There are no alternatives to hormone replacement therapy for Addison's disease. Untreated that is nearly always fatal. With hormone replacement therapy, however, a person with Addison's disease can expect to live a normal life span.
Standard hormone replacement for Addison's disease, however, fails to support the body's production of normal levels of the hormone testosterone, which is essential for sex drive in both men and women and for other aspects of quality of life.
The New England Journal of Medicine reports a double-blind study of 24 women with Addison's disease who were given either 50 milligrams of DHEA or a placebo every day for 4 months. Every woman in the study was DHEA-deficient at the beginning of treatment. The researchers found that taking DHEA reduced anxiety and depression and heightened overall sense of well-being in the treated women. DHEA also restored normal sex drive.
Experts in treating adrenocortical insufficiency speculate that DHEA can also restore sex drive in men with Addison's disease, but this idea has not been subjected to clinical testing. An editorial in the New England Journal of Medicine suggests that men with Addison's disease can probably benefit from taking DHEA on an ongoing basis.
Women who take DHEA should get regular breast exams, and men who take DHEA should get regular prostate exams. About half of people who take DHEA for Addison's disease will notice slightly oilier skin and hair and increased growth of hair-detrimental only to those wearing hair weaves or extensions or who are averse to getting haircuts.
How do you cope with Addison's disease?
Know how to recognize an Addisonian crisis. Symptoms include:
o Sudden penetrating pain in the lower back, abdomen, or legs;
o Severe vomiting and diarrhea;
o Low blood pressure;
o Loss of consciousness;
o Pale skin;
o Excessive sweating.
These symptoms require immediate medical treatment. They are treated with an emergency injection of cortisol and IVs of saline and glucose.
If you have Addison's disease, you should carry identification alerting emergency medical personnel to the need to inject 100 milligrams of cortisol if you are found injured or unconscious. Carry a syringe and cortisol with you at all times.
To avoid a "crash and burn" crisis:
o Alternate active periods with rest;
o Avoid strenuous physical activity in hot, humid weather;
o Don't be afraid to eat salty foods, especially when you sweat a lot;
o Don't skip meals;
o Make sure you drink plenty of fluids.
Avoid resveratrol. Animal studies suggest resveratrol may interfere with the production of adrenal hormones.
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