Adrenal insufficiency, where the adrenal gland does not produce enough of certain hormones, like cortisol, is the cause of a very rare condition called Addison’s disease.
And Lita Newdick knows an awful lot about it. Although, she probably would rather not.
Newdick began to develop symptoms of Addison’s in 1995, as reported by EmPowerYourHealth.org, and was diagnosed with depression. As her health worsened, she was preparing to check into a psychiatric hospital when one of the nurses noticed dark pigmentation on her skin, a red flag for Addison’s. After checking her blood work, Newdick was immediately transferred to the emergency room at a local hospital.
Newdick also suffers from pernicious anemia and hypothyroidism, but the good news is all three disorders can be treated. Newdick is grateful for that, and says, while today she feels fine, without her medications, she wouldn’t be able to survive.
Symptoms of adrenal insufficiency to look out for:
- fatigue
- weakness
- loss of appetite
- weight loss
- pain in abdomen
Find out more here.
