addison’s disease

For more information about: addison’s disease visit the allergies and asthma site AllergiesAsthmaHelp.com today.

Q: Can you get Addison’s Disease if you take 5 prednisone pills after the frist seven days of usage?
Two of the pills were taken maybe a day after the one week mark… The other three pills were taken about 4-5 days after the one week mark. What are the odds of getting Addison’s Disease from this? It it a high or low percentage.

A: 5mg prednisone is equilavent to how much cortisol each day by the average person, so chances of this actually causing addisons disease are close to 0%.

Q: How much will it cost to treat my dog for Addison’s disease after the initial vet visit?
My dog was just diagnosed as having Addison’s disease. I know she will have to take pills or get shots for the rest of her life. I am just curious if anyone has the same problem with their dog, and what it ended up costing them a month. I have read some wildly different prices online. I need to know what to budget every month for the drugs. Thanks!
I was asking people who have had the same health issue with their dog or are directly familiar with the disorder to answer. It is useless to tell me that things are more expensive in New York than rural Idaho or that my vet can tell me. I am going to a new vet that I do not know well yet. I want answers from people that know what they are talking about please. I also have heard people were able to cut out the vet middleman and save some money on the pharmacy visits. Thank you for trying to help, but please don’t try if you don’t have a specific answer.

A: I strongly advise you to join the Canine Cushings Autoimmune group on Yahoogroups. They are a wealth of information for people such as you. I had a Cushings dog and learned a hundred times more from them than my vets.

I also ordered her meds through a Canadian pharmacy for about half what they are here in the US.

http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/CanineCushings-AutoimmuneCare/

Best of luck to you

Q: How does Addison’s Disease effect the adrenal cortex?
How does Addison’s Disease effect the adrenal cortex. I mean how does the gland change so It can’t supply sufficient amounts of regulating hormones anymore.

Thanks
@ —

yes but how does the gland change?

A: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Addison’s_disease
all you need to know
•Acknowledgments
What is adrenal insufficiency?
Adrenal insufficiency is an endocrine—or hormonal—disorder that occurs when the adrenal glands do not produce enough of certain hormones. The adrenal glands are located just above the kidneys. Adrenal insufficiency can be primary or secondary.

Primary adrenal insufficiency, also called Addison’s disease, occurs when the adrenal glands are damaged and cannot produce enough of the hormone cortisol and often the hormone aldosterone. Addison’s disease affects one to four of every 100,000 people, in all age groups and both sexes.1

Secondary adrenal insufficiency occurs when the pituitary gland—a bean-sized organ in the brain—fails to produce enough adrenocorticotropin (ACTH), a hormone that stimulates the adrenal glands to produce cortisol. If ACTH output is too low, cortisol production drops. Eventually, the adrenal glands can shrink due to lack of ACTH stimulation. Secondary adrenal insufficiency is much more common than Addison’s disease.

What do adrenal hormones do?
Cortisol
Cortisol belongs to a class of hormones called glucocorticoids, which affect almost every organ and tissue in the body. Cortisol’s most important job is to help the body respond to stress. Among its many vital tasks, cortisol helps

•maintain blood pressure and cardiovascular function
•slow the immune system’s inflammatory response
•maintain levels of glucose—a form of sugar used for energy—in the blood
•regulate the metabolism of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats

The amount of cortisol produced by the adrenals is precisely balanced. Like many other hormones, cortisol is regulated by the brain’s hypothalamus and the pituitary gland. First, the hypothalamus releases a “trigger” hormone called corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) that signals the pituitary gland. The pituitary responds by sending out ACTH, which in turn stimulates the adrenal glands. The adrenal glands respond by producing cortisol. Completing the cycle, cortisol then signals back to both the pituitary and hypothalamus to decrease these trigger hormones.

Q: Does anyone have any experience with Addison’s disease in dogs?
My girl has been very sick and has spent 2 days in the hospital. She’s feeling better now after IV fluids, and some steroids. The vet is checking her for Addison’s disease and thinks that there’s a 90% chance she has it. We’ll have the test results tomorrow. Any advice?
Thanks – I’ll take a look at it.
Thanks Ragapple! I’ll need all the help I can get. I’m still keeping my fingers crossed her test results are negative, but 2 vets are pretty sure she has it.

