified":"2021-05-17T18:19:20","modified_gmt":"2021-05-17T18:19:20","slug":"12-typical-addisons-disease-symptoms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/12-typical-addisons-disease-symptoms\/","title":{"rendered":"12 Typical Addison’s disease Symptoms"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Addison\u2019s disease is when the body is not able to produce enough hormones through the adrenal glands. This disease is sometimes called adrenal insufficiency. Doctors can have a hard time diagnosing this condition because the symptoms are so similar to several other conditions like chronic fatigue syndrome or even the flu.<\/p>\n

But understanding the symptoms is the first step towards being able to get diagnosed and get the right treatment going. In this article, we will be going over 12 typical Addison\u2019s disease symptoms and how you can recognize them as such. Taken by themselves, these symptoms may not seem like anything serious, but if you have two or more of the symptoms then you may want to talk to your doctor and find out for sure whether you have Addison\u2019s disease or not. Some symptoms are dramatic, but most of them are more difficult to notice.<\/p>\n

1. Depression<\/h3>\n

Being depressed can be a symptom of Addison\u2019s disease. But everyone experiences depression<\/a> once in a while right? So how do you know if your depression is a sign of Addison\u2019s disease or actual clinical depression or if it is simply the normal feeling of being down that many people experience? The key to understanding depression from a clinical perspective is how difficult it is to overcome.<\/p>\n

For example, when someone feels down, they can usually do something to cheer themselves up; and even if they cannot they still force themselves to go to work or perform the actions that they were intending to do that day. Those with clinical depression or depression caused by Addison\u2019s disease may not be able to do that. For those with severe depression, there is no brightness in their day whatsoever and there is no reason to even get out of bed.\"\"<\/p>\n

2. Irritability<\/h3>\n

Everyone gets irritable sometimes, but if you find yourself becoming irritable<\/a> for no reason at all or you find yourself becoming irritable quite often, then it could be a sign of something more serious like Addison\u2019s disease. People usually get irritable because they are in a bad mood, or because their body is missing something that it thinks it should have. That\u2019s why people that quit smoking get irritable so much.<\/p>\n

Their bodies are so used to getting nicotine, and it puts everything off balance and makes you want to snap at people. Addison\u2019s disease works the same way because you are not getting the hormones that you need. When those hormones are not released, your body goes into the same sort of state that someone trying to quit smoking is in and you become irritable. So, if you cannot find a cause for your irritability, it could be because you are not getting the right hormones.<\/p>\n

\"\"3. Diarrhea<\/h3>\n

Intestinal problems are common with Addison\u2019s disease, but it can be difficult to differentiate between normal digestive problems and those associated with the disease. Again, the story is in the hormones. Have you ever felt extremely anxious about something? Perhaps you thought that you were going to get fired or evicted from your apartment. Being extremely worried about something and having that anxiety can make you feel nauseous and can provoke your body into having intestinal symptoms like diarrhea<\/a>.<\/p>\n

But not getting the hormones that you need can do exactly the same thing. Again, it is all about whether or not you can identify where the diarrhea might be coming from. Sometimes it is just a bug or anxiety from something else in life. However, if this is not the case then you may want to look at it closer and talk to your doctor about Addison\u2019s disease diagnosis.<\/p>\n

\"\"4. Vomiting<\/h3>\n

If you have Addison\u2019s disease then you are probably going to find yourself vomiting<\/a> a lot. The vomiting is actually caused by some of the other symptoms that you get because of the lack of hormones. For example, hypovolemia and hypotension are both problems that people with Addison\u2019s disease experience. In addition, you can have muscle and joint pain.<\/p>\n

The combination of various symptoms from not getting the hormones you need can cause you to vomit. In the case of vomiting, diarrhea, and intestinal issues, the main problem is that the body is not releasing enough of the hormone cortisol. When your body goes into a state like that, and you combine the other symptoms of Addison\u2019s disease, then vomiting is definitely expected. Vomiting and diarrhea occur in about half of the Addison\u2019s cases out there, so it may not happen to you at all.\"\"<\/p>\n

5. Headaches<\/h3>\n

Getting headaches<\/a> regularly can be a definite sign of having Addison\u2019s disease. There is only been one case where this was the only symptom and Addison\u2019s disease was diagnosed, but many people that have this disease report having headaches. They may be a mild dull ache, but some people have reported headaches as serious as migraines. The cause of headaches is inflammation, but the reason that that inflammation happens is due to the low cortisol levels in your body. Most people do not get regular headaches.<\/p>\n

Most of the time, you either get headaches rarely for no reason at all, or you know what the cause of your headache is \u2013 such as a night of drinking alcohol. But if you are experiencing headaches without a cause and you are experiencing them frequently, it could be a sign of Addison\u2019s disease and you should talk to your doctor.\"\"<\/p>\n

6. Muscle and Joint Pain<\/h3>\n

Muscle <\/a>and joint pain are both connected to Addison\u2019s disease. What is unique about this particular symptom is that both the muscle aches in the joint pain will usually occur together. In fact, people that are experiencing these two symptoms together make it easier for doctors to diagnose Addison\u2019s disease. However, simple muscle and joint pain are not the whole story. With Addison\u2019s disease, you might experience just muscle and joint pain, or you may experience muscle weakness instead.<\/p>\n

