Hi Ladies,

I don't post as often as some, but I do want to let you know that I read the posts daily and have learned a lot about this disease. I have to be honest with you, sometimes it scares me. I wonder about Zac, he'll be 9 in a few weeks and he is doing very well. Is his future going to be like so many other people with Addisons? Will he get other autoimmune diseases, will it limit his abilities? It's scary. My husband thinks I over react and baby him, but I can't help it.
Today it is 85 degrees here and I'm worried about him getting dehydrated, overheated, etc.

Barbara try not to worry and take this one day at a time...Zac will learn to deal with this disease and probably adapt better than many who develop it later in life...it will be just the way it is and he'll cope. :)

As for other autoimmune diseases that is something that may or may not happen so try not to over worry...if it happens you all will cope. (grh)

Thanks Jo, just having one of those days.

I think a lot of us mourn our "normal days" But with Zac he will only really know normal as with AD. He will learn to cope lots better. It's almost like a few children I've seen born without arms....it's the only thing they've ever known and they just learned a different way of doing all the things everyone else does. They don't feel the loss like you think they would. I'm sure it will be the same way with Zac.

(grh)

Zac has primary Addison's doesn't he? I can't seem to remember right now. If that's the case the other things that come along like hypothyroidism, Pernicious Anemia etc are easily treated. I'd be worried if I had a child with AD too, it's part of the MOM thing! :wub:

You have some very good concerns here.

Since he is young, he will adapt much better in the way that he will figure out how his body feels and how to respond to it at a younger age, giving him more time later to focus on life. I was noticing problems at 19 and didn't really get treatment or figure out what was wrong until it spiraled out of control. It wasn't until I turned 25(last year) that I've finally been able to focus on living.

If I was treated much earlier, I would be much further today. Don't rely totally on the doctors, as I've noticed others with this disease tend to know more than most endos out there. Forums like this are a great place to get information. You are ensuring that Zac will grow up and live as normal of a life as possible. Taking a few pills a day will be second nature to him and it probably won't make much difference in his enjoyment of life. :D

I have hypothyroidism as well, but that is just a pill in the morning to manage. Another issue is testosterone, but again, that is just an injection once a week. Easy maintenance.

Jake, What's the testosterone injection you are referring to?