by Liam’s HLH Journey (Notes) on Wednesday, April 3, 2013 at 1:50pm
- chronic, worsening fatigue
- muscle weakness
- loss of appetite
- weight loss
- nausea
- vomiting
- diarrhea
- low blood pressure that falls further when standing, causing dizziness or fainting
- irritability and depression
- a craving for salty foods due to salt loss
- hypoglycemia, or low blood glucose
- headache
- sweating
How can someone with adrenal insufficiency prepare for an emergency?
People with adrenal insufficiency should always carry identification stating their condition in case of an emergency. A card or medical alert tag should notify emergency health care providers of the need to inject cortisol if the person is found severely injured or unable to answer questions. The card or tag should also include the name and telephone number of the person’s doctor and the name and telephone number of a family member to be notified. The dose of hydrocortisone needed may vary with a person’s age or size. For example, a child younger than 2 years of age can receive 25 milligrams (mg), a child between 2 and 8 years of age can receive 50 mg, and a child older than 8 years should receive the adult dose of 100 mg. When traveling, people with adrenal insufficiency should carry a needle, syringe, and an injectable form of cortisol for emergencies.
What special problems can occur with adrenal insufficiency?
Surgery
Because cortisol is a “stress hormone,” people with chronic adrenal insufficiency who need any type of surgery requiring general anesthesia must be treated with intravenous glucocorticoids and saline. Intravenous treatment begins before surgery and continues until the patient is fully awake after surgery and able to take medication by mouth. The “stress” dosage is adjusted as the patient recovers until the presurgery maintenance dose is reached.
In addition, people who are not currently taking glucocorticoids but who have taken long-term glucocorticoids in the past year should tell their doctor before surgery. These people may have sufficient ACTH for normal events, but they may need intravenous treatment for the stress of surgery.
Illness
During illness, oral dosing of glucocorticoid may be adjusted to mimic the normal response of the adrenal glands to this stress on the body. Significant fever or injury may require triple oral dosing. Once recovery from the stress event is achieved, dosing is then returned to maintenance levels. People with adrenal insufficiency should know how to increase medication during such periods of stress. Immediate medical attention is needed if severe infections, vomiting, or diarrhea occur. These conditions can precipitate an Addisonian crisis.
