By Pat Gurnick, CLC.
Edited by Linda M. Rio, M.A., MFT, Pituitary Network Association Education Director

NOTE: The following is a continuation of a patient’s story we began to publish last month. Because of the length we have broken her story into several segments. We are publishing her story with her permission and in the form as it was written over the course of several months.

Dear Linda,
I saw another Endo later on who did a few tests to follow up on my treatment, but when I was in adrenal crisis a few weeks ago she didn't identify the symptoms and told me to go to the GP. I called her 3x's in the crisis, explaining my symptoms to her nurse - she did not make time to talk to me directly. She had her nurse warn me NOT to take the cortef, which was WRONG. Thank God I popped that emergency dosage - I knew I was going down. I was just told I should tell my GP my symptoms and she sent me on my way. Because the symptoms are simplistic, most Dr's like her are uneducated to recognize the 'cluster’ of signs brought on by adrenal insufficiency, see below list:

• Muscle weakness and fatigue: I have that on and off all the time.
• Weight loss and decreased appetite: I go up and down according to my moods. When I am excited/trauma my cortisol can go up notches for days and I go on a food binge. Then when it crashes and I go down than I don't want to eat, could last for a week or more. JUST LIKE a real bipolar patient, but mine is due to cortisol dysfunction. I have a 'broken' mechanism, I have been told by doctors to decrease my 'fight or flight' cortisol response. I am learning how to balance internally through meditation, medication, medical marijuana, psychotherapy, somatic experiencing, PT, OT, visualization techniques, and Jin Shin acupressure treatment, to name a few.
• Darkening of your skin (hyperpigmentation): The dermatologist said they were from the sun and took off 38 skin spots at once, causing me to go into an adrenal crisis, even though my pituitary health history was fill out on his forms! Now, I realize they were hyperpigmentation! Should have been a warning.
• Salt craving: Always
• Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia): Yes
• Nausea, diarrhea or vomiting: Always feel nausea .When in adrenal crisis I have diarrhea, but that can be confused with any number of health problems, even catching the flu bug! I realize now even catching the flu can set off an adrenal situation...
• Muscle or joint pains: Always feel this on and off.
• Irritability: Often.
• Depression: I often feel this with low adrenal and low thyroid. Antidepressants didn't help, and I felt more uncontrolled mania most of the time. I tried other drugs which didn't control the situation and eventually I stopped all medication. I didn't understand what was happening to me.

So, after the 1st year, my Endo doctor took me off cortef because my tests showed normal. Even though I complained about the above symptoms, she did nothing. She did not look for nor did she catch the 'cyclic' Addison's problems. I did share my disturbing symptoms with her, upset. I was suffering and didn't hide this fact.

As time went on, my GP tried to monitor me as best she could, but since I was not to have cortisol, and I could not take thyroid because it brings down my cortisol, I felt pretty sick and she was at a loss as to what to do for me.

After my Endo threw me onto my GP, he was smart enough to test me for A.M. cortisol (showed high at this point, onto the next 'swing'), though still at a loss. My practitioner friends continued to work on me daily, and friends brought me food. I could not function at this point; any talking or walking brought me into adrenal stress. My GP said, “ good” so I didn't go to hospital or I would have never made it. I started thinking differently after that, not chasing around and getting more sick and scared, but adapting to the reality of my situation and how I can stay safe on a daily basis. Thinking about an emergency bracelet and how can I find one that has an emergency small pill box attached (charm). I looked on line and did not find one. I would feel so much better if it was on my person, preventative measures, like a medical emergency ring pill box, emergency necklace pill box, or emergency bracelet pill box. I am creating one for myself.

Blessings,
Pat