Ask your doctor to write a prescription for an injectable corticosteroid for emergencies. Keep an emergency kit that contains your medications on hand at all times. Hormone replacements may be prescribed to replace hormones that your adrenal glands are not making.

These medications will be taken for the rest of your life and you cannot miss a dose. You may need to take a combination of glucocorticoids medications (drugs that stop inflammation) to improve your health. If your condition has gone untreated for too long, and has progressed to a life-threatening condition called Addisonian crisis, your physician may prescribe medication to treat that first.Īddisonian crisis causes low blood pressure, high potassium in the blood, and low blood sugar levels.

Untreated Addison’s disease can lead to an Addisonian crisis. Your doctor may prescribe medications that regulate your adrenal glands.įollowing the treatment plan that your doctor creates for you is very important. Your treatment will depend on what’s causing your condition. There are also many other causes of secondary adrenal insufficiency, including: Corticosteroids help control chronic health conditions like asthma. It’s also possible to develop adrenal insufficiency if you do not take the corticosteroid medications your doctor prescribes. ACTH tells the adrenal glands when to release hormones. Secondary adrenal insufficiency occurs when the pituitary gland (located in your brain) can’t produce adrenocorticotropic hormone ( ACTH).

certain blood thinners used to control clotting in the blood.

prolonged administration of glucocorticoids (e.g.

Other causes of primary adrenal insufficiency include: In an autoimmune disease, your body’s immune system mistakes any organ or area of the body for a virus, bacteria, or another outside invader. This type of Addison’s disease is most often caused when your immune system attacks your adrenal glands. Primary adrenal insufficiency occurs when your adrenal glands are damaged so severely that they can no longer produce hormones. In order to treat the disease, your doctor will need to find out which type is responsible for your condition. There are two major classifications for Addison’s disease: primary adrenal insufficiency and secondary adrenal insufficiency.

sudden pain in the lower back, belly, or legsĪn untreated Addisonian crisis can lead to shock and death.

mental status changes, such as confusion, fear, or restlessness.

Call 911 immediately if you or someone you know begins to experience: Symptoms associated with an Addisonian crisis can include:Īn Addisonian crisis is a life-threatening medical emergency. If Addison’s disease goes untreated for too long, it can become an Addisonian crisis. People living with Addison’s disease may also experience neuropsychiatric symptoms, such as:

a decrease in heart rate or blood pressure.

People who have Addison’s disease may experience the following symptoms: What are the symptoms of Addison’s disease?

Treatment for adrenal fatigue