Home Forums Other Specialities Endocrinology ADDISONS DISEASE -DD

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      Anonymous
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      Differential diagnosis

      What else might it be?

      Diagnostic confusion may occur with:

      Acute abdomen — the severe dehydration, circulatory shock, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain of an adrenal crisis can be mistaken for an acute abdominal emergency.

      Gastroenteritis — nausea and vomiting are key features of adrenal crisis.

      Depression — chronic fatigue, malaise, and anorexia may be misinterpreted as indicating a depressive illness. It is not uncommon for the symptoms of Addison’s disease to be wrongly diagnosed as mental health problems.
      If Addison’s disease is not recognized, an adrenal crisis may be precipitated by antidepressant treatment, as some antidepressants are sodium depleting.

      Eating disorder — unintentional weight loss, nausea, vomiting, and vague abdominal pain may be confused with symptoms of a gastrointestinal or eating disorder.

      Type 1 diabetes mellitus — fatigue, unexplained weight loss, and thirst can be caused by either condition. However, the blood glucose level is usually normal or low in adrenal failure.

      Chronic fatigue syndrome — fatigue is a predominant feature in many people with Addison’s disease.

      Hyperemesis and chloasma of pregnancy — symptoms of Addison’s disease may be attributed to vomiting and pigment changes associated with pregnancy.

      G Mohan.

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