Some people even get muscle spasms that they cannot explain. With the adrenal gland not working or partially destroyed due to the disease, cortisol levels in the body have to be raised through treatment. Even with treatment, some people still experience muscle and joint pain although usually to a much lesser degree. If you have these two together, or any of the associated symptoms like spasms, then you should talk to your doctor.\"\"<\/p>\n

7. Dizziness<\/h3>\n

You might also get dizzy regularly when you have Addison\u2019s disease. Those with adrenal deficiency are going to experience dizziness<\/a> or a host of other related symptoms. For example, fatigue and dizziness go hand-in-hand. Your body is going to be worn out because it is not producing the hormones that you need. One of the things that you may not know is that the symptoms of Addison\u2019s disease can sometimes be similar to those experienced by diabetics. One of the reasons that you get dizzy, especially when you try to stand up, is due to low blood pressure.<\/p>\n

But you may also feel like fainting or experience a few other symptoms that are similar to what diabetics feel when their blood sugar is low. It all has to do with the combination of symptoms including low blood pressure. Having low blood pressure is a major problem that you should get checked out immediately.\"\"<\/p>\n

8. Feeling Unmotivated<\/h3>\n

Addison\u2019s disease can cause you to feel unmotivated. Of course, anyone with a terminal disease is going to experience some depression, but most people with Addison\u2019s disease<\/a> live into their seventies or longer. However, that doesn\u2019t mean that you aren\u2019t going to be depressed about having it.<\/p>\n

The combination of symptoms can make you feel really terrible and that can lead to depression as well. But it is not just the depression that causes you to feel unmotivated. It is the combination of symptoms that can lead to this lack of motivation. For example, fatigue is a pretty common symptom of Addison\u2019s disease. Joint and muscle pain were symptoms that we discussed previously.<\/p>\n

The combination of these can do a major number one you and it is no surprise that people feel unmotivated and have trouble getting things done until they are diagnosed and start to receive cortisol treatments that restore levels. \"\"<\/p>\n

9. Fatigue<\/h3>\n

Not having enough energy to complete tasks or get things done is what we discussed in the previous section. Right along with that is fatigue<\/a>. You just feel worn out because your body is not working properly. Most people vastly underestimate the physical toll that having a disease like Addison\u2019s puts on your body. It is the same thing as cancer and other major illnesses.<\/p>\n

Not only does the disease put a strain on your body, but any treatments that you are receiving may put additional strain as well. If you notice that you are tired all the time, even after you have gotten enough sleep or at times when you do not feel like you should be tired, then you may want to talk to your doctor and try to get a diagnosis. Fatigue has a lot of different potential causes but Addison\u2019s disease is definitely one of them.\"\"<\/p>\n

10. Anxiety<\/h3>\n

Along with nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea that you often experience with Addison\u2019s disease you also have anxiety<\/a>. Anxiety is something that everyone experiences from time to time. However, the type of anxiety that you can attribute to Addison\u2019s disease is the type of anxiety that makes life more difficult. For example, if you have a difficult time making ordinary decisions or you spend the majority of your day worrying about things that are out of your control then you might attribute this anxiety to Addison\u2019s disease or another problem.<\/p>\n

The type of anxiety that most people experience is fleeting and only about really important things, but people with Addison\u2019s disease have a very difficult time living life because they are worried about lots of small things that do not have a huge impact. If you experience this type of anxiety, then you may want to talk to your mental health professional or regular doctor.\"\"<\/p>\n

11. Problems Standing Up<\/h3>\n

One of the \u201cdead giveaway\u201d symptoms of Addison\u2019s disease is difficulty standing up. This is due to a few different things. Like many of the symptoms of Addison\u2019s disease, the problem comes not specifically from the hormone cortisol<\/a> or other hormones that you are not getting, but from the combination of symptoms caused by that lack of hormones.<\/p>\n

For example, difficulty standing up is likely due to fatigue and dizziness. In fact, dizziness may only come when you try to stand up. The good news is if you have difficulty standing up than it can be a sign of these other symptoms as well as low blood pressure; all of which point to Addison\u2019s.\"\"<\/p>\n

12. Low Blood Pressure<\/h3>\n

Your doctor may find out that you have Addison\u2019s symptoms when he or she takes your blood pressure. That\u2019s because low blood pressure<\/a> is one of the major symptoms of Addison\u2019s disease, and it is one of the easiest ways to tell whether someone is experiencing the symptoms.<\/p>\n

Low blood pressure always has a cause. Low blood pressure is also a very serious condition, and your doctor will take immediate steps to diagnose you and solve the problem if he or she notices that your blood pressure is consistently low.<\/p>\n

Talk to your doctor if you have any of the previous symptoms on this list and have them check your blood pressure to find out if the problem could be Addison\u2019s. The bottom line is that most people experience several symptoms from this list when they have Addison\u2019s disease and that makes it easier for your doctor to diagnose \u2013 as long as you communicate with them.<\/p>\n\r\n

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