Addison's disease is a rare condition that happens when the body doesn't make enough of some hormones. Another name for Addison's disease is primary adrenal insufficiency. With Addison's disease, the adrenal glands make too little of the hormone cortisol. Often, they also make too little of another hormone called aldosterone.
Damage to the adrenal glands causes Addison's disease. Symptoms can start slowly. Early symptoms may include extreme tiredness, salt cravings and weight loss.
Addison's disease can affect anyone. Without treatment, it can be life-threatening. Treatment involves taking lab-made hormones to replace those that are missing.
Symptoms
Addison's disease symptoms usually happen slowly, often over months. The disease may happen so slowly that people who have it might ignore the symptoms at first. Physical stress such as an illness or injury can make symptoms get worse fast.
Early symptoms of Addison's disease can affect you in various ways. Some early symptoms can cause discomfort or loss of energy, including:
Extreme tiredness, also called fatigue.
Dizziness or fainting when standing after sitting or lying down. This is due to a type of low blood pressure called postural hypotension.
Sweating due to low blood sugar, also called hypoglycemia.
Upset stomach, diarrhea or vomiting.
Pain in the stomach area, also called the abdomen.
Muscle cramps, weakness, widespread pain or joint pain.
Other early symptoms can cause changes in how you look, such as:
Body hair loss.
Areas of darkened skin, especially on scars and moles. These changes may be harder to see on Black or brown skin.
Weight loss due to less hunger.
Early Addison's disease symptoms also can affect emotions, mental health and desires. These symptoms include:
Depression.
Irritable mood.
Lower sex drive in women.
Salt craving.
Emergency symptoms due to adrenal crisis
Sometimes the symptoms of Addison's disease become worse fast. If this happens, it's an emergency known as an adrenal crisis. You also may hear it called an addisonian crisis or acute adrenal failure. Call 911 or your local emergency number if you have Addison's disease with any the following symptoms:
Serious weakness.
Sudden, terrible pain in the lower back, stomach area or legs.
Severe upset stomach, vomiting or diarrhea.
Extreme loss of body water, also called dehydration.
Fever.
Confusion or much less awareness of the surroundings.
Loss of consciousness.
Low blood pressure and fainting.
Without fast treatment, an adrenal crisis can lead to death.
When to see a doctor
See a healthcare professional if you have common symptoms of Addison's disease, such as:
Long-lasting fatigue.
Muscle weakness.
Loss of appetite.
Darkened areas of skin.
Weight loss that doesn't happen on purpose.
Serious upset stomach, vomiting or stomach pain.
Lightheadedness or fainting with standing.
Salt cravings.
Get emergency care right away if you have any symptoms of an adrenal crisis.
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