I am completely BAFFLED About Addison’s disease! Are you?! You Should be!
It’s Monday night, and I’m sitting—rather, lounging on the sofa, feeling baffled after reading a post from a woman who is living with Addison’s disease. It took her nearly 10 years to receive a proper diagnosis! Yes, 10 long years! First I can barely imagine how difficult that must have been for her. Seeing countless doctors, possibly who “patted her on the head” to reassure her that she just had a tad bit of depression or too much anxiety? Yeah… No….! No!
[Source: pixabay.com]
- Debilitating fatigue
- Feeling blue, depression
- Joint and muscle pain
- Loss of appetite and weight loss
- Skin that has darkened, also known as hyperpigmentation
- Passing out, feeling faint, moderate to low blood pressure
- Craving salt
- Tendency towards anger and irritability
- Upset stomach, vomiting
- Hair loss on the body
- Lack of sex drive, loss of libido
But Wait! It Can Get Worse!
Sometimes symptoms of Addison’s can come on suddenly and can be extremely dangerous that can begin with:
- Acute vomiting, diarrhea
- Hyponatremia, which is low sodium, and/or hyperkalemia, which is high potassium
- Suddenly passing out
- Acute lower back pain, or pain in the legs and or stomach
With crazy symptoms like this over a 10 year period–WITHOUT A DIAGNOSIS!– how did this woman stay SANE?!
Honestly, I cannot imagine how she didn’t end up in a psychiatric hospital in a straightjacket! Becoming a “frequently flyer” in a doctor’s office, clinic, or hospital, in a quest to find out what the hell is wrong with you does not come without consequence! Ah yes, leave it up to those highly trained healthcare “professionals” to pass judgement. Slapping a diagnosis of “anxiety” or “depression” in your chart simply based on your appearance and conversation during a quick 15-minute office visit, just ain’t right!
