Since 18th Dec I have had 3 adrenal crises, each treated initially by the emergency cortisone injections done by my partner or mum. As I have bad peripheral neuropathy in my hands there is little sensation or dexterity left in my fingers so I cannot even load the syringe, let alone break the top off the vial. One other injection was done by my GP when no-one else could do it but just to get that I had to sit for an hour in a waiting room full of other patients who presumed from my behaviour that I was a drunk.
After each emergency injection I have then gone downhill fast about 4 hours later so I have had to go to A & E. Twice an ambulance took me but the hospital had a huge queue of trolleys and I was not a priority so I had no choice but to put one after another hydrocortisone tablet under my tongue to fend off the next crisis. The symptoms are always the same but at the latter end I just pass out. Each time whilst in hospital I ask for fluids and additional IV cortisone as I feel so ill but get neither. On 1st Jan's visit to A & E my veins were shut down so I was told after 5 attempts I couldn't have fluids. But surely an IM cortisone injection would have allowed access to my veins? Most of the doctors I have met there have never heard of adrenal insufficiency, let alone crisis symptoms. And only one of the three wards I have been on keep the emergency injections on the ward. Even A&E do not have the hydrocortisone vial I would need.
It is bad enough to have to cope with unstable adrenal function but knowing I wont get the treatment I need to stabilise things in hospital is just soul destroying. What precipitates my crashes are usually bad UTIs or sinus infections. The last one, however, on 3rd Jan was due to acute labyrinthitis (diagnosed 2 weeks late and only then because my adrenals conked) which I think is an inner ear infection. I feel like I am totally out of my depth, even though I have extensively read about and known for at least 4 years that I had undiagnosed adrenal insufficiency.
I started out taking Dexamethasone 0.75mg daily and whilst on that had no crashes despite 3 infections but it made a terrible mess of my stomach. so now I am on hydrocortisone 15mg + 7.5mg + 7.5mg (currently doubled to 60mg in total for the labirynthitis) but still have symptoms. My blood pressure always drops on standing but usually runs high until a crash. I haven't been able to talk to my Endo and she is in a different hospital to the one where I attend A & E. If anyone has any advice I'd be really grateful as I do not know anyone with adrenal insufficiency and I cant join the Addisons Org site as my condition is secondary. I am told I am the only one at our GP practice who has it too, but which I doubt. My head is literally in the shed with it all. Anyway, thanks for taking the time to read this and best wishes to you all,
Tigerspace
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Not sure about the Testosterone!