Adrenal Crisis or a Flare?

[Cyclo5]

Evening all,

I've been a casual observer for many months now - my PMR was 'gone' (ie in remission/on holiday/not troubling me) and I had adjusted to Adrenal Insufficiency and a likely permanent dose of Hydrocortisone and Vitamin D.

I recovered from a dose of covid about 3 weeks ago.

On Saturday afternoon I was walking my dogs when I suddenly felt light headed, started sweating, especially sweaty legs for some reason, and started to have heart palpitations. It was cold and raining but I felt feverish and had to take my coat off and lie down on a bench in the park - the dogs jumped on me, licked me and generally barked until I sat up.

I walked home in a bit of a daze with a few stops to sit on a wall on the way. As soon as I got in I was craving orange juice/something sweet and also something salty, then gave myself an emergency injection and fell asleep for 3 hours....

Have been very drowsy all yesterday and today and now feeling much better. Haven't contacted a medic/Dr, so not sure of this was a flare, a crisis or linked to getting over covid. Interested to know if others have had the above symptoms and how they dealt with it.

Thank You :-)👍😀

[SheffieldJane]

I think I would want a test for type 2 diabetes if that happened to me. It sounds like a hypoglycaemic ( if that is the correct term for low blood sugar) episode more than anything, to me. Whatever it was, it needs medical investigation. Good luck!

[Merryfield in reply to SheffieldJane]

i agree.

[agingfeminist]

how scary for you...I think anything like this, which is way outside your normal functioning, should be taken to a doctor asap. A visit to ER at the time would not have been unreasonable....

[Jackoh]

What dose of hydrocortisone are you on? I did look at your profile but couldn’t see on there.

[Cyclo5 in reply to Jackoh]

A relatively low dose - 15mg/10mg/5mg - total of 30mg/day

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Sounds very much like adrenals and could well have been a leftover from Covid, or as suggested low blood pressure - and I agree you do need to get medical attention.

Please do so, and let us know.

[Cally55]

Sounds familiar! Had an adrenal crisis myself last week. Local ED , yes not A and E anymore, seemed to think was Adrenal. What was dinned into me was that although I have emergency hydrocortisone must always call ambulance and be observed after having it in case of problems. So I spent 4 hours on a confortable trolley in what I first thought was a freezing corridor but turned out it was me that was cold, when I recovered the corridor turned out to be the usual hospital temperature.

My Fitbit recorded AF during the night before the crisis and I had been aware of it in the days befire. For a few days before I had been either too hot or too cold and very tired. Like you I had felt the need to stopand rest during dog walking.The problem is that by the time I get to see a doctor after these incidents I have largely recovered, however I have been told repeatedly that I must.

[Cyclo5 in reply to Cally55]

Completely agree, by the time you get to see a Doctor, and explained the condition to him/her, the incident has passed and we have largely recovered.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Cally55]

That is what 999 is for - you give yourself the jab and call 999 so they can check everything out and take you to the ED if they feel you need monitoring. A GP is next to useless in those cases anyway.

[Cyclo5 in reply to PMRpro]

I should have called 999, though I was mindful of (a) the wait for a paramedic [n hours] (b) if I went myself to A&E I'd be sitting for n hours (at least 3) (c) I always feel that is one is not bleeding out of one's eyes, then A&E is vv slow.

After all that - I should have called or got my other half to take me to A&E

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Cyclo5]

If you wave the HC needle at them in triage and say incipient adrenal crisis they would probably look! And if you collapse in the ED, they are there to pick you up!

[powerwalk in reply to PMRpro]

Pro, Is it GP or consultant that gives you a HC emergency jab to have? Not even an endo mentioned this to me when he told me my adrenals were not working. Just wondering. Tks.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to powerwalk]

I would have thought the consultant - I don't know. Maybe put up a post asking the question, there are one or two on the forum who have been given them.

[Cyclo5 in reply to powerwalk]

Hi Powerwalk,I had read about the injection kits on the Addison's Self Help Group website (will share a link).

They sell a kit that is ready made with 6 syringes in it.

Initially ADSHG were out of stock of adult kits so I asked my Endocrinologist and he sent the GP a scrip.... I was given:

- syringes

- solucortref powder

- saline/liquid for mixing with the powder to make up the solution for the syringe

Hope that helps.

[powerwalk in reply to Cyclo5]

Oh very interesting. Thank you.

[Suffolklady in reply to powerwalk]

The Endocrinologist consultant prescribed this for me as it is made up at the hospital in their labs it can not be done through the GP or at the GP. As I was unable to get to the hospital they delivered it. If I need a replacement I have to go through the hospital.

[powerwalk in reply to Suffolklady]

Thanks, i must look into it. Thank you.

[Cyclo5 in reply to powerwalk]

addisonsdisease.org.uk/shop...

It may be out of stock so perhaps worth emailing them, or as a backstop, order a childs kit?

[powerwalk in reply to Cyclo5]

I will, im recovering from second back surgery, do its definitely on my list when i feel more human. Thank you.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Sounds more like adrenal insufficiency to me - and you say you gave yourself an emergency injection, I assume of hydrocortisone? Certainly not a flare of PMR - they don't come as short episodes, they keep going.

[Cyclo5 in reply to PMRpro]

Yes, correct, an emergency injection of Hydrocortisone Sodium Phosphate to be precise. As unpleasant as it was, I'm thankful it wasn't a return of PMR.

[powerwalk]

Gosh thats scary. Hope you're doing ok.