A: I have a dog that was diagnosed with Addison’s 7 1/2 yrs ago and is almost 12 now. My advice to you is to RUN (don’t walk) to check out these two web sites
www.k9addisons.com
www.addisondogs.com

these are the home sites for support lists for owners of addison dogs. Besides the sites being chock full of information, they have links to the support lists themselves – which have literally thousands of people in the same situation. They can give referrals to Addison savy vets, sources of discount drugs, advice on what helped them solve medication problems, the latest research, and just plain people to celebrate victories with and shoulders to cry on… I found them a GODSEND and they may well have saved my dogs life when we had a medication problem beyond both the experience of my vet and the specialist she referred us to….

Q: Does anyone have personal perspective with treating Addison’s Disease in dogs?
I have a 17 year old Aussie mix, who has a tentative diagnosis of Addison’s. (ACTH test tomorrow) I know all about the disease, having worked as a vet tech. I’ve also done some web-based research, so don’t tell me what it is, etc…

What I’m looking for are personal stories of the practical side of dealing with this: treatment options, tips and tricks, and ESPECIALLY any holistic alternatives/complementary treatments.
Update: Please read the question carefully. I have researched this on the web thoroughly, so I don’t need copypasta from websites.

I need/want PERSONAL anecdotes and/or treatment options, particularly when it comes to alternatvie therapies.

A: Treatment for this disease is usually done by oral administration of fludrocortisone acetate (Flurinaf), salting the food, and administration of corticosteroids like prednisone. In a crisis situation this disorder must be treated more aggressively with intravenous fluids, IV glucocorticoids and correction of acid/base balances.

You have to pay close attention to a dog with this problem. Don’t ignore any changes in appetite, GI disturbances or anything else that makes you think your dog is ill. If you work with your vet and are careful about following his or her directions this disease has a good prognosis when it is discovered before a crisis occurs.

Q: Why do patients with Addison’s disease become hypotensive?
Why do patients with Addison’s disease become hypotensive, if you can answer it will help a lot?

A: Your adrenal glands fail to produce enugh Aldosterone:

“Aldosterone belongs to a class of hormones called mineralocorticoids, also produced by the adrenal glands. It helps maintain blood pressure and water and salt balance in the body by helping the kidney retain sodium and excrete potassium. When aldosterone production falls too low, the kidneys are not able to regulate salt and water balance, causing blood volume and blood pressure to drop.”

Q: My dog has Addison’s disease & I am wondering if it is ok to give her those grass saver tablets?
Her Addison’s had messed with her kidney’s during her first crisis so I was a little nervous about changing the PH in her urine for the grass. My vet is on vacation & I have a message in to her but I was curious if anyone knew already? Thanks!

A: 1-800-petmeds says to ask your vet before giving this to your dog if it has any kidney problems so my guess is that there can or has been a problem in dogs with impaired kidney function.

Also, even in perfectly healthy dogs, changing the ph level of their urine is a bad idea – they can end up with painful bladder stones. It’s better for your dog to find other ways to avoid urine burns. If you use nitrogen based fertilizers, stop. The nitrogen in your dog’s urine combined with the nitrogen in the fertilizer will magnify the problem. You can also try soaking the areas your dog eliminates in with a hose to dilute the nitrogen.

ETA: Shanna – where did you get a bottle of Braggs for $5? I paid way more than that.

Q: Do people ever decide to put dogs to sleep when they are diagnosed with Addison’s Disease?
I was wondering because my dog was diagnosed with Addison’s when he had an crisis a few days ago.. and now he is walking around in pain and constantly trying to go poo but you can tell it hurts him and he gets it everywhere and he yipes sometimes because it hurts so bad.. we go to the vet every day and we’re doing all that we can, buying him all of his medicine and stuff… will he be ok?

A: RUN! do not walk to the web lists www.k9addisons.com or www.addisondogs.com these are support lists for owners of Addison’s affected dogs. the lists can be a GODSEND with vet referrals, referrals for cost saving drug sources, understanding shoulders to cry on and celebrate with.. The initial crisis is scary, the medication commitment serious & worrisome and yes a few chicken out and put he dog down but most on these list have come out the other side and have dogs that can NOT be told as being chronically ill (even by a vet without some specific tests). Medication doses have to be customised to the individual – but happily with over 1,000 people on the lists SOMEONE has had almost every possible problem and can say what worked for them to steer you and you vet the correct direction.
dogs on the lists have include search & rescue dogs, seeing eye dogs (who remained in service) obedience & agility dogs (successful to national tournament wins)
My own addisonian whippet lived 8 years after diagnosis to the age of 12 1/2 and LIVED those years to the hilt – he finished his lure coursing championship, three Agility titles, was one of only 5 dogs in the breed to go from a rally novice to an excellent in the first year it was offered by AKC.
I never regretted treating him
PS I saw a vet text calling addison’s one of the most rewarding things to treat – because its possible to bring a dog from on deaths door to full ball chasing, frisbee catching LIFE

