Adrenal Insufficiency Awareness

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Adrenal Insufficiency Awareness

It’s no Joke, Adrenal Insufficiency is the rare condition across the world and with a rare illness, there is often a lack of awareness and understanding.

I’ve been writing about Adrenal Insufficiency for over 10 months now. I feel I’ve done a really great job raising awareness about my illness, Sharing experiences and stories and helping people to see how life-threatening adrenal insufficiency can be.

I’ve had many comments across social media. Some are from those unfortunate enough to have my condition. Many comments, however, have been from people who had never heard of adrenal insufficiency before coming across my blog. I’ve worked really hard to write and share my understanding of adrenal insufficiency with the world.

I’m no doctor but I am a human being experiencing illness which many doctors, (the ones I have come across) and almost every ambulance officer (that I’ve come across) have not really known how to treat. When having an adrenal crisis, my husband has had to explain and tell ambulance officers what to do. They’re always full of questions, saying that they have never come across AI before and it’s not something they are familiar with. As scary as the sounds, I’m grateful to have educated quite a lot of ambulance staff everything in the past two years.

The problem of adrenal insufficiency being unfamiliar to medical staff it is not limited to the ambulance service. Many times when I have been in the accident and emergency department, I have been asked what other doctors usually do in the situation and doctors have followed my advice. It shouldn’t be this way but it is. It’s not something all medical staff see.

Despite all my efforts to share about my illness, my need for cortisol replacement therapy and the importance of double dosing went unwell with illness or infection, there are still many people you do not understand the life-threatening nature of adrenal insufficiency.

Today I received a message telling me that I should not be complaining when my receptionist does not feel having an infection requires an urgent doctors appointment. In fact, I was told that an infection is never urgent no matter what condition the patient has.

Well, sadly that person is uneducated and clearly not trained in medicine. Infections can kill people and if someone with adrenal insufficiency does not double up on medication, they could have an adrenal crisis and die.

When the body does not produce cortisol, “the stress hormone”, then steroid replacement therapy is required. If the body is under added stress due to an infection, then more cortisol medication is required.

I have been told by an Endocrinologist that when I have an infection I need treatment as soon as possible. I can’t wait for an available appointment in 3 weeks time.

So, to the man who thinks he knows everything and thinks I’m being petty, I encourage you to actually read up on my illness, Adrenal Insufficiency and instead of wasting your time telling me that I don’t need urgent treatment, do something more useful with your time.

Gee, you could even help to spread the word about this illness and share a post or two on the condition.

Some Posts You Might Like to Share on Social Media

My adrenal crisis and the truth about how I feel 

What’s it really Like to Have Adrenal Insufficiency

Children have Adrenal Insufficiency Too

Fighting to get well is Like Climbing a Mountain

Why the Adrenal Pump is a brilliant treatment for Adrenal Insufficiency 

From Cancer to Adrenal Insufficiency – A Brave Story

 My First Magazine Appearance and the fight to Kick Adrenal Insufficiency in the Butt! 

I have an invisible illness

A Doctor Diagnosed with Adrenal Insufficiency