Q: Can a person diagnosed with Addison’s disease drink alcohol or get “drunk”?
Does taking Hydrocortisone and fludrocortisone interact in anyway with the consumption of alcohol? Those are two prescriptions that are used to treat addison’s. What are the possible consequences of an occasional drink or drinking with these at all?
Thanks.

A: You can get drunk for sure… but alcohol may have side effects that are probably a bit more dangerous for a person with Addison’s than the normal person. One drink should not be an issue as long as the person drinks plenty of other fluids. Getting plastered, well…
First, you get dehydrated which is not good as it may interfere with the electrolyte levels and as you should know, the adrenal crisis is created when sodium and potassium levels go out of wack. Which is why you want to stay hydrated and have a high sodium diet.
Second, if you get drunk and start to vomit – that also can create a life threatening crisis.
So, moderation is probably ok – but overdoing it can be dangerous especially if the people around you do not understand your health issues.

Q: How low does cortisol have to be to be considered Addison’s Disease?
*I know this isn’t related to diabetes, but I thought the folks in here might know

A: Every lab is different.
Talk to your endocrinologist.
Good luck.

Q: Is there an alternative treatment for Canine Addison’s Disease?
Just got the news today. With out treatment, my dog will die from Addisont’s Disease. Turns out the treatment will cost around 5 thousand bucks. The vet hydrated him before we left the office but he’s still pretty lethargic. Isnt there an herbal supplement that help him out? I dont want to loose my best friend!
been doing research since posting this question. there is a specific test they can run then they have to figure out which category of the disease it is. 5k may have been a little high but I’m thinking it includes the test and meds.

A: Addison’s disease is a condition where the adrenal glands do not produce the normal amounts of steroids. This causes the body to lose sodium, become dehydrated, and have vomiting, diarrhea and lethargy.

I’m not sure where the $5000 treatment fee is coming from. The two treatments I am familiar with are Florinef – a human pharmaceutical product that replaces both glucocorticoids and mineralocorticoids, and DOCP, which is formulated for animals and replaces mineralocorticoids. These are LIFELONG therapies, as there is no way to force the adrenal glands to increase production.

Although the cost of either medication is not cheap, I can’t imagine that it can cost $5000 all at once. I find that DOCP, which is an injection given every 25 days, works better to control the problem. In the beginning stages of the treatment, there is a fair amount of testing, but again, I can’t see it costing that much all at one time.

Try checking out K9Addisons website, it actually has some pretty good info.
Good luck. The good news is that with appropriate treatment, a dog can live a long, normal life with this condition. But without treatment, it can be fatal.

Q: Anyone taking Florinef because of low sodium but have NOT been diagnosed with Addison’s disease?
I am taking Florinef because my sodium level is low and I think I may have Addison’s disease but I am wondering if anyone else has just low sodium without a disease.Thanks

A: you need a proper diagnosis first.

Q: Exactly what test does the doctor order to diagnose Addison’s disease?
I think it is a cortisol test. Is it blood or serum or what?

A: They should do a 24 hour urine free test to see if you are putting out any cortisol or not.

They may want a MRI or CAT scan of your adrenals.

Q: how long can you live with addison’s disease if not treated?
i think i may have addisons disease but i have had a sickness whatever it is for five yearss. how long can you live with addisons without it beingg treated?

A: There is no particular ’set in stone’ age on how long you will live if left untreated but if you do not treat you will be at risk and have to be extremely careful. You could possibly have a addisonian crisis. During an addisonian crisis, low blood pressure, low blood glucose, and high levels of potassium can be life threatening. Standard therapy involves intravenous injections of hydrocortisone, saline (salt water), and dextrose (sugar). This treatment usually brings rapid improvement.

If I were you I would go to your physician so he can properly diagnose you. The different types of tests that you can do is the ACTH Stimulation Test (the most common one), or the CRH Stimulation Test.

Q: What is a cute brochure title on the topic of Addison’s Disease?
I am doing a brochure on Addison’s, and need a catchy title for it. Any ideas?

A: Here it is “Got It? Addisons Disease” hope this is cute